POETRY SLAM!

Slam! is the competitive art of performance poetry, where participants present their original poems over three rounds in front of a live audience and a group of judges chosen from that audience. 

The first recorded Slams were held in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the USA and were sometimes staged as verbal boxing matches - complete with a boxing ring and bell to mark the end of time. 

Slams are now one of the most popular forms of spoken word event, and regularly attract large and lively audiences. 

The audience is as much an integral part of the slam experience as the poets are, and are responsible for keeping the mood supportive, energetic and encouraging toward all participants.