An Introduction to Slam Poetry

photo credit: el_floz

This month we’re exploring the world of slam poetry. What better way to kick off our adventure than with a basic, no-frills introduction to the world of slam poetry and poetry slams?

You might think poetry is just a bunch of dull rhymes about nature or silly lines that drone on about romance and love and all things thick and mushy. But that’s not what slam poetry’s about. It’s loud, it’s in your face, and it’s colorful. Or, it’s eerily quiet, mysterious, and muted. And it will stop poetry’s greatest cynics dead in their tracks and have them frothing at the mouth, begging for more.

From sex and politics to religion and culture, no topic is off limits. Slam poets are artists, performers, teachers, cops. They craft their words and then deliver them with flair and gusto. Shakespeare would love it.

What is Slam Poetry?

The big difference between slam and other forms of poetry is that slam poetry is written to be performed in a competitive setting. That’s why sometimes you’ll hear it referred to as performance poetry. However, note that performance poetry is meant to be performed while slam is distinct in its purpose for competition.

Unlike open mics and other venues where poetry is read aloud, slam poems are composed with all the trappings of a stage performance — vocalization, gestures, facial expressions. Props and musical instruments aren’t usually allowed in actual competitions but some recordings or even live performances will have musical accompaniment.

What is a Poetry Slam?

A poetry slam is an event at which poets perform their work in a competitive setting. Audiences are encouraged to participate by hooting, shouting, and even booing. Performances are scored by a panel of judges.

The most important poetry slam in the U.S. is the National Poetry Slam. According to its website, the National Poetry Slam “started as a bardic grudge match between Chicago and San Francisco poets in 1990.” It continues to this day with dozens of teams of poets competing for the most coveted title in slam poetry: winner of the national championship!

Is Competition Really Necessary?

No! That’s why performance poetry and slam poetry are so close they’re often used as interchangeable terms. There are plenty of venues where poets may perform slam-like poems without entering into competition with one another.

The most well-known venue for performance poetry is HBO’s Def Poetry Jam. If you have HBO, then you already have a front row seat at one of the greatest shows on earth.

How Did it All Begin?

Mark Smith, also known as Slam Papi, started the slam poetry tradition at the Get Me High Lounge in Chicago in 1984. In his own words, Smith was “looking for a way to breathe life into the open mike poetry format.”

Less than two years later, Marc Smith took the show to the owner of Chicago jazz club The Green Mill. Smith proposed a weekly poetry competition that would take place on Sunday nights, and the Uptown Poetry Slam was born. According to Smith’s website, “The Green Mill evolved into a mecca for performance poets, and the Uptown Poetry Slam still continues nearly 15 years after its inception.”

It didn’t take long for slam to reach out and capture the passion of poets all across the nation. By 1987, slams were popping up in Michigan, New York, San Francisco, and even as far away as Alaska.

Poetry slams stepped into a more official arena in 1990 when the first National Poetry Slam was held in San Francisco. Today, teams and individuals compete annually at the National Poetry Slam, which makes its way around the country, visiting different cities each year.

Are You Ready to Slam?

The best thing about slam poetry is that you have two opportunities to enjoy it — as a performer and as an audience member. What strikes me as odd about slam poetry is that most writers are known for being somewhat withdrawn, if not all-out anti-social. Slam flips that stereotype on its head and puts writers front and center where they can bask in the spotlight and use a few of the tricks they learned back in high school drama class.

Have you ever been to a slam? Better yet — have you performed poetry of your own in any capacity? At an open mic or any other kind of poetry reading? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments section and stay tuned because there’s more slam coming next week when I’ll highlight a few key players in the slam community.

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