11 Awesome Places You Should One Day Perform Slam Poetry (That You'd Never Expect)

7/11/2014

Coolest Places in the World to Perform Slam Poetry

When you think about poetry slams, images of schools, coffee shops or comedy club-esque venues are probably the first picture in your mind. You may think about the NuYorican Poets Cafe, the Get Me High Lounge in Chicago or the Spider House Cafe in Austin. And you should. Traditionally those are the scenes and settings that define poetry slams.

The spoken word movement is expanding. Its taking bigger stages and captivating larger audiences year after year. Have you seen how many hits Taylor Mali's "What Teachers Make" video has on YouTube? Over 5 million! The world loves slam poetry!

Now I'm a fairly imaginative person. Still a realist? Yes.

But an idealist and a dreamer? Yes times a billion.

As I watch the slam poetry scene blow up across our globe, I always think how totally awesome it would be to perform at a completely outside-the-box venue. So here is a list of the top 11 places worldwide that I'd love to perform a slam poem or put on a poetry slam.

1. Slam Poetry on the Haiku Stairs of Oahu, Hawaii

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The Haiku stairs are coined "The Stairway to Heaven." If you've never seen Hawaii, a new breathtaking landscape awaits with every bat of your eye. The Haiku Stairs are one of Hawaii's most famous and exciting hikes. On a daily basis, tourists climb the 4,000+ stairs to catch a dawn sunrise they will never forget. Performing a slam poem here while the sun breaks would probably bring out the waterworks!

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2. Spoken Word Under the Northern Lights in Alaska

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The northern lights is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and there's no doubt why it makes that elite list. The lights are actually an aurora, a natural high-latitude display caused by solar winds and charged particles. I'm no scientist, I just think its one of the most aesthetically pleasing skyscapes ever, and the opportunity to perform a slam poem here would be magical!

3. Slammin' the Glowworm Caves in New Zealand

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I almost don't want to type any words just so you can admire the beauty of this magnificent and majestic cave. Just imagine performing a piece in front of those azure blue waters...ahhhhh....

The glowing color of the Glowworm Caves comes from the reaction of light meeting water in just the precise setting

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4. The Disney Castle in Orlando, Florida

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Generally when you think about the coolest castles in the world, you think Belgium, England, Germany and the like. Who thinks about Disney? I do! Maybe because I have kids? Either way, I'd be hard pressed to find another castle with a more colorful history and legacy than the home of Mickey Mouse :)

How awesome would it be to perform at a poetry slam here?

TOTALLY AWESOME!

5. Slam Poetry at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico

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Thecaverns and national park are embedded in the Guadalupe Mountains in Southeastern New Mexico. To perform a slam poem here would be earth shattering - perhaps literally

6. Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Russia

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Its hard to identify that this palatial structure is actually in Russia. It looks more like it belongs in Candy Land.

But Russia does have a scene for slam poetry. We may not understand what they're saying, but they can definitely put it on. They even have a "Slam King" for their country! I wonder if he lives in Saint Basil?

7. Nighttime at Whitaker Point, Arkansas

You'd probably have to be a bit of a thrill seeker for this one, but imagine standing out on that point, hundreds of feet above the treetops, and just letting your words bellow? Forget the audience of judges, slam for the birds, slam for nature!

Its pretty cool on a snowy day, too:

8. Slam Poetry on The Hidden Beach In Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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There's nothing like the natural stage to let a slam poem rip! Puerto means door in Spanish, and this is almost like a trap door into the earth - with a beach below! How would it feel to perform a slam poem in this spotlight? I think pretty fuckin' great!

9. Echoing the Cave of the Crystals in Mexico

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OK, so for some of the spots down below Mexico here in the Cave of Crystals, you may need a gas mask to breathe. But hey, you can slam a poem Darth Vader style! What would your piece be about? Resisting temptation maybe (sorry, thief in a previous life!)

10. Speaking from The Sea Cliffs in Etretat, France

TheSea Cliffs in France are a famous natural rock formation in the north, known for their fantastical arches and jutting points. I'm not sure I'd rather perform a poem on the cool beach below, or stand atop what may feel like the tip of the world, overlooking the vast ocean, and slam my ass off!

11. Beach Slam Poetry: Nighttime at the Sea of Stars on Vaadhoo Island, Maldives

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This glowing beach of blue waves is absolutely breathtaking. It makes for a phoenominal backdrop to your abstract or romantic love poem :)

The blue color actually comes from bio-luminescent microbes - but I'll let Nat Geo explain that for you

Selfishly, my list of the top 11 places everyone should consider performing a slam poem is really a list of places I want to go. But that's OK - I'm contributing to the global growth of slam poetry, so why not slam everywhere? Let the word be spoken!

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