What is Slam Poetry?
Performance poetry is written to be performed and uses poetic devices that hold the ear more than the eye.
Here are some general features that many slam poems have in common:
Paraphrased from the presentation: Popularising poetry for teachers.
As the 2019 Young Australian of the Year, Danzal Baker/ Baker Boy, focuses his talents as a poet, rap artist, and role model to showcase his Indigenous culture for young Australians, and encourage them to embrace their culture and keep on track so they can become the next leaders.
“. . . My music shows two worlds coming together . . . everyone loves music, everyone listens to music . . . not just hip-hop. . . all different genres of music. When you listen to it, you just get that feeling . . . I rap in English and in Yolngu Maltha, my language . . . to show my side of the story . . . I want to inspire the next generation to keep pushing and keep trying . . . It's important that, no matter the struggles and the pressure society puts on you, stay strong, healthy and positive, you will get through. Every single one of us matters, our stories, our voices matter. With love and respect, we have the power to shape the future."
Baker Boy is the freshest new Yolngu hip hop talent from the Northern Terrirory Australia who is
proudly rapping in Yolngu Matha language representing his Arnhem Land families.
This song is an example of the real Aussie Hip -Hop!
To know what makes slam poetry effective, you need to see a lot of it performed. Head to YouTube.com, type in "slam poetry videos" and you'll be amazed by the quantity, quality, and variety that you’ll find. Take notes on which slam poems you like best and why they made an impression.
Identify an issue that evokes a passion in you. Perhaps you're determined to do whatever you can to fight animal cruelty or convince your teachers that school stifles creativity. When you're fired up, emotions and words are more likely to flow out of you.
Use your five senses to create a first draft. Write down what you see, hear, taste, touch, and smell when you think about your topic. Details are key when it comes to painting a vivid picture through slam poetry, so always ask yourself: "could I be more specific?" For instance, instead of writing "I drank a glass of water," write "I sipped on an ice-cold glass of water with a pinch of lemon that was so tart, it made me cringe." Craft your words into short stanzas that lend themselves to a natural rhythm and feel free to use rhyme if you feel like it.
When editing, read your poem out loud. If you find yourself stumbling over certain lines that are clunky or too long, that's when you know that a section probably needs to be cut, changed, or moved. It may help to use a thesaurus if you're looking for synonyms to replace certain words.
Remember, you're not just reading your poem out loud—you're performing! The goal is to get the audience to audibly react (i.e. laugh, cry, gasp, snap, clap, yell "yeah!") to increase your score. So look for ways to increase the drama. Are there moments where you can whisper or shout? Are there places where you can speed up or slow down? Can you throw in facial expressions or bodily movements to illustrate your main messages?
Know your poem and then sign up for a local poetry slam! Note: Most slams do not require you to memorize your poem, but you might want to. When you don't have to hold a piece of paper, you can look directly at the audience and use your hands as tools during the performance, which will give you a competitive edge.
Adapted from https://www.powerpoetry.org/actions/how-write-slam-poetry
