The Slam of Slam Poetry

With roots locked in Ancient Greece while sprouting in Chicago, slam poetry coursed its way through the hip-hop age of the nineties and left us with what we have today. An art. A passion. A way to reminisce on the good times and the bad, the funny times and the sad, that leaves the audience craving more.

Tori Amos, a singer-songwriter and contributor to the book, Slam, claims that “we write songs or poems because we don’t express ourselves exactly the way we want to in our everyday lives.”

Take away poetry slams. When the fierce 3-round boxing match between poets is removed, word against word, line against line, that is what you are left with. An idea. A vision or memory that doesn’t have nearly the same effect if just read off a page in a book.

The poetry needs to be recited like a basketball slamming through a hoop, because that’s what it is. It is bold, brash, and unmatched by any other form of verbal art.

Here are some of my personal favorite poems that I have come across recently:

George Watsky: "Letter to My 16-Year-Old Self"

Taylor Mali: "What Teachers Make"

Noah performing in the "Tourettes Without Regrets" poetry slam

Panama Soweto: "Scott"