“He said he promised with a smile so honest he could convince Obama, the ballers, Iguodala, and even the Dalai Lama. Even apparently my momma. He promised that he would never harm her…” These are the words poetry slam contestant Eric Tinajero spits as he recounts his childhood life. His words captivate the audience, and he is later awarded 1st place for the event.
Did Eric’s words remind you of lyrics in a rap song? They should. You see, poetry slam is a competitive form of poetry, where aspiring poets take to the stage and recite a quick, precise poem in an attempt to win over the audience. Poets are only given 2-3 minutes to perform, so many poets speak quickly in order to fit their poem into the time slot. These poets are then judged by random members of the audience. This is to emphasise the emotion the audience feels after each performance. The lucky poet that receives the highest score wins a small, typically silly prize.
However, not all people can flourish in a slam environment. Poetry slam contestants are generally confident, social people, people that can take heat in highly pressurised situations. Poetry slams are described as “loud” and “aggressive”, with many audience members actively booing contestants they find uninteresting. However, if giving people a piece of your mind is your thing, and you’re not daunted at the prospect of others trying to bring you down, then poetry slam might be right for you.
Quotation credits go to http://www.aspenwords.org/winning-poems-4th-annual-youth-poetry-slam/
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