Spoken Word Poetry Slam

Just like wearing polka dots and stripes, I've always enjoyed poetry slams. The whole idea of a poetry slam is so empowering for its speakers and listeners. It allows people to dive into the personal lives of poets, all while presenting a venue to create who you are. Poetry slams offer opportunities for people to express themselves freely and confidently with support from audience members. This was a supportive crowd and I'm glad I got to be a part of it. This poetry slam also provided a community of recognition to its students and guest speakers.

Each person spoke about various topics, but the connecting factor was their passion. By simply listening, I got shivers several times and some poets even had me a little teary eyed. This is when you know that the poet has influenced you to feel, because once you feel something you know that the poetry has shook you up and changed your perspective or even solidified your opinion on certain matters. Wow, I’m getting shivers right now just by remembering these poems.

The various ways the speakers presented each had different impacts on me. Some speakers read from their Iphones (Talk about technology at its best!) Others memorized their poems and this was very potent because the eye contact allowed the speaker to connect with his or her audience members. Also, I appreciated the fact that some of these poems intertwined other languages, like Spanish, into their English poems. This gave the poems more authenticity and feeling.

I would have to say that one of my favorite poems was presented by Jacob Tsypkin that dealt with his identity as a Jewish man. The way he fluctuated his voice and changed up his emotions truly was conveyed so well. The energy in this poem was there from the beginning to the end. He mentioned his family, his history, and his current state which all tied beautifully together.

Also, another poem I liked was presented by a woman about women. She told the females in the audience that being a woman means being a goddess, a queen, and a strong individual. She wanted to make sure both males and females understood the meaning of womanhood. I thought this was great, she made so many strong points without being rude to men. In fact, I think that this can be applied to men as well, showing that they can be kings and strong individuals too. But let’s not let those egos get to our head now! Have pride in yourself but also be humble at the same time.