Arts and Entertainment

This spoken-word artist turned the pain of childhood bullying into powerful art

Author and spoken word artist Shane Koyczan is touring Alaska and will perform in Palmer, Anchorage, Fairbanks and Valdez. 

Shane Koyczan says he likes to try to give his audiences permission to be emotional, a sort of hall pass to revisit feelings they may have wanted to leave behind.

There's no shortage of people who have taken the Canadian spoken-word poet up on the offer.

Koyczan's most popular, and arguably most impactful poem, "To This Day," is a powerful and harrowing account of the terrors of bullying.

It's received more than 20 million views on YouTube since its release just over four years ago.

And every day, Koyczan said he is flooded with messages from people, often young people, who experience bullying.

"They come from dark places," Koyczan said. "I think a lot of people are looking for the proper route to go. There are nights you get a message from a 12-year-old kid talking about ending their life. I don't know what to say to you to make you stay. It feels like I'm unequipped and it feels like it's not enough to say, here are some numbers (to call). That's all I can do for you. It weighs on me because I feel ineffective."

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Koyczan was born in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, but grew up in rural British Columbia, east of Vancouver.

He experienced bullying firsthand in his youth, describing in "To This Day" how he and a classmate were moved to the back of the class to avoid a daily barrage of spitballs that was interrupting the class.

Initially, he wrote in a journal as a way to give a voice to an otherwise muted childhood existence.

"You get told enough nothing you say has value or meaning and you start to internalize those feelings," he said. "It was my way to express what was on my mind and in my heart."

It wasn't until he reached college that Koyczan first took his writing and delivered it to an audience.

"We had to produce and host a public show," he said. "I was terrified. I didn't enjoy public speaking but we had to participate to get our grade. I did something very personal. It was the first time I was vulnerable in front of other people. It gave me that connection with other people."

At that point Koyczan allowed himself to take an emotional hall pass, looking back at some of the pain of his childhood.

His grandmother, whom Koyczan lived with growing up, had given him all of his journals he wrote in as a youth.

"I made my path as a rock," he said. "I was in a very deep depression. I started to go through them and cracked that rock open. It's a geo with sparkling bits inside. In that regard, poetry became very reflective and as time passed it gave me clarity about what I've been through and who I've become."

Koyczan quickly began to blossom as both a poet and performer. In 2000, when he was in his early 20s, he won the National Poetry Slam, a performance poetry competition that takes place in cities around the U.S. He was the first Canadian to earn the honor.

He published his first collection of poems, "Visiting Hours," in 2005. His 2008 novel "Stickboy" dealt with bullying and foreshadowed "To This Day."

Koyczan said it's not only the bullied who have responded to his work — it's also the bullies.

"There are so many amazingly good stories that lift your spirits for sure," he said. "It's hard because it's negative ones you focus on. The ones you love the most are the ones who come from bullies who realize how they were affecting someone. They take that energy and rather than a form of terrorizing someone, to championing the weak. They become heroes to those people who are being bullied. That stuff makes my day."

Koyczan gained another level of exposure when he performed his work "We Are More" at the Opening Ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Koyczan said he's working on a new spoken-word album, as well as a kid's book and a graphic novel. He's also looking forward to some new collaborations.

His best-known collaboration to this point was Tons of Fun University, a trio with C.R. Avery and Mighty Mike McGee.

"Mike and I were in Chicago hanging out in an abandoned building," Koyczan said. "We talked about working together. Because we're two big fat guys, he said 'let's call it Tons of Fun.' I love acronyms and with University (in the name) it's TOFU, which is ironic."

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And Koyczan said he'll continue to try to make the importance of life's personal interactions the hallmark of his work.

"It helps me to not feel isolated," he said. "That instant connection with people, that connection I didn't have growing up. Ultimately, it's the most rewarding."

Shane Koyczan in Alaska

Wednesday, April 19 at Vagabond Blues in Palmer

Thursday, April 20 at University of Alaska Anchorage, in Fine Arts 150 (UAA students free; youth $5; adults $10)

Friday, April 21 at Hering Auditorium in Fairbanks

Monday, April 24 at Valdez Civic Center

Chris Bieri

Chris Bieri is the sports and entertainment editor at the Anchorage Daily News.

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