#beckcooper

"The more vulnerable and honest I am in my writing, the more important and urgent the poem tends to be. If I am scared and excited to read it, then I know I am doing something right." 

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Shift (Pantoum)

When nothing makes sense, rearrange the pieces until you find the meaning Rotate the mirrors behind your eyes until your mentality shifts, remember That pain is necessary, it is part of becoming After all, you have always been a kaleidoscope, shifting is in your nature 

Rotate the mirrors behind your eyes until your mentality shifts, remember when you’re hurting, seek perspective After all, you have always been a kaleidoscope, shifting is in your nature This pain can be broken down into tiny sequins and shards of glass  

When you’re hurting, seek perspective There is a reason This pain can be broken down into tiny sequins and shards of glass   Remember this, shift like you do, find the meaning 

There is a reason Your bones ache as they grow Remember this, shift like you do, find the meaning  You don’t need anyone but yourself

Your bones ache as they grow That pain is necessary, it is part of becoming You don’t need anyone but yourself When nothing makes sense, rearrange the pieces until you find the meaning

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Name: Beck Cooper

Stage Name: Wreck-It-Beck (Just Kidding)

Age: 23

Years Active in Slam: One

Teams You’ve Been a Member of: Eclectic Truth (Baton Rouge!)

Place from which you are traveling to get to TGS: New Orleans, LA

Top 5 influential poets: Basically everybody I met at WOWPS this year. If I had to choose five, the first human-poets that come to mind are Denise Jolly, Desireé Dallagiacomo, Donney Rose, Dominique Christina, & Danez Smith. Only poets whose names start with the letter “D” I guess.

Have you been to TGS before, & if so, what are you hoping is the same/different from your previous experience?

This will be my first TGS experience. I’m still pretty excited about the prospect of getting my face on an astronaut body. 

If not, what are you most looking forward to at TGS this year?

Getting to know badass poets from other parts of the country who share my love for writing/performing. Also, this 2500 seat venue Safi’s warned us about. 

How would you describe your writing style?

I think my writing style can be adequately summed up using this quote from Mean Girls:

“I just have a lot of feelings”

Do you consider yourself more of a writer or a performer?

I wish there was a buzzfeed quiz to help me out with this one. I could see the results saying something like, “35% WRITER - 65% PERFORMER: You undoubtedly believe in writing as a healing practice and are definitely committed to challenging yourself as a writer, HOWEVER your chubby and rambunctious little ass has been performing for anyone willing to listen since the day you first discovered your hairbrush doubled as a bedazzled microphone and your raging ADHD blessed you with a wild imagination and total lack of inhibition!”

Someday I hope I can consider myself a writer and a performer.

Who are you looking forward to/nervous as hell to compete against?

It’s hard to say, everybody looks so intimidating with their faces photoshopped onto astronauts. 

What is your goal for this competition?

To make Safi proud. That’s all I really want in life. 

What is going through your head before you get on stage?

Almost a year ago I was competing in a slam and I was incredibly nervous to be vulnerable on stage, in front of so many people I didn’t know. Right before they called my name, Desireé Dallagiacomo passed me a little note she had ripped out from her journal and written on. It said: “Commit. Believe in yourself. Convince your audience. You deserve to be on stage. Kill it.” I’ve made it my mantra. As I walk to the mic, I always think about who I wrote the poem for, while repeating her words in my head. She’s a pretty wonderful BFF, to say the least.

So let's talk about how poetry has changed your life in the one year you have been active in slam. How have you rearranged your life to make it to slams, open mics, practices, etc. How important and urgent is writing to you?

When I was in college (in Los Angeles) I used to go to Da Poetry Lounge every Tuesday night for their weekly slams. I always left in awe of the poets brave enough to own their trauma so eloquently on a stage in front of strangers. Never in a million years did I think I could have what it takes to write and perform poetry of my own. After living in New Orleans for about a year, I was going through a really rough transitional period in my life and seeking some sort of community and stability. I went to a couple of Slam New Orleans events, and eventually I worked up the courage to perform for the first time. That was only a year ago, what a whirlwind. Since then I’ve really been embraced and supported by many individuals in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge poetry scenes who have pushed me to have confidence in myself and say the things I need to say. “Poetry has changed my life” sounds so cliché, but for me it is simply the truth. As for rearranging my life to fit slams/open mics/practices, there was a moment where I decided to really make poetry a priority, so I ended up quitting Roller Derby and my Improv group to focus on writing/performing. It was a big adjustment, but the decision was an easy one. 

What have your influential poets taught you about writing, but also about performance? It seems all your influential poets are also badass performers. 

If I had to boil it down to a common denominator, they all have instilled in me a sense of integrity and rawness when it comes to writing and performing. All of those poets really are badass performers, but in my opinion, their badass-ness stems from their authenticity and willingness to be vulnerable in their writing. Their work is urgent, rooted in personal experience, and unapologetically honest. Their bravery pushes me to be my most authentic self, and their dedication to the craft motivates me to challenge myself as a writer.

What was it like to be part of a team while still very new to slam?

Being part of a team was wild. I am so lucky that I got to represent Baton Rouge at Nationals with my Eclectic Truth teammates. I’ve learned so much from each of them over the past year, and I am truly grateful for the experience. The process of writing group pieces was really challenging, but also important for my growth as a writer. And there’s really no better feeling than cheering on your teammates, and seeing them show up for you when you’re on the mic. It really was a lot of fun, and an absolute honor. 

What is it about performance, writing, your home venue, the poets who surround you that keeps you coming back?

I look back at this last year in poetry and spoken word, and my proudest accomplishments have nothing to do with scores or winning bouts. They have to do with the way I’ve been able to heal and triumph through writing and performing. In the last year I have reclaimed my body in ways I didn’t think possible, I have found the confidence to leave (for the last time) an unhealthy relationship, I have discovered a new sense of pride in my queer identity and I feel empowered as a big woman for the first time in my life. Every time I write and perform a new poem, it feels like I’m chipping off another piece of my shame, and turning it into courage, into something I can be proud of. That’s what keeps me coming back. This community of strong and talented individuals who encourage me to reclaim the parts of myself I am ashamed of, and push me to be the best and most unapologetic version of myself as possible. 

How do you know when a poem you've written is going to become a staple of your performance poems? Is it more about how the audience reacts, or how you feel while reading the poem?