A poetry slam is usually defined as “the competitive art of performance poetry,” with dual emphasis on writing and performance. In a poetry slam, competitors present original poetry or prose, are judged according to set rules that may vary from slam to slam, and the winners awarded prizes.
Poetry slam is a movement, a philosophy, a form, a genre, a game, a community, an educational device, a career path, and a gimmick. It is a multi-faced creature that means many different things to many different people. At its simplest, slam is an oral poetry competition in which poets are expected to perform their own work in front of an audience. They are then scored on the quality of their writing and performance by judges.
Today slam poetry is considered an artistic movement as well as a genre of poetry and spoken word. The slam poetry movement inspired hundreds of poetry slams across the United States, Canada, parts of Europe, Japan and Africa, and slam poets influenced many aspects of modern culture, such as political movements, art, media, literature, and entertainment.
The growing history and influence of the poetry slam, especially on a younger generation of writers, suggests that the practice is not just a passing fad. The serious critic must cease treating the slam as a literary novelty or oddity and recognize it for what it is: a movement which combines (and at times exploits) the literary, the performative, and the social potential of verse, and which does so with the audience as its judge and guide.
The poetry slam was born in a bar. Now, twenty-one years later, it is finally old enough to drink there….slam poetry is best received in the intimate context of live performance. If you go to a slam and stick around long enough, you’ll probably hear a poem you like. Or a poem you despise. Or a poem that changes your mind or your underwear. You decide. Because hey, you can do that at a slam.
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