LITTLE ROCK — The Wrightsville spoken word artist known as A.P.O.L.L.O. weaves a series of S-starting words, building images and evoking emotions through a rapid-fire yet soulful puzzle of alliteration. He eases himself in and out of the lines, slowly crescendoing until ... he pauses. It’s only for a second, just long enough for A.P.O.L.L.O. to check to make sure you’re snared, before he launches into the finality of his piece.

Born 26 years ago as Marquese McFerguson, A.P.O.L.L.O. started his spoken word career less than three years ago, but the Ouachita Baptist University graduate has quickly mastered the use of theatrical elements — such as the dramatic pause — that separate spoken word from its artistic father poetry.

“Speech is an art form in itself,” A.P.O.L.L.O. said. “[Spoken word is] storytelling, grabbing the audience.

“It allows you to be that other person. I can say things Marquese McFerguson wouldn’t say when I’m A.P.O.L.L.O.”

Now, A.P.O.L.L.O. is ready to unveil his alter, spoken-word ego on his new album: the 11 track Something Beautiful, an album combining his spoken word with music and interlaced with documentary-style commentary. The tracks were recorded this summer at various studios in the Little Rock area, and includes music from artists such as M.D. Randle, Nicholas Kindrick, Southern Faze, Fred Johnson Jr. and Just Amor, and spoken word accompaniment from peers such as Just Amor, Buddafli, James Kidd, Ron Mac and Osyrus.

“It’s probably not what a lot of people expect when it comes to a spoken word CD,” said A.P.O.L.L.O., noting his influences include writers such as Richard Wright, and musicians such as Outkast and Gnarls Barkley. “It’s just poetry to me. So what if it’s not what people think poetry should be? Hopefully, it’ll open their minds a little.”

It’s been a quick ascension for A.P.O.L.L.O., from non-poet to finishing third in the independent category at the Southern Fried Poetry Slam 2009 held in North Carolina in June, but his motto is: “Life is but a vapor. Be something beautiful.” The statement reveals itself at the bottom of the album’s liner notes, a series of sentences where A.P.O.L.L.O. thanks and honors his parents, who both died of cancer (his father when he was in ninth grade and his mother in August 2006).

It was the loss of his mother that prompted A.P.O.L.L.O. to begin writing. On New Year’s Eve 2006, as others around him celebrated the arrival of a new year, A.P.O.L.L.O. was focused on the fact 2007 would be the first year he would live without either one of his parents. The meditation along with a chance encounter with a down-on-his-luck individual with a cheery disposition resulted in A.P.O.L.L.O. writing “When the Wind Blows,” the lead-off track from Something Beautiful. Over a steady piano rhythm, the track begins with a reminder to himself that his parents are always watching over him: “When the sun shines/My father’s showing me how brave I can be/When the wind blows/My mother’s blowing a kiss to me.”

“It’s helpful to me to get this out,” A.P.O.L.L.O. said. “It helps me get these things out so it’s therapeutic.”

The release of the album is also enabling A.P.O.L.L.O. to shine a light on spoken word, an art form he and other spoken word artists believe has gone unnoticed in Arkansas. To remedy the situation, A.P.O.L.L.O. and the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center will host Something Beautiful: Poetry for the People on Saturday, an evening of spoken word and music intended to highlight spoken word in Arkansas, especially the Little Rock area. Assisting with and performing at the event is Timothy “TJ” Medel, a 21-year-old spoken word artist originally from New Jersey who placed first in the independent category at the Southern Fried Poetry Slam 2009.

“It’s called Poetry for the People because we want to show people that spoken word is an artwork,” the University of Arkansas at Little Rock student said. “It’s more in the background, and we want to bring it to the foreground.

“We’re trying to get people to come out and see what spoken word really is. It’s not just a poetry reading with people reading out of a notebook. And we want people to see it’s not just a bunch of adults. It’s performing, and poetry should be approached as a performance.”

Although both A.P.O.L.L.O. and TJ are accomplished slam poets (an event where a poet is allowed three minutes for reciting one original poem sans props, costumes or outside accompaniment), the event at the Mosaic Templars will be spoken word only, with the rhymes and storytelling free-flowing and theatric elements in effect.

“[Spoken word] is breaking down method acting into different stanzas,” TJ said. “Spoken word is kind of like acting, but there’s a huge difference. You’re playing yourself. In spoken word, you’re trying to paint with words.”

“People need to see on a larger scale that poetry is important,” said A.P.O.L.L.O. of the event. “We’re attempting to open the doors and open people’s eyes with this event.”