Poetry in Motion

Overview

More than 20 contemporary North American poets recite, sing, and perform their work. Early in the film, Charles Bukowski talks about the energy of poets and of a poem. These poets are the children of Walt Whitman and of Charles Olson, incantatory and oratorical, radical, sometimes incorporating contemporary political imagery. Black Mountain poets, the Beats, minimalists like John Cage, the wordless Four Horsemen, Tom Waits, and others capture aspects of poets as troubadours.

Directed by Ron Mann

Top cast

Charles Bukowski

Self

William S. Burroughs

Self

John Cage

Self

Jim Carroll

Self

R

Robert Creeley

Self

Allen Ginsberg

Self

Tom Waits

Self

Gary Snyder

Self

T

Ted Berrigan

Self

Ed Sanders

Self

D

Diane Di Prima

Self

Amiri Baraka

Self

Anne Waldman

Self

K

Kenward Elmslie

Self

C

Christopher Dewdney

Self

M

Michael McClure

Self

T

Ted Milton

Self

Michael Ondaatje

Self

John Giorno

Self

Ntozake Shange

Self

Details