Apollinaire's calligramme (1918)

The Chinese poem Quatrain on Heavenly Mountain by Emperor Gaozong of Song; fan mounted as album leaf on silk, four columns in cursive script

A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary greatly in different cultures and time periods.^[1] Throughout each civilization and language, poets have used various styles that have changed through the course of literary history, resulting in a history of poets as diverse as the literature they have produced.

The English word "poet" is derived from the French poète, itself descended from the Latin first-declension masculine noun poeta, meaning "poet". The word "poetry" derives from the Latin feminine noun poetria, meaning not "poetry" but "poetess".

French poet Arthur Rimbaud summarized the "poet" by writing,

A poet makes himself a visionary through a long, boundless, and systematized disorganization of all the senses. All forms of love, of suffering, of madness; he searches himself, he exhausts within himself all poisons, and preserves their quintessences. Unspeakable torment, where he will need the greatest faith, a superhuman strength, where he becomes all men: the great invalid, the great criminal, the great accursed—and the Supreme Scientist! For he attains the unknown! Because he has cultivated his soul, already rich, more than anyone! He attains the unknown, and, if demented, he finally loses the understanding of his visions, he will at least have seen them! So what if he is destroyed in his ecstatic flight through things unheard of, unnameable: other horrible workers will come; they will begin at the horizons where the first one has fallen!

Although that is only one opinion of many on a poet's definition.^[2]

William Wordsworth once described the poet's task as to

make A present joy the matter of a song, Pour forth that day my soul in measured strains That would not be forgotten and are here Recorded

(The Prelude Book 1)

Marianne Moore famously described the poet's job as creating 'imaginary gardens with real toads in them'.(Poetry)

Many poets such as Virgil in the Aeneid and John Milton in Paradise Lost invoke the aid of a Muse to help them in their tasks.

See also[link]

Poetry portal

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Poets

Look up poet in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: poets

• Bard
• List of poets
• Lyricist
• Poet Laureate
• Writer

References[link]

Julian Curry
Julian Curry at the STR annual Theatre Book Prize presentation in May 2011
Born	(1937-12-08) 8 December 1937 (age 74) Devon, England, UK
Spouse	Mary Chater

Julian Curry (born 8 December 1937, in Devon, England) is a British actor best known for playing Claude Erskine-Browne in ITV's comedy-drama Rumpole of the Bailey.

The son of William Burnlee Curry and Marjorie Graham Curry, he made his first television appearance in 1965 in an episode of the series For Whom the Bell Tolls. Other TV appearances include roles in Pride and Prejudice (1967), Softly, Softly (1968), Nicholas Nickleby (1968), Z-Cars (1965 & 1975), The Floater (1975), The Way of the World (1975), Brassneck (1975), The Glittering Prizes (1976), Trilby (1976), The Onedin Line (1976), Campion's Interview (1977), Rumpole of the Bailey (1977–1992), The Life of Shakespeare (1978), Prince Regent (1979), The Vanishing Army (1980), Psy Warriors (1981), A Fine Romance (1982), King Lear (1982), Three Up, Two Down (1985), Lytton's Diary (1885–86), Death of a Son (1989), Sherlock Holmes (1991), Thatcher: The Final Days (1991), Inspector Morse (1993), Bugs - Assassins Inc (1995), It Might Be You (1995), Kavanagh QC (1997), The Wyvern Mystery (2000), Adrian Mole: the Cappuccino Years (2001), The Hunt (2001), Prince William (2002), Stig of the Dump (2002), Midsomer Murders (2004), The Brief (2005), and The Queen's Sister (2005).^[1]

Curry's film appearances include Smashing Time (1967), Legacy of Blood (1978), Les Brontës (1978), The Manions of America (1981), Escape to Victory (1981), The Missionary (1982), Baby (1985), Fall From Grace (1994), Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny (1996), Seven Days to Live (2000), Mysteries of Egypt (1998), and Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004).^[1]

His appearances with the Royal Shakespeare Company, include roles in Doctor Faustus (1969), Much Ado About Nothing (1969), The Hollow Crown (1976), Pleasure and Repentance (1976), The Winter's Tale, (1984), The Crucible (1984), Krapp's Last Tape (1984), The Danton Affair (1986), King John (1989), Henry VI (1989), The Merchant of Venice (1997), Talk of the City (1998), Back to Methuselah (2001) and Women Beware Women (2006). At the National Theatre he has appeared in Measure for Measure (1973), The Bacchae (1973), and The Alchemist (2006). Other major stage appearances include roles in Hamlet (1971), The Black and White Minstrels (1973), Donkey's Years (1976), The Importance of Being Earnest (1977), The Achurch Letters (1978), Outside Edge (1979), The Duchess of Malfi (1981), Nightshade (1984), Samuel Beckett's Company (1987), Timon of Athens (1991), Cyrano de Bergerac (1992), Lust - the musical (1993), Richard 2nd (2006) and Love - the musical (2008). He has toured with the Old Vic Company, the RSC and Prospect Theatre Company.^[2]

Curry also holds a Diploma from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust, and was for some years a freelance member of the Circle of Wine Writers. He has performed his one-man entertainment Hic! or The Entire History of Wine (abridged) over 150 times in many parts of the world. He wrote and recorded the Naxos audiobook A Guide to Wine. He is also the author of Shakespeare on Stage, a collection of interviews with thirteen leading actors focussing on specific Shakespearean roles. In "Shakespeare on Stage" Curry interviews Brian Cox (about the titular role of Titus Andronicus), Judi Dench (Juliet), Ralph Fiennes (about the titular role of Coriolanus), Rebecca Hall (Rosalind from As You Like It), Derek Jacobi (Malvolio from Twelfth Night), Jude Law (Hamlet), Adrian Lester (Henry V), Ian McKellen (Macbeth), Helen Mirren (Cleopatra), Tim Pigott-Smith (Leontes from A Winter's Tale), Kevin Spacey (Richard II), Patrick Stewart (Prospero from The Tempest), and Penelope Wilton (Isabella from Measure for Measure). ^{[3] [4]}

He was married to actress Sheila Reid but the marriage was dissolved. He was later married to Josephine Edmunds but the marriage was also dissolved. They have two sons, Finn and Patrick. He is currently married to actress and writer Mary Chater.

Notes[link]

External links[link]

• Julian Curry at the Internet Movie Database

Sarah Kay is a professor of French at New York University.

Kay was a student in the UK at the University of Oxford. She started her teaching career at the University of Liverpool then moved to the University of Cambridge. She was head of department at Cambridge from 1996 until 2001 and Director of Studies at Girton College, Cambridge from 2003 to 2005. Kay has been a fellow of the British Academy since 2004 and was awarded a D.Litt (Cambridge) in 2005.^[1]

Publications[link]

• Žižek: A Critical Introduction (Cambridge: Polity, 2003)
• (with Malcolm Bowie and Terence Cave) A Short History of French Literature (Oxford University Press, 2003)
• Courtly Contradictions (Stanford University Press, 2001)
• (with Simon Gaunt) The Troubadours. An Introduction (Cambridge University Press, 1999)
• The Chansons de geste in the Age of Romance (Oxford University Press, 1995)
• (as co-editor with Miri Rubin) Framing Medieval Bodies (Manchester University Press, 1994)
• (as editor) Raoul de Cambrai (Oxford University Press, 1992)
• Subjectivity in Troubadour Poetry (Cambridge University Press, 1990)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Kay's profile at Princeton University
• Review of Kay's Courtly Contradictions published in The Medieval Review, 2004.

This biography article of a United Kingdom academic is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli performing at the Red Bull Experiment Event in Brooklyn.
Background information
Birth name	Talib Kweli Greene
Also known as	The Get By Man, Kweli Snitch, The Prince of Brooklyn, BK MC
Born	(1975-10-03) October 3, 1975 (age 36) Brooklyn, New York City, New York, U.S.[1]
Genres	Alternative Hip Hop
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1995–present
Labels	Rawkus Records Geffen Blacksmith Records / Warner Bros. Records (2005-Present)
Associated acts	Black Star, Reflection Eternal, Madlib, Mos Def, Res, Lupe Fiasco, Mary J. Blige, Pharrell, DeStorm, The Roots
Website	TalibKweli.com

Talib Kweli Greene (October 3, 1975),^[1] better known as Talib Kweli, is an American rapper. Kweli hails from Brooklyn, New York. His first name in Arabic means "student" or "seeker" (طالب); his middle name in Swahili means "true". Kweli first gained recognition through Black Star, a collaboration with fellow MC Mos Def.

Early life[link]

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Kweli grew up in a highly educated household in Park Slope. His mother, Brenda Greene, is an English professor at Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York and his father an administrator at Adelphi University. His younger brother, Jamal Greene, is a professor of Constitutional Law at Columbia Law School, and former clerk to Justice John Paul Stevens on the Supreme Court. As a youth, he was drawn to Afrocentric rappers, such as De La Soul and other members of the Native Tongues Posse whom he had met in high school. Talib Kweli was a student at Cheshire Academy, a boarding school in Connecticut. He was also a student at Brooklyn Technical High School, before being academically dismissed. He later studied experimental theater at New York University.^[2]

Music career[link]

Early career (1995-2001)[link]

Kweli made his underground debut in 1995, with featured five appearances on "Doom", an album by Cincinnati, Ohio group Mood (Main Flow, Donte, Jahson).^[3] In Cincinnati, Kweli also met DJ Hi-Tek and the two collaborated on a few well received underground recordings as Reflection Eternal, including "Fortified Live" (1997),^[4] and "B-Boy Document 99/Chaos" (1999, featuring The High & Mighty).^[5] Shortly afterwards, upon returning to New York, he reconnected with Mos Def and formed Black Star.^[6] Kweli brought along Hi-Tek to produce their first and only album, 1998's Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star.^[7] The album, released amidst a late '90s renaissance of conscious, Afrocentric hip hop, was immediately hailed by critics and achieved modest mainstream success.^[8] When Kweli and Mos Def parted ways shortly thereafter, Kweli and Hi-Tek continued their Reflection Eternal partnership on the 2000 album Train of Thought, which was likewise met with critical acclaim, but modest sales.^[9]

[edit] Quality and The Beautiful Struggle (2002-2004)

Following Train of Thought, Kweli and Hi-Tek split as well, and Kweli used his first truly solo debut to attempt a move toward a more mainstream sound. 2002's Quality accomplished this goal to some extent, featuring production by a host of different producers, including DJ Quik and Kanye West.^[10] Additionally, Dave Chappelle provided two features on Quality.^[10] The album was met with wide spread critical acclaim and received some mainstream attention thanks to the West-produced single "Get By" which peaked at #77 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[11] Quality peaked at #21 on the US Billboard 200 and at #6 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart.^[12] In 2001, Kweli with Black Star partner Mos Def contributed to the Red Hot + Indigo compilation album created by the Red Hot Organization in tribute to Duke Ellington, that raised money for various charities devoted to increasing AIDS awareness and fighting the disease.^[13] Black Star collaborated with fellow artists John Patton and Ron Carter to record "Money Jungle." In 2002, Kweli contributed to the critically acclaimed Red Hot + Riot, a compilation CD created by the Red Hot Organization in tribute to the music and work of Nigerian musician Fela Kuti.^[14] He collaborated with fellow hip-hop artists Dead Prez, Jorge Ben, and Bilal to remake the famous song by Fela Kuti, "Shuffering and Shmiling," for the CD.^[15][16]

In February 2004, Kweli also had a guest spot on Kanye West's widely successful debut album on the track "Get 'Em High".^[17] On April 7, 2004, Kweli was the musical guest on Chappelle's Show for the third and final time (his previous performances had been on February 5, 2003^[18] and April 9, 2003, the latter as part of Black Star).^[19][20] In the summer of 2004, Talib Kweli, along with Bob Moore's Amazing Mongrels, supported the Beastie Boys on their "Challah At Your Boy World Tour",^[21] and appeared on a Dilated Peoples song called "Kindness for Weakness",^[22] (a live remix of which was later featured on the video game NBA Street Vol. 2).^{[citation needed]} Also that summer, Kweli performed at Dave Chappelle's Block Party (both as a solo act and as one half of Black Star).^[23] In October 2004, along with Common and Questlove, Kweli contributed to Zap Mama's Ancestry in Progress (2004) with "Yelling Away."^[24]

In November 2004, he released his second solo album and final Rawkus release, The Beautiful Struggle, which debuted at #14 in the billboard top 100.^[12] Kweli responded to Jay-Z's 2003 record "Moment of Clarity" (on The Black Album, in which Jay-Z rapped: "If skills sold, truth be told/I'd probably be, lyrically, Talib Kweli")^[25] in his own track "Ghetto Show" by stating "If lyrics sold then truth be told/I'd probably be just as rich and famous as Jay Z." Despite this nod, the album featured much more commercial production (including The Neptunes, Kanye West and Just Blaze)^[26] and although Kweli's lyrics retained their socio-political content, he affected a somewhat harder persona. The album failed to cross over into the mainstream and suffered a critical backlash. For example, Britt Robson of The Washington Post "Struggle" was a "frequently awkward, too-obvious bid to exploit the commercial buzz Jay-Z created."^[25]

[edit] BlackSmith Records, Liberation and Eardrum (2005-2009)

In 2005, Kweli released a Mixtape-CD off of his newly formed Blacksmith Records. The project was called Right About Now: The Official Sucka Free Mix CD, a title which is considered likely a response to the criticism of The Beautiful Struggle.^[25] The musical offering was generally considered to be a mixtape. However, some people regard "Right About Now" as an official album because of its availability through commercial sites and its release of two singles. "Right About Now" also lacks the DJ overlays often accompanied by mixtapes which makes the CD read more like an official album. The album sold 16,000 copies in its first week of release, debuting at #113 on the Billboard 200.^[27] Sparking some controversy, on Right About Now Kweli sampled Ben Kweller's "In Other Words" for his own song "Ms. Hill". In part 7 of Kweller's video podcast series "One Minute Pop Song," Kweller said he found Kweli's use of the song "a little fucked up" due to the fact that it was sampled without permission.^[28]

In 2006, Kweli enjoyed a number of media appearances after signing a distribution deal with Warner Bros. Records for Blacksmith Records.^[29] Warner Brothers launched an online community via Second Life for Kweli.^[30] In January, Kweli was featured in a commercial for the NCAA's Big Ten Conference, rapping about the league's basketball teams.^[31] In February 2006, Kweli provided the voice of the protagonist in the graffiti-themed video game Marc Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure.^[32] In October 2006, Kweli performed on MTV's Wild 'N Out, hosted by Nick Cannon.^[33] On December 31, 2006, Kweli released nine songs he recorded with acclaimed underground producer Madlib for free download in conjunction with the web site for Stones Throw Records, the label to which Madlib is signed.^[34][35] The album was entitled Liberation, of which Talib later was quoted by XXL Magazine as saying releasing the album was liberating to him; "The idea that I could put out an album like that: record it in my house, put it out for free and get that type of response."^[36] In 2007, the album was made available for purchase.^[37] In 2007 Kweli signed acclaimed rapper Jean Grae^[38][39] and the group Strong Arm Steady to Blacksmith Records.^[40] Also in 2007, Kweli released his third solo album, entitled Eardrum, which was released on August 21. It debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200. The first single was Listen!!!.^[36] Kweli embarked on a national Australian tour in October, 2007. "Eardrum", which featured a mix of mainstream and underground producers like Kanye West, Just Blaze, will.i.am, Nick Speed and Pete Rock,^[41] received generally favorable reviews^[42] and went on to sell 129,000 copies after four weeks.^[43] Also in 2007, Kweli released a mixtape containing rare and collaborative songs, entitled Focus.^[44]

In March 2008, Kweli was featured on MTV's TV show MADE as the coach of Colin Colt, a young man who wanted to be made into a rap star.^[45] Kweli was a featured artist on the 9th Wonder and Buckshot album "The Formula", released on April 29, 2008 (on the track "Hold It Down").^[46] Kweli's Blacksmith Records split with Warner Bros. Records in December 2008. Kweli confirmed to AllHipHop.com that Warner Bros. would still distribute Reflection Eternal and Talib Kweli projects, but not other acts on the Blacksmith label.^[29][47][48] Kweli was featured at the fifth installment of Hot 97 radio personality Peter Rosenberg's acclaimed live interview series "Noisemakers with Peter Rosenberg" on October 21, 2009.^[49] Kweli recorded an album entitled Party Robot with R&B singer Res and musician Graph Nobel under the group alias Idle Warship.^[50] The album was released as a free download on the website for Kweli's label Blacksmith with 2 different cover art options in late 2009.^[51] There were videos shot for two of the songs from the album: "Bedroom Lights" and "Black Snake Moan".^[52][53]

In February 2009 it was announced that Talib would be featured in the graphic novel-turned-animated series Blokhedz on Missiong.com, voicing the lead part of the character Blak.^[54][55] Additionally, Talib Kweli is a spokesperson and mentor for P'Tones Records a non-profit after school music program that's mission is "to create constructive opportunities for urban youth through no-cost music programs."^[56]

[edit] Reflection Eternal reunion and Gutter Rainbows (2010-Present)

Talib Kweli and DJ Hi-Tek released a second Reflection Eternal album titled Revolutions Per Minute on May 18, 2010. Revolutions per Minute was recorded at Electric Lady Studios. It is their second album after a 10-year hiatus. The album received generally positive reviews from most music critics, based on an aggregate score of 80/100 from Metacritic.^[57]

Gutter Rainbows, Kweli's is the fourth solo album, was the first to be released by his imprint Talibra. The album was originally intended to be released in only a digital format. However, on November 16, 2010, Duck Down Records announced its plans to offer Gutter Rainbows a CD release.^[58] This will include an import edition and a special edition with extras.^[59] In its first week, the album sold 13,900 copies in the United States.^[60]

In December 2010, Talib Kweli appeared with Darryl McDaniels, Mix Master Mike and Ahmet Zappa on a cover of Frank Zappa's "Willie the Pimp" for The Frank Zappa AAAFNRAAAA Birthday Bundle 2010.

Kweli has confirmed the title of his next album will be Prisoner of Conscious, a title derived from Talib's constant labeling as a "conscious rapper" and based on Nigerian reggae artist Majek Fashek's album "Prisoner of Conscience." Kweli began working on "Prisoner" before "Rainbows" was released, and put cuts that were originally intended for "Conscious" on "Rainbows". He also confirmed that he will reunite with MadLib to offer Liberation 2.^[61]

Personal life[link]

Talib Kweli married Dj Eque on May 9, 2009 in Bel Air, California.^[62]

Kweli has a son, Amani Fela Greene and a daughter, Diani Eshe Greene ^[63][64] with Darcel Turner, author of published novels Dana Dances on Paper and Lathered Layers.

Kweli used to be a Five-Percenter (member of The Nation of Gods and Earths), which had an influence on him earlier in his life and continues to do so. ^[65][66] However, he no longer subscribes to any particular religion.

Discography[link]

Solo

• Quality (2002)
• The Beautiful Struggle (2004)
• Right About Now (2005)
• Eardrum (2007)
• Gutter Rainbows (2011)
• Prisoner of Conscious (2012)

With Mos Def as Black Star

• Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star (1998)
• TBA (2012)

With Hi-Tek as Reflection Eternal

• Train of Thought (2000)
• Revolutions Per Minute (2010)

With Madlib

• Liberation (2007)
• Liberation 2 (TBR)

With Res as Idle Warship

• Habits of the Heart (2011)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Talib Kweli

• Official website
• Talib Kweli on Myspace
• Talib Kweli's channel on YouTube
• Interview Talib Kweli by Michael 'The Dood' Edwards for UK Vibe October 2010
• Official blog