Poetry Slam, n. 1. a lyrical boxing match that pits poets against other poets in a bout. 2. Poetry competition in which judges are randomly selected from the audience.

The poetry slam originated in the mid 80's, when Chicago poet Mark Smith came up with the idea of a poetry competition. To make things interesting, Smith selected judges randomly from the audience to score the poems. The slam evolved into a national phenomenon. The National Poetry Slam involves around 50 teams from all across the United States. Although some academics may frown upon the competitive nature of the slam, no one can deny that the poetry slam brings in a crowd and entertains.

Poets:
Prepare to perform two poems, one for each round. (The second round is for the final 10 challengers only!) Each poems should be under 3 minutes long. No singing or props allowed. Pre-registration is limited to 20, but drop-ins are welcome. In the past everyone has had a chance to read! Call 232-7111
ext. 2046 to register.

Other Poetry Lovers:
Please come to shout and jeer! In slam tradition, the audience is encouraged to participate in the poetry by clapping, cheering, heckling, laughing, shouting, or booing. You could be selected to judge the competition!