5 Slam Poetry Tips To Help You Command An Audience

6/14/2014

Slam Poetry Tips for Writing & Stage Performance

A poetry slam is a competition where performance poets compete in front of an audience with randomly selected judges - at least that's how they are known today.

Some folks may argue against that format, others may shun it, but that's the configuration that lit a fire behind the spoken word movement and fueled a booming growth in interest.

What makes poetry slams so different than traditional poetry and poetry 'readings' is the nature of the performance itself - hence the terms "spoken word" (it's outspoken) and "performance poetry" (it's executed and animated live in front of an audience).

An influential presence on stage can pour some serious gasoline on a mediocre written poem.

Apart from the actual poets, the audience is a big part of what makes a slam.

Poetry slams are participatory. First, the judges are part of the audience, selected at random before the slam starts. Second, the audience who isn't judging also plays a major role - they snap their fingers (which is music to the poet's ears), they woo, they boo, they laugh, they scream and they let the performer on stage know exactly how they feel by their reactions.

So how does a slam poet wrench that reaction from a crowd?

How do you make an audience grab their gut with identification, snap their fingers in agreement and laugh because they've felt the same thing you're describing?

Here are 5 tips for slam poetry that will give you a better chance of taking the crown from some very formidable (but friendly) opponents at your next slam.

Tips for Slam Poetry: Writing and Performing Memorable and Authoritative Spoken Word Poetry

Tip #1: Know Your Audience - and select a piece that will resonate

Venue and geography are generally indicative of your audiences' composition - and even though your poem is your own, the contest aspect of a poetry slam means you have to cater to the scene to some extent. If you're at a library in rural Nebraska, a piece about the Lower East Side slums or other social issues native to New York City might not resonate as well as something, say political, religious, or outright emotional.

There are no rules that dictate your poem (outside of a 3 min. time barrier), but inherently its smart to know who you're catering to. You'll want to use diction and phrases that ring true with the crowd. If the crowd gets caught up on one line trying to interpret it, the rest of your piece will fall on deaf ears - that's not the way to be remembered!

Sammy L. Jackson definitely has some skills in slam poetry - but he also knows how, when and where to use what! If you're performing at a comedy event, then make 'em laugh!

Tip #2: Have interesting and original work!

Slam poetry is a forum for people of all sizes, who may have never even realized they had a voice, to stand up and project their message.

Performance poetry allows anyone to deliver their work, but what keeps the poetry slam culture so vibrant are the thought-provoking and stimulating messages.

It's rare that I attend a slam and I'm bored. I stay engaged because I begin to realize how powerful of a message and story people have.

When you just be yourself, you'll be surprised at the intrigue and fascination you evoke.

So while I always recommend checking out other poets so you can learn and adapt, it's also vital to be unique. Don't let anyone steer you away from the real you. Have a message, know what your message is and deliver it with passion to grab attention.

Tip #3: Come strapped with a powerful & memorable piece!

The piece you select for each event should be interesting and it should reflect YOU.

Once you've got your message and you know its the right one for the environment where you'll be delivering it, its time to to put some force behind those words.

Make sure your poem is littered with the right poetic tools to make it shine, and make sure its constructed in a way that would make other slam poets say *damn!*.

If you're still new to the scene, check out this page for some tips on writing slam poems.

One way to add authority to your piece is by describing things (events, feelings, etc.) in an original way that hasn't been used before.

If you're putting vivid imagery into the audience's mind, what you're doing is giving them an experience.

They're not just hearing you, they can feel your message.

I wrote a poem about the loss of a friend, a topic that I knew had been penned before, so I had to make mine stand out. The language, the imagery, the rhyme and the description I used to talk about how I felt is what separated the piece."...it feels like they ripped liberty right from the statue // a rusty shank carved a dark hue tattoo // in my heart..." That's powerful!

You know how I know when I've 'nailed it'?

When I read/recite my own work back and it makes me choke and tear up.

That's how powerful your slam poem should be.

When the lines, metaphors and imagery have so much energy that you paint a crystal clear picture of exactly what you want the audience to see - that's when you're there. It takes some work and dedication, but keep that pen firing on all cylinders and you can achieve great things - promise.

I respect Michael Lee as both a poet and a fellow addict in recovery. And thought much of his work is about addiction, alcoholism and recovery, this is poem about death called "Pass On" is one of the most powerful I've ever heard and seen.

Tip #4: Own your slam poem!

If you've ever been to a poetry slam competition, you probably noticed that the better poets don't hit the stage with a piece of paper in front of them.

They don't read off a page in unrehearsed or shaky fashion - they own their piece.

It's completely memorized so it comes out as natural language. They are up there telling you a story they know by heart and they are passionate about it.

It's not easy to memorize a spoken word piece, but its necessary. And not just to think you've got it nailed down - you have to really know it by heart. When you get on that stage and you're the centerpiece, there's a layer of nerve that will takeover, so that poem better be native - you better be able to recite it backwards in your sleep.

I take the memorization of each slam poem slowly; one line and then one verse at a time.

You might want to even isolate a line or two - write them separate on a note card. Repeat it over and over, read it slow, pronounce each word and do it out loud.

Record it so you know when the pauses should happen and when to slow down or speed up.

Think about when to take in a breath and when to go on a tangent.

What slowly starts to happen is your mind automatically begins to recognize how the end of one line connects to the first word in the next line. Its like memorizing a song on the radio you always hear - its inherent.

Once you start putting some lines together, keep on repeating it - do it over and over, day and night, do it in front of the mirror.

Finally, when you're almost there, put a couple close friends or family together and see if you can go soup-to-nuts from memory. That will indicate what areas you need to practice further.

Memorizing your poem also frees you up to move and use your hands more, connect with your eyes to the audience, and use the stage as your playground. Which brings me to my next tip for slam poetry...

Tip #5: Own the stage; own your audience!

The best tip I can give you for crushing a poetry slam is to OWN YOUR PERFORMANCE. You have to make your 3 minutes count! Spoken word is a dramatic art. It's theatrical and meant to entertain and engulf an audience; it's designed to educe some reaction and excitement - so incorporate some drama! If you come out flat, you're doing no justice to the words you so carefully architected. On the other hand, if you've practiced and rehearsed your ass off, then each word, each syllable, will come out flawless and full of life.

One of the most imminent challenges to overcome is stage fright. In "Sick" I alluded to it: "...I was once worlds away // from these // buckled knees // you see on stage..." Getting up in front of a crowd terrified me. There aretools out there to help you get out of bad stage habits and become more comfortable in the spotlight. The best tip I have is to keep on doing it - you'll improve and become more comfortable with each performance.

Once you've gotten comfortable with being the center of the room, it's about taking charge. You don't get props, tools or instruments in most slams - all you've got is you, a mic and the floor under your feet. So you have to become the tool. Use your hands. Use pronounced body language. Speak from your fingertips and let the sun shine from the side of your neck as you crick it back to enunciate.

Finally, in order to own the stage in a poetry slam, you have to be one with the audience. You have to feed off their reactions. Let them take hold of what you're saying. Again, these things come with practice. The good news is that performance poetry is addictive - if you do it once, you're going to make sure that's not your only crack at it. That's how we grow!

This Youth Group from Brave New Voices in Chicago knows how to own the stage and own the audience!

So there you have it - my top 5 tips on slam poetry. I've also added some more tips here for you.

Take these tips seriously, and you'll incrementally grow to become a dominant slam poet.

Best of luck to you out there - and THANK YOU! For supporting me by reading, and for supporting slam poetry so it continues to kick ass.

Now slam motherfucker, SLAM!!