Spoken Word/Slam Poetry
Poetry is a powerful tool for helping people make lasting changes in their lives. Poetry is also a form of storytelling. Many professional storytellers often incorporate poetics into their stories and storytelling repertoire. The use of poetics in our stories can often make our live storytelling more compelling and engaging. The language and performance of poetry can influence us deeply. When we put our thoughts onto paper or deliver poetry to live audiences, it’s a first step in finding out what we think. Poetry is effective because it’s short and gets to the point quickly. Communities around the world have been using oral poetry for years, to teach or to pass on traditions, values, beliefs and messages to the next generation. Even people who do not think of themselves as poets can write some of the best poetry when they talk about personal life experiences.
Reading other people’s poetry can also be a way to shift the way we see our problems and come up with different solutions. Poetry can be used to heal and impart wisdom in everyday language. Poetry is accessible to anyone to see, experience, and imagine life and ideas in different ways. Poetry has the power to connect us to ourselves and to others so that we know we are not alone. Poetry can change our lives and societies.
Slam poetry has become ever more popular amongst younger people across the world (though not exclusively amongst young people). It evokes emotional responses from the audience through the rhythm of the lines, the choice of words, the concrete and visual images that are created, and the short but snappy often three-minute time frame. Slam is poetry created to be performed to a live audience; it is as much about the audience’s reactions and act of performing as it is about the words themselves. In Slam, the two go hand in hand; when the reader speaks the words aloud, there is communication between the poet and the audience which does not often occur with a story that is read silently.
A poem attempts to say the most by saying the least. Poets have certain methods at their disposal, such as symbolism, rhyme, meter, cadence, personification, and many others.
Slam poetry carefully arranges groups of words in verse that have an effect that is both beautiful and hard-hitting. While you can choose any topic, Slam poems are frequently used as a way for the poet to make a statement about society. They are almost always written to be performed aloud. Although there might be a competitive element, Slam poets use poetry to share ideas and support one another through personal stories. The role of the audience is to offer their support and this can be done through snapping fingers whilst the poet reads aloud, especially when a poet says something meaningful, puts together a great line of words, or perhaps when the poet has an emotional response and needs encouragement from the audience. Snapping fingers is like a silent applause and builds solidarity amongst audience and poets and encourages poets to keep going when they might forget words or feel anxious about performing in front of others.
Getting Started Writing Poems
You may want to start off poems with first line phrases and repeat these for each verse. This works well when working with groups on common themes and ideas or focused topics. You may think about focusing a theme of a writing workshop on issues of ‘scars,’ hurt, loss, gain, love, belief, or God.
Here are some ideas of first lines or statements that can help to begin poems.
How to write a slam poem:
Writing Group Poems
Writing group poems is a very effective way of introducing people to this form of poetry. You may pass around pieces of paper and ask people to write one sentence that may relate to a chosen theme or end with discussion of a difficult topic. Everyone in the group will write one line, but to build some patterns into the poem, all the lines need to have some things in common. The group needs to make some choices: Each line could begin with “I,” “You,” or “We”—which will it be? Each line could include a color, a shape, a sound, or a person in the group—which will it be? Each line could include a feeling, a place, event, or object - which will it be?
Allow the participants one minute (or less) to write their lines.
As pieces of paper are passed around the room in a circle, these papers eventually come back to the original author and that person can then read out aloud the group poem that they started. As facilitator, you can ask, “Does the poem feel rhythmically whole? Disjointed?”
Are there any topics or themes that people want to focus on specifically?
Have each participant come up with a title for their own composition, and then discuss the proposed titles. Why do they differ? Does the composition/poem mean different things to different people? Do participants think that the title is acceptable for the poem?
There are many forms of poetry specific to local cultures, regions, and parts of the world.
In some languages, finding end rhyming couplets in easier. For example, in Spanish there are many words that end in similar-sounding vowels. In some cultures, proverbs and poetry might also be used more every day, in schools, in places of worship, amongst family, or in rural communities as a mode to call and respond to one another and remind each other of identity, group, or belonging. When we listen carefully, we will also hear poetry in everyday speech, preachers, religious leaders, or politicians who often use poetics in their speeches to make it more appealing.
In Mexico, Corridos are a popular form of song poetry that often includes characters and themes about family, historical events, betrayal, oppression, or daily life of local communities
The Smithsonian Institute’s Corridos Sin Fronteras has an example of creating your own corridos to music, available as a PDF here.
Poetry is a powerful tool for helping people make lasting changes in their lives. Poetry is also a form of storytelling. Many professional storytellers often incorporate poetics into their stories and storytelling repertoire. The use of poetics in our stories can often make our live storytelling more compelling and engaging. The language and performance of poetry can influence us deeply. When we put our thoughts onto paper or deliver poetry to live audiences, it’s a first step in finding out what we think. Poetry is effective because it’s short and gets to the point quickly. Communities around the world have been using oral poetry for years, to teach or to pass on traditions, values, beliefs and messages to the next generation. Even people who do not think of themselves as poets can write some of the best poetry when they talk about personal life experiences.
Reading other people’s poetry can also be a way to shift the way we see our problems and come up with different solutions. Poetry can be used to heal and impart wisdom in everyday language. Poetry is accessible to anyone to see, experience, and imagine life and ideas in different ways. Poetry has the power to connect us to ourselves and to others so that we know we are not alone. Poetry can change our lives and societies.
Slam poetry has become ever more popular amongst younger people across the world (though not exclusively amongst young people). It evokes emotional responses from the audience through the rhythm of the lines, the choice of words, the concrete and visual images that are created, and the short but snappy often three-minute time frame. Slam is poetry created to be performed to a live audience; it is as much about the audience’s reactions and act of performing as it is about the words themselves. In Slam, the two go hand in hand; when the reader speaks the words aloud, there is communication between the poet and the audience which does not often occur with a story that is read silently.
A poem attempts to say the most by saying the least. Poets have certain methods at their disposal, such as symbolism, rhyme, meter, cadence, personification, and many others.
Slam poetry carefully arranges groups of words in verse that have an effect that is both beautiful and hard-hitting. While you can choose any topic, Slam poems are frequently used as a way for the poet to make a statement about society. They are almost always written to be performed aloud. Although there might be a competitive element, Slam poets use poetry to share ideas and support one another through personal stories. The role of the audience is to offer their support and this can be done through snapping fingers whilst the poet reads aloud, especially when a poet says something meaningful, puts together a great line of words, or perhaps when the poet has an emotional response and needs encouragement from the audience. Snapping fingers is like a silent applause and builds solidarity amongst audience and poets and encourages poets to keep going when they might forget words or feel anxious about performing in front of others.
Getting Started Writing Poems
You may want to start off poems with first line phrases and repeat these for each verse. This works well when working with groups on common themes and ideas or focused topics. You may think about focusing a theme of a writing workshop on issues of ‘scars,’ hurt, loss, gain, love, belief, or God.
Here are some ideas of first lines or statements that can help to begin poems.
- “I honor my ancestors…”
- “I cherish my mother…”
- “Inside my heart there resides….”
- “You’re like a…”
- “There is no such thing as…”
- “This poem talks about…”
How to write a slam poem:
- Write down the main subject of your slam poem, such as “the homeless.” This subject will serve as a focus as you write.
- Write a rough draft of your poem, focusing only on the emotions and ideas you want to express. Do not worry about verses, rhyming, or even complete sentences. Simply get the feelings you want on paper.
- Use words that are associated with local dialect, language, and local culture, if it is natural for you to speak in this way.
- Find strong verbs. For example: instead of “laughed,” consider “giggled” or “fell off my seat.”
- Notice rhyming patterns of sounds or recurring images and use these to create a sense of rhythm.
- Look for places to use metaphors and similes in your slam poem. These create visual images that evoke emotional responses. Instead of saying “you’re comforting,” change it to something like “you’re as consoling as a snug fireplace.” Instead of “she got angry,” say, “she erupted like a volcano”.
- Read your poem aloud to yourself, then to the group. Read with emotion and passion: Slam poets are performers. Find the rhythm of your poem.
Writing Group Poems
Writing group poems is a very effective way of introducing people to this form of poetry. You may pass around pieces of paper and ask people to write one sentence that may relate to a chosen theme or end with discussion of a difficult topic. Everyone in the group will write one line, but to build some patterns into the poem, all the lines need to have some things in common. The group needs to make some choices: Each line could begin with “I,” “You,” or “We”—which will it be? Each line could include a color, a shape, a sound, or a person in the group—which will it be? Each line could include a feeling, a place, event, or object - which will it be?
Allow the participants one minute (or less) to write their lines.
As pieces of paper are passed around the room in a circle, these papers eventually come back to the original author and that person can then read out aloud the group poem that they started. As facilitator, you can ask, “Does the poem feel rhythmically whole? Disjointed?”
Are there any topics or themes that people want to focus on specifically?
Have each participant come up with a title for their own composition, and then discuss the proposed titles. Why do they differ? Does the composition/poem mean different things to different people? Do participants think that the title is acceptable for the poem?
There are many forms of poetry specific to local cultures, regions, and parts of the world.
In some languages, finding end rhyming couplets in easier. For example, in Spanish there are many words that end in similar-sounding vowels. In some cultures, proverbs and poetry might also be used more every day, in schools, in places of worship, amongst family, or in rural communities as a mode to call and respond to one another and remind each other of identity, group, or belonging. When we listen carefully, we will also hear poetry in everyday speech, preachers, religious leaders, or politicians who often use poetics in their speeches to make it more appealing.
In Mexico, Corridos are a popular form of song poetry that often includes characters and themes about family, historical events, betrayal, oppression, or daily life of local communities
The Smithsonian Institute’s Corridos Sin Fronteras has an example of creating your own corridos to music, available as a PDF here.
Example of Using Poetry to Share Stories in A Shelter Story by Kiran Singh Sirah
I never expected to meet and connect with another artist when I started to record stories form people experiencing homelessness. But that’s what happened when I met J, who now volunteers and supports other unhoused people in a shelter that was once his home. When we met we connected through our conversations and love for art and music. J told me his story. I decided to turn this into a performance slam poem as a way to communicate a sense of life in shelters. When I turned up at the homeless shelter kitchen to interview J, he was busy washing some dishes in the corner of the community kitchen sink. After a while we sat adjacent to one another at one of the canteen tables; it was as quiet a space as I could find. I placed my small white digital recorder on the table. We faced one another with no physical obstructions but our hands. I gave J a transcribed version of the interview and since then we have been working together to support the collection of more stories. Our hope is that through this process we help to challenge the stigmas attached to homelessness in the town we both live in.
To explore A Shelter Story, click here
I never expected to meet and connect with another artist when I started to record stories form people experiencing homelessness. But that’s what happened when I met J, who now volunteers and supports other unhoused people in a shelter that was once his home. When we met we connected through our conversations and love for art and music. J told me his story. I decided to turn this into a performance slam poem as a way to communicate a sense of life in shelters. When I turned up at the homeless shelter kitchen to interview J, he was busy washing some dishes in the corner of the community kitchen sink. After a while we sat adjacent to one another at one of the canteen tables; it was as quiet a space as I could find. I placed my small white digital recorder on the table. We faced one another with no physical obstructions but our hands. I gave J a transcribed version of the interview and since then we have been working together to support the collection of more stories. Our hope is that through this process we help to challenge the stigmas attached to homelessness in the town we both live in.
To explore A Shelter Story, click here
It is through poetry that we give name to those ideas which are—until the poem— nameless and formless, about to be birthed, but already felt."
—Audre Lorde