Time and time again I’m amazed at award-winning actor, singer and poet Daniel Beaty’s powerful spoken word performance entitled “Knock Knock”. Performed on Def Poetry Jam, a spoken word television program, Beaty captivates the audience with a sentimental poem about his childhood separation from his father. At the age of 3, his father was sent to prison, leaving the poet with the hardship of growing up in a household without a father figure. Instead of allowing the situation to discourage or intimidate him from manhood, Beaty learns to “father himself” and lives out the role he imagines a father to be: a teacher, an activist, and a revolutionary.

Although Beaty’s presentation touches on an array of sensitive emotions such as disappointment, anger, and empowerment, I admire his smooth, controlled, realistic transitions between these tones. In other words, the speaker’s skilled change of tones/emotion evoke a realism to the story by allowing the audience to experience a glimpse of the confusion and uncertainty experienced during the absence of his father. Beaty’s ability to convey such raw emotion, in combination with the story in itself, is the reason behind the crowd’s standing ovation. Through facial expression, gestures, and most notably – vocal expression, the poet appropriately and effectively escorts his audience step by step through his trials and tribulations, as well as self-realization and triumph.

The image I selected is from a video of the performance found on YouTube. I believe the image sums up the nature of the presentation in the best way possible: powerful, inspirational, and revolutionary.

(The actual video of “Knock Knock” is posted here: Def Poetry: Daniel Beaty – Knock Knock (Official Video) It’s worth watching for yourself!)