Although poetry and pro wrestling seem like very different things that would rarely, if ever, encounter each other, the two mediums have met before. There have been several instances of pro wrestlers using poetry to describe their feelings, usually in a negative manner, although in some cases poetry has been used for love in the wrestling world.
The Genius Lanny Poffo: Wrestler and Poet
Leaping Lanny Poffo was a wrestler in the World Wrestling Federation. Poffo used to throw Frisbees with poems sketched onto them out to the crowd. Later on he became The Genius, and managed Mr. Perfect and the tag team The Beverly Brothers. The Genius dressed in graduation robes and would recite a short, and sometimes insulting poem before each match that his wrestlers had. In 1988 Poffo self-published a book of poems entitled Wrestling With Rhyme. Poffo has also published limericks that attempt to discourage young people from smoking.
Heidenreich The Angry Poet
Heidenreich was a hate-filled wrestler who recited his own penned poems about how his opponents and foes should all fear him. He notoriously kidnapped Michael Cole in 2004 and read him poetry. Heidenreich briefly bonded with Snitsky over Heidenreich’s poems, as both had a love of violent rhetoric. Heidenreich turned his back on his violent ways in 2005, and read silly poems instead of disturbing ones. He later called these poems “Disasterpieces.”
Other Uses of Poetry in Wrestling
Zack Ryder and Rosa Mendes were a scripted couple on WWE’s ECW program. On December 1 2009, while they were guests on the Abraham Washington Show, Ryder showed his love for Rosa by reciting a short poem. Rosa responded in kind with a poem of her own, and Ryder showed his appreciation by couch-jumping.
Jeff Hardy is also known to write and recite poems, and called one of his signature moves Poetry in Motion. In TNA, Abyss once read a poem to Karen Angle declaring his love for her on the August 28 2008 Impact. Mark Henry once read a poem threatening to pulverize Hornswoggle. ECW personality and manager Joel Gertner was known for reciting limericks.
While John Cena feuded with Edge and Big Show in 2009, he mocked Edge and Big Show’s tug-of-war with Vickie Guerrero on the March 23 2009 Raw by reading a disrespectful poem. The Boogeyman was also known for reading creepy nursery rhyme-like poems. Most recently NXT rookie Derrick Bateman showed off his talents in poetry recitation.
With wrestlers like The Genius Lanny Poffo and Heidenreich making the reading of poems a part of their wrestling personalities, they helped bring poetry to pro wrestling. It may never be a major part of the industry, but Poffo, Heidenreich and other wrestlers have added something unique to the wrestling business.
Sources:
Online World of Wrestling
Shields, Brian, and Kevin Sullivan, WWE Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to World Wrestling Entertainment. New York: DK, 2009.
World Wrestling Entertainment