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The term "slam poem" is really an umbrella category for all poems meant to be performed for a live audience in a competitive environment. "Spoken word" refers to all poetry meant to be performed aloud, including in noncompetitive environments like open mics. Therefore, all other kinds of poems, from haiku to sonnets to love poems, can be considered slam or spoken word poems. And slam and spoken word poems can be the exact same thing.
For the purposes of this class, each student will write poem to perform onstage for the rest of the class at an in-class "slam" -- so we'll call the poem a slam poem.
The only rule, aside from the constant need to be school-appropriate (no profanity or gratuitous references to sex or drug or alcohol use), is that it be entertaining for the audience. How is that achieved? The same as with poems written for the page, yet different, too. As with poems written for the page, all the poetry elements are key: say something, be precise and clear and original, use imagery and metaphors and sound elements like rhythm and rhymes.
Two things might make a slam poem different from poems written for the page. The first is the performance component. It helps to consider a slam poem as not a poem read aloud, but a fusion of 50% poem, 50% dynamic stage performance. Therefore slam poems, always memorized, often use comical exaggerations, unconventional angles, surprise twists, and big emotions like love, heartbreak, or outrage. They also may have parts where there are voices to imitate or places to move around.
The second thing that makes a slam poem different from poems written for the page is what pleases audiences. Because traditional slam rules limit poems to three minutes, slam poems tend to hover around that length -- which for many students writing them feels pretty long the first few times. They often tend to, though certainly do not need to, borrow a lot from hip-hop styles, using plenty of internal rhymes, rhythmic flows without a rigid rhyme scheme, and slang. They also tend to fall into one of three camps: the funny, the emotionally powerful, and the funny-and-emotionally-powerful. The third camp has the most winners in it.
A word on emotional power: the most powerful poems contain self-revelations and personal secrets and fears, rather than just outrage turned outward at, say, political leaders. If you can let your secrets and weaknesses and fears out and alleviate the tension with humor and not come across as self-pitying but as honest and wise-in-retrospect, you're a real slam poet.
Here are a few examples:
Pucker My love is deep and penetrating. Subterranean. And you. You take me in your arms and fold me like a fan. We are groveling. And then, I feel it. It is traveling through my bowels For a moment I am shaken. How can this be? I was so careful at dinner. I travel through time. For a moment I fantasize Maybe you’ll think I’m earthy. Next, I imagine standing up, Would that frighten you, my love? My muscles tighten I feel an enormous thrust. Is it over? You begin to snore. I press myself against the wall, I relax for one tiny moment and it moves, A loose chunk of plaster breaks from the ceiling But it is too late. I cradle your dented head in my arms and I weep. I blame myself. --Ritah Parrish |
The Wussy Boy Manifesto My name is Eirik Ott It’s taken me a long time to admit it. I remember shouting out in high school, And then, I saw him, And I realized I wasn’t alone. I looked around and saw other Wussy Boys Now, I am no longer afraid I am Wussy Boy, hear me roar (meow). Bar fight? Pshaww! Don’t make me get Renaissance on your ass You may see 65 inches of Wussy Boy Bring the pain, punk! --Big Poppa E |
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America (It’s Gotta be the Cheese) Everybody writes about America And I am no exception We pasteurized This was smooth no lumps melted technology at work— I was so moved I broke into the Pledge of Allegiance Oh God how I long to be wrapped in golden singles Oh God put me in a sauna so that the cheese will melt For breakfast melted on an English muffin America land of the free – it’s gotta be the cheese. --Eitan Kadosh |
I Wore a Coin in My Shoe When We Got Married we are hit and run, hurricane done been through here we’s jars of pennies on the bedside on our first anniversary we will eat wedding cake don’t ask me what we gonna do when winter comes we’s a beautiful round and sloppy kinda getting’ by books and love letters shift beneath our feet mama PLEASE stop askin’ when we gonna |
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The Edge is where I want to be so you just want to take the edge off get rid of the edge???? and what's life without an edge? the edge is the cliff you've dangled from in a hundred nightmares Brothers and sisters Lose the edge the edge holds the answer to your questions baby, if you're not on the edge on the edge you don't know and there are no disguises here sure, the middle's safe but if you're tired and weary and battered |