Cloudy Day Art Presents:
The Poet Tech Podcast – Episode #004

[audio:http://media.libsyn.com/media/cloudydayart/PoetTech004-PoetryAsASocialMediaTool.mp3]

Download Episode (Right-click –> Save as)

In light of the recent events in Haiti, I decided to talk about we as poets can use social media as a tool to bring about thoughts, action, and change in the world around us.

Here are the topic points of the discussion.  Listen in for the details and as always I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments, by email, or voicemail. Thanks for listening!

• Lots of news about how Twitter and social media is helping to spread news
  • Current example : The Earthquake in Haiti
    • People sharing ways to respond
    • Texting Haiti to the Red Cross has raised $25 million as of this recording
• Sharing pictures and stories of those on the ground there
• What has been the poet’s response?
  • Writing related poetry
  • Share it online
    • Personal website
    • Email to friends and family
• What is the logical next step?
  • Stepping out of our poetry circles and sharing it on social media (twitter, facebook, etc)
  • Even better : Encouraging others to act
    • Give financially
    • Participate in an event
• Hellicane by PodPoet was an example.  Dealt with the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina
  • Motivated poets to share their poetry
  • Social Media didn’t exist outside of blogs and podcasts
  • Listen to the interview I did with Steven Schultz : Cloudy Day Art #21 from September 2005
• Every poet has their social muse
• Speak on those things that move you to write

“Poets, your words make people think, and when people think, they act, and act by act, the world changes, little by little.”

—NotOneNotTwo via Twitter

“You are the spark of the world’s change, poets. Do not think yourselves powerless, or meaningless. You *have* power and meaning.”

—NotOneNotTwo via Twitter

Other links mentioned:

Haiku for Haiti (via Dragonfly Archives)

Thanks for listening and reading!

Please leave a comment or add to the discussion. Thanks!