Saving Lives one Stage at a Time: Tips from Award-Winning Poet Craig "I'nspiration" Larson

Can poetry save lives? In this episode, we explore how spoken word transforms personal pain into powerful public performance, offering a roadmap for anyone looking to turn their internal struggles into artistic expression. Our guest is Craig Larson—known in the spoken word circuit as "I-nspiration" — the 2025 National Spoken Word Rising Star of the Year and president of the Wisconsin chapter of P.O.E.T. (People of Extraordinary Talent). You can follow his journey and find his latest work on Instagram and Facebook.

Craig shares his writing technique and the critical importance of memorization, which he uses to foster deeper emotional release and stronger audience connections during live performances. His methods, which helped him secure the 2025 National Spoken Word Rising Star award, can help you transition from simple reading to powerful stage presence.

📌 Craig described in detail his first experience writing a poem, memorizing and memorizing a poem that he performed in front of his peers at a young age. What were your first experiences writing and performing your work?

Support the Channel

💸 Keep Paper Knives & the Poetry Movement going with a donation: https://givebutter.com/support-paper-knives-interviews

👀 Check out our affiliate links below timestamps & show notes 👇

⏰ Timestamps

00:00:01 - Introduction and Accolades

00:12:04 - Performance: "I'm Me"

00:16:03 - Creative Process and Inspiration

00:20:26 - The Power of Memorization

00:36:46 - Literary Influences

00:46:49 - Event Curation and Hybrid Models

01:01:46 - Chicago & Milwaukee Poetry Scenes

01:05:02 - The Story Behind "Life"

01:09:11 - Performance: "Life"

01:13:22 - Connecting with the Artist & Closing

🔍 Transparency & Disclosure

Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you make a purchase or sign up through these links, our nonprofit may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend resources we genuinely value. Your support through these links helps fund our mission and allows us to continue producing this podcast. Thank you!

🔗 Links to Books & Resources Mentioned in this Episode

Shelly Conley - Rewind (Autobiography): https://shellyconley.com/rewind

Wordsmith Wednesdays from P.O.E.T. Radio: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1096108224919199/

Nuyorican Poets Cafe: https://www.nuyorican.org/

People of Extraordinary Talent (P.O.E.T.): https://blaqice.com/the-p-o-e-t-movement

🤝 Connect with Us!

• • Subscribe to Our Free Email Mag: https://thepoetrymovement.org/paper-knives

💸 Support / Donate: https://givebutter.com/support-paper-knives-interviews

Web: https://thepoetrymovement.org

Instagram: https://instagram.com/the.poetry.movement

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Poetry-Movement-61563800433322/