Running 2 Read

There are several forms of poetry and unfortunately, poetry is often an under appreciated literary work.  

Imagine introducing students to a different style of poetry!

A poetry slam is one of the most vital and energetic movements in poetry! During the 1990s, slam has revived an interest in poetry and performance. Poetry began as part of an oral tradition, and movements like the Beats and the poets of Negritude were devoted to the spoken and performed aspects of their poems. This interest was reborn through the rise of poetry slams across America; although many poets in academia found fault with the movement, slam is well received among young poets and poets of diverse backgrounds as a democratizing force. This generation of spoken word poetry is often highly politicized, drawing upon racial, economic, and gender injustices as well as current events for subject manner (Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2013). 

A poetry slam is a competition where poets read or recite original work. The performances are judged on a numeric scale by selected member of the audience.

This video is an amazing example of a slam.  I am grateful to Alyx, one of my students in LIBS 451, who shared this video in her blog and I am thrilled to share it with you.  Enjoy...