BRITISH PUNK Literature

INTRO:  Your research on the background of the punk music movement well informs today’s goals because the philosophy of punk and the energy of the music shaped the spoken word, performance, and slam poetry genres.  The following three “punk poets” are performance poets as well. Each embodying a very different style from the other. 

GOAL:  Research TWO of them in order to analyze their styles.  Follow the guidelines in the chosen boxes.  Put your work in a Word document. Cutting and pasting information is allowed.

John Cooper Clarke

Picture
1.  Using these links
collect 7-10 pieces of significant information that describes this poet and identifies him as a member of the punk poetry genre.

2.  For each of these poems
  • Apart from the Revolution
  • Beasely Street

    write about the following:

     a. Cut and paste 3 specific chunks from the poem that embodies the spirit of punk literature.

     b. Cut and paste 3 specific chunks from the poem because of the interesting phrasing, images, symbols, or tone.  Explain what you like about these lines.

    c.  Imitating Clarke's style, write several lines of poetry that describe the state of affairs of something in our country at this time in history.

       

Attila the Stockbroker

Picture


1.  Using these links
collect 7-10 pieces of significant information that describes this poet and identifies him as a member of the punk poetry genre.

2.  Choose ONE football poem. Write about the following:

a. Cut and paste 3 specific chunks from the poem that embodies the spirit of punk literature.  Explain these choices.

b. Cut and paste 3 specific chunks from the poem because of the interesting phrasing, images, symbols, or tone.  Explain what you like about these lines.

c. Imitating his style, write a few lines of a sport poem of your own.


3.  Listen to some samples of Attila’s rants.  Then, write three key observations about his style.

Billy Childish

Picture
1.  Using these links

collect 7-10 pieces of significant information that describes this poet and identifies him as a member of the punk poetry genre.

2.  Childish has written a few manifestos—credos of beliefs regarding life, art, technology, and more.  Read his manifesto and respond to it. 

a. Explain 3 key ideas you think he is “on his soapbox” about.  

b. Which ideas do you agree with?  Disagree with?  Explain.  

c.  Imitating his style, write several lines of your own manifesto.

3.  Listen to some samples of Childish’s Performances.  Identify and explain 3 things that make Childish ‘one-of-a-kind.’
EXTRA CREDIT: 

1.  An American Voice  Learn about John Burgess, his punk poetry style, and hear him read some of his works.  Record your observations from his reading: identify his style, the “punk” content, and what sets him apart from other contemporary poets. 

2.  Political Poet  Re-examine Attila the Stockbroker as a social and political poet.  Visit his site and click on the corresponding political links that interest you.  Identify information of importance.  Explain it’s importance.  Or, cut-and-paste certain segments to which you’d like to write a response.  

3. Artist  Visit Billy Childish’s art gallery.  Click on woodcuts, collage work, pinhole camera photographs, paintings, and more to see many examples of each style of his work. Choose three favorite pieces.  Cut and paste the images and their titles.  Explain your attraction to them or analysis of them. 
LINKS & PHOTO SOURCES:
Johnny Clarke 1  http://www.comedycv.co.uk/johncooperclarke/index.htm
Johnny Clarke 2  http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_headline=lyrical-genius--%26method=full%26objectid=18971986%26siteid=66633-name_page.html
Apart from the Revolution  http://www.johncooperclarke.com/Pages/apartrev.htm
Beasely Street http://www.johncooperclarke.com/Pages/beasley.htm
Attila 1  http://www.footballpoets.org/poem.asp?Id=32&biog=yes
Attila 2  http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguide/comedy/story/0,,1872259,00.html
Football poem  http://www.attilathestockbroker.com/footpoem.html
Attila’s rants  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_dmusic/002-6178232-5348806?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-music&field-keywords=atilla+the+stockbroker
Billy Childish 1  http://www.musicianguide.com/biographies/1608002548/Billy-Childish.html
Billy Childish 2  http://www.billychildish.com/home.html
Childish’s Performances  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_dmusic/103-1853853-4231840?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-music&field-keywords=billy+childish
An American Voice  http://www.jackstraw.org/programs/writers/WritersForum/06/writers/john.shtml
Political Poet  http://www.attilathestockbroker.com/
Artist  http://www.billychildish.com/gallery.html
http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2007/01/12/JCC_070111020043350_wideweb__300x354.jpg
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/images/artists/atilla_stokebroker.jpg
http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/0/00/220px-Howard-Childish.jpg