- Counting Graves
The documentary Louder than a Bomb is a documentary about a Chicago High School poetry slam competition. Poets Nate Marshall, Adam Gottlieb, Nova Venerable, and a group called the Steinmenauts had poetry featured. Adam Gottlieb and Nova were both amazing poets who I enjoyed listening to, I did not like Nate Marshall as much (he was a bit boring to me), but the group I thought had the greatest piece was the Steinmenauts formerly known as Steinmentz.
Counting Graves is the poem that Kevin, Big C, Kira, and Jesus performed at Louder than a Bomb. Counting Graves to me was a mix of a story, song, and poem. Each poet plays a different role when they speak. Kira was the mother, Big C was the older brother, Kevin was the younger brother, and Jesus was the narrator. The story of Counting Graves is of a 7 yr old boy who was shot in a drive by. The little boy was wearing his big brother's clothing while outside, and the shooters thought he was his big brother. The big brother is a "street slave" meaning he was involved with drug dealing when he sold fake drugs to these guys who decided they would shoot him as payback. The big brother left his little brother alone for a few minutes when he was shot. The pain of the guilt, and disappointment from his mother drives the older brother to commit suicide in the end of the poem.
What makes this poem so powerful is the emotion each speaker brings to the poem. Big C is so much bigger and has such a deep voice compared to Kevin, it helps to visualize a big brother and little brother. The speakers also grip their chests, act distressed,pretend to drink alcohol through hand motions, Kira slapping Big C, and breathing heavily that really can show the pain behind the words. Kira also sings a stanza of the poem making it song like, giving it a more powerful energy, and grabbing the audience's attention that would not happen on paper. I do not know if this poem is based on a true story, but it was probably written to represent what struggles they have seen in their part of Chicago.
