|
Poetry Slams
Marc Smith, a poet from Chicago, initiated the first "Poetry Slam," in the mid-1980s to entertain patrons of the Green Mill Bar. Judges were chosen randomly from the audience to score each poet.
At a typical "Slam," poets perform as individuals and team members. Poetry slams are held across the nation and the National Poetry Slam takes place each year in a different location.
The poetry slam format has been adopted for use with youth (generally middle and high school students) as a way to encourage self-expression. Often poetry slams are connected with youth writing workshops, sponsored in school and out-of-school settings. As for younger poets, when youth are freed from the conventions of writing, they produce deep and thoughtful works that express strong feelings about their circumstances and experiences.
Learn More About Poetry Slams
An Incomplete History of Slam
http://www.e-poets.net/library/slam/index.html
This site is just what it says it is, "An Incomplete History of Slam." The creator, Kurt Heinz, describes the Chicago roots of poetry slams and how the movement has spread to other areas and to the Internet.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Upwords Poetry!
http://www.upwordspoetry.com/
This Connecticut-based site reaches out to teen poets throughout the United States and the world. It’s a good place to find information about upcoming poetry slams.
-----------------------------------------------------------
National Youth Poetry Slam
http://www.youthspeaks.org/BNV2005/
The 2005 National Youth Poetry Slam is scheduled to take place April 20-23 in San Francisco, CA. Teams from around the country will compete in this event.
| 
