Slam Poetry’s Wonder Woman

Disclaimer: This post is safe for work (SFW) but some of the links and the video are not!

You’ve met the lewd, loud, and proud dudes of slam poetry. Now meet one gal who could take them all on.

She’s got all the ingredients — talent, spunk, and a penchant for performing. Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz is to slam poetry what Wonder Woman is to the Justice League. She can get down and dirty like a porn star and just as easily, she can wax literary about love.

IndieFeed’s Mongo introduces her as a “boot-stomping, whip-slinging sass machine,” an apt description to be sure.

Here’s the skinny:

Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz is a New York City-based poet and author. Founder and host of the three-time National Poetry Slam Championship venue, NYC-Urbana, Cristin has authored four books of poetry and has performed throughout the U.S. and Australia.

Want to learn more about her? Visit Cristin online at www.aptowicz.com.

Now, let’s dig in and check out some of Cristin’s slam poetry performances. We’ve got video, audio, and text. She’s made herself available to us in every format so let’s take a peek at a true poetry rock star.

Watch Her Live and in Color

Check it Out Loud

Here are a few select audio pieces. To listen, follow the link, then click on the POD symbol next to the title.

To Whom it May Concern – I have a feeling every Writing Forward reader will relate to this poem. Listen all the way to end and notice how loudly the audience is stomping and cheering. That’s the mark of a slam master right there.

Mother – This is one of the earliest slam poetry performances I ever heard and to this day it’s still one of my favorites. I love it extra because it reminds me of my own mom.

Estephania – An ode to the grit and glory of life as young, awkward misfit.

Now, Give Back

If you’re crazy about Cristin, show your love and buy her books, and if you’re ever in New York City, be sure to stop by the Bowery Poetry Club on a Tuesday night to check out Urbana Poetry.

Kristin recently published Words in Your Face: A Guided Tour Through Twenty Years of the New York City Poetry Slam. The title says it all. If you’re interested in learning more about the history of slam poetry in New York City, this is the book for you. Cristin is is a fixture on the New York slam poetry scene and given her skill with word craft, it’s sure to be a captivating read. Check out the news page at Cristin’s site for reviews of this book as well as to find out if Cristin’s coming to a city near you (if not, then maybe you can book her!).

Cristin also has four books of published poetry. These are all on my wish list. Which one are you going to get?

Slam Poetry Goodies

Do you have a favorite performance poet or slam poetry piece that you’d like to share? Are you enjoying slam poetry month or are you eager to move on to some other writing topic? Let it rip in the comments.

Lewd, Loud, and Proud: Dudes Who Slam Poetry

photo credit: Topdog1

Do you yawn at poetry? Does the idea of reading verse and meter make you want to curl up in a little ball and fall fast asleep?

Well, you can forget about that nap because I’m about to show you how poetry can get your blood pounding, your fist pumping, and your belly heaving with snickers, giggles, and guffaws.

Slam Poetry

In recent centuries, we’ve come to view poetry as a written art form. But it wasn’t always so. Poetry is  an oral tradition and in the last few decades there’s been an uprising among some very hammy poets who’ve taken to the stage and declared slam the next great literary movement.

They are writers and performers. Artists and visionaries. Comedians, philosophers, and nerds. They give good voice. They are lewd, loud, and proud. These are the men of slam poetry.

photo credit: BrodieAdler

Taylor Mali

Taylor Mali is one of the first slam poets I discovered and I was hooked immediately. He’s a brilliant and relevant writer, and his delivery is impeccable. Some slam poets take the performance aspect way over the top while others just mutter their poems without any flair at all. Taylor’s work is absolute perfection, which is why this man has quickly become one of my favorite contemporary poets.

You don’t read Taylor’s poems and you don’t listen to them either. You experience them. The first time I heard him reading What Teachers Make, he had me hollering “Yeah! Take that!” I had never realized that poetry could get me so riled up.

Taylor often explores teaching and education in his work. Like Lilly Like Wilson is another gem that had me grinning and nodding along. Is it a true story? Fiction? I was so inspired by this poem I actually created a character named Lily Wilson and now I have no idea what to do with her. I don’t even know if she’s legal.

It’s not all about education! See if Taylor doesn’t seduce you just a little bit with Giving Good Voice. This piece is surprising, witty, and may as well be the slam anthem for lovers.

Do yourself a favor and learn more about Taylor and his work at taylormali.com.

Shappy Seasholtz

Remember when I said some of these guys take the performance aspect a little over the top? Uncle Shappy leans that way. Nevertheless, he always makes me laugh. Yes, poetry can be funny. It can also be political. But how often have you heard a poem that was both funny and political? Shappy pulls it off with All American A-hole.

Now, we’re all pretty Internet savvy and I know some of you are big old geeks just like me. If you’re a Star Wars fan, let me hear you say ho-oh! You know you want to say it. I can recite Yoda. Why? Because I Am That Nerd.

Check out uncleshappy.com, where you’ll also find a link to Shappy’s girlfriend, slam poet pioneer Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz. She’s currently battling Taylor Mali for the top spot on my favorite poets list. I can pretty much guarantee you’ll hear more about her from me. But we’re talking about the dudes today.

Mayhem Poets

These guys are going to blow your freaking mind. I would even go so far as to say that if you hate poetry, these guys might change your mind. James Chartrand, I am talking to YOU! You can tell me how you don’t like podcasts and poetry until human beings start morphing into wild animals. But you can’t listen to Femail and tell me you don’t like it. A lot. Check it out and have a laugh. It’s on me.

If poetry is magic, these guys are sort of like the arch wizards. You just know they were first in line when Mother Nature was handing out muses. Martin Luther Queen is another captivating example of their lyrical talent. These guys got skill, straight up.

Get all the dirt on these four fine fellows at mayhempoets.com. And do note that they are easy on the eyes as well as the ears.

I Love Mongo

Mongo is THE MAN! He’s the emcee for IndieFeed Performance Poetry and I LOVE Mongo! If it weren’t for him, I would know next to nothing about slam poetry and I’d have no idea that when I travel to New York (if I ever get the chance), my first order of business will be to visit The Bowery Poetry Club. I am filled with gushing gratitude to Mongo for all the hard work he does so that folks like me can become slam addicts. Mongo, you rock!

Be sure to visit the IndieFeed site, which features a list of all the poets and links to the full audio of each  performance that has been featured on the podcast. You can also subscribe via iTunes. I do.

If you have any slam poetry favorites, feel free to post them in the comments or send them in as a guest post.

An Introduction to Slam Poetry

photo credit: el_floz

Welcome to Slam Poetry

Let’s explore 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 meant to be performed in a competitive setting. Poetry that is performed outside of a competitive venue is often 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 Poetry?

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.

If you have any slam poetry resources or information to share, feel free to post in the comments or send in as a guest post.

Slam Poetry Links and Resources

In August, we explored the world of slam poetry with An Introduction to Slam Poetry and a look at Slam Poetry’s Wonder Woman.

Before that, we also met the Lewd, Loud, and Proud Men of the slam world.

Are You Ready to Get Your Slam On?

Now it’s time to really let the slam poets out of their cages. Here are some links and resources to information and resources on slam and performance poetry.

Slam Poetry Websites

Wikipedia may not be a primary or reliable resource but the moderators usually keep the facts straight and include lots of references. Check out the poetry slam entry.

Visit the mother ship, the National Poetry Slam website. It’s jam packed with news and information.

I haven’t had a chance to really dig into Spoken Word Art, but the site features a blog and it looks like a prime resource for learning about performance and slam poetry.

Slam Poetry Audio & Podcast

Indiefeed Performance Poetry hosted by Mongo is my all time favorite podcast. If you only click on one link in this post, make it this one.

Slam Poetry Video

Visit Urbana Poetry’s YouTube page to watch tons of awe-inspiring live performances.

It’s one of the most well known performance poetry productions: The Def Poetry Jam. The site is currently down for maintenance, but it’ll be back up soon so be sure to bookmark it. In the meantime, you can watch it if you have HBO or you can get Def Poetry Jam DVDs at Amazon.

Committing Poetry in Times of War is a film that explores freedom of speech for poets and artists and the violations of those freedoms.

Slam Poetry Reading

Amazon has so many slam poetry books that I couldn’t pick just one. You can learn about the history of slam, what it’s about, or find works by poets.

There’s Always More

Do you have a slam or performance poetry resource to share? Tell us about it in the comments. If you check out these links and resources, come back and let’s talk about them. Have a favorite? Find one that turned you off? Share and discuss all things slam poetry!

And don’t forget to keep on writing.