|
|
|
Last Updated: Dec 5th, 2008 - 11:13:17 |
Saul Stacey Williams is nothing short of sick. He’s an innovative, lyrical genius speaking in codes that seem to slither from the darkest corners of his mind. He constantly reshapes the box, slumbers in it for half a night, expels himself, only to reenter and reshape it again. He is quick, cunning and lives in the art he creates—almost comparable to the spirit moving upon the dark waters saying “let there be light.” In short, Saul Williams creates worlds with his words. “Have you ever been kissed by god?” the poet begins. “…Pure psychedelic inebriation…transcendental metamorphosis when you become aware that the greatness of this being was breathing in you.”
Said The Shotgun to the Head is result of a kiss, Williams declares. It is an epic spoken word poem told from the point of view of babbling vagabond—a watcher of society—in search of life that reflects the love he found in the kiss of his lover, a goddess. Instead of finding that bliss, he is tormented, almost unraveled to the point of insanity, by materialism, hopelessness, decay of happiness and the post 9/11 wreckage that surround him. Of course Williams can never be as straight forward. His character speaks in circles, inundated with Williams’ pseudo-punctuation, lyrical syncopation and personal, political and theological ideologies.
He attributes the title of this work to Maya Angelou, who once wrote “someone’s writing should be what they would write if they had a gun in their mouth.” His words live up to Angelou’s argument. They are bombarding, mind boggling, seemingly idiopathic and yet full. When reading them, you are entangled and almost strangled by the journey that both the author and the main character take. You are at close range with the author’s thoughts—so close that you are there. Though the journey has its bumps and occasional lurches, it is one you’d willingly take again.
Read and search book reviews and excerpts on SeeingBlack.com's Literature channel and archive.
Click here to post a comment on this excerpt or your own literature, reviews or news.
Do you shop at Amazon? Well shop through our link and support SeeingBlack.com! Thanks!
© Copyright 2006 SeeingBlack.com
Top of Page
|
|
|
|
