Poetry Jam gives students and teachers a wide variety of poems they can experience in a fun-filled, dynamic, hour-long program. I’ve memorized dozens of my own poems as well as classical favorites that I act out as a dramatic spoken word piece or with help from audience members who act out various gestures or call-and-response parts from the poem. I perform with devil sticks (also known as juggling sticks), an art form that is said to have originated in China and is used in Caribbean cultures. Whether it’s a rap about basketball or an adventure involving a surfing llama or a trip to Alligator Cafe, I like to take students on an imaginative journey where poetry expands the mind and enriches the heart. My hope is that students and teachers come away entertained, informed, and eager to learn more about poetry.
Artist Background
Michael Beadle is a poet, author and teaching artist with a passion for language, writing and literature. His goal is to encourage, inspire and challenge writers to express themselves so they can become more confident with writing and be lifelong learners and creative problem solvers. Since 1999, he’s taught thousands of students in poetry and creative writing workshops across the state and performed poetry at schools, libraries, churches and festivals. He’s the author of several poetry books, including What Makes a Giraffe Laugh?, Does Your Goblin Have a Problem? and Foodtopia! His poems have appeared in various journals and anthologies including North Carolina Literary Review, Kakalak and River Heron Review. In addition to a 15-year career as a journalist, he’s worked as a high school English teacher, book reviewer, and freelance writer. Beadle has also served as poet-in-residence at the NC Zoo, emcee for the NC Poetry Out Loud state finals, A+ Schools Fellow for staff development training, and student poetry contest coordinator for the NC Poetry Society.
Search Criteria
- Program Type: Performance
- Discipline: Literary, Theatre
- Grade Level: Elementary
- Cultural Context: African-American, European, Latinx
- Accepts bookings in Johnston County
