It is more oral then literal. I feel a great poet will write pieces that both work with them reading or without them, on page.

But Slam really is as much entertainment as art.

Old man gonna get right with the word,

Gonna listen tonite to the word.

And the word is good.

The word is loud.

The word lasts for three minutes.

Oh how I hate slam men

who murmur their rants

with their pants slung low

with their caps swung round their heads.

They consult young slam teachers

other ham preachers, actors on a stage.

And I rage,

I rage against voices

as I steal the words

they spit from their

mouths.

I am their friend, and they spit on me.

In time, they will be like me.

Perf

Literature is usually discussed in terms of periods or movements: romantic period, modernist movement, Victorian Era. Poetry is a genre of literature that shows up in each of these movements. There are various genres of poetry (or subgenres): the epic poem, the narrative poem, lyric poetry. Then there are types of poems: sonnet, free verse, haiku, prose poems etc. And then there are movements or schools of poetry: language poetry, jazz poetry, confessional poetry, mystical poetry, beat poetry and slam poetry (see http://www.poets.org/page.php/pr... for additional schools of poetry). These schools are defined in different ways. Some are defined by the subject matter of the poems, some by the way they sound, some by geographical region.

Today, people in general know what slam poetry is, whereas ten years ago few did. I think slam poetry will continue to be considered a movement in or school of poetry rather than a particular sub-genre of poetry. It's typically free verse that has its own purpose, culture and style, much like beat poetry, jazz poetry or any of the other movements or schools of poetry people have classified and studied. I think slam poetry has successfully made its way into the literary world. It is a reflection of the period: the society, culture and politics. If it stays, is studied, given specific characteristics and a formula, it may become a genre of poetry, but I am not so sure that would be a good thing.

Jody,

"If it (slam poetry)stays, is studied, given specific characteristics and a formula, it may become a genre of poetry, but I am not so sure that would be a good thing." Could you expound?

Hello Tasha,

One observation I have made of young poets, and the many poets involved in slam poetry, is a dislike or even disdain for the academia and their often staunch and subjective judgement of what makes quality poetry.

Slam poetry is often about breaking boundaries and changing traditional poetry into new clothing. The academia traditionally wants to define everything by identifying unique characteristics and establishing quality control standards.

The more I read and the more I study poetry, the pickier I get about what I think is good or not good writing. When I first attended poetry readings and was introduced to slam poetry, I found it exciting. The more energy exhibited, the better. Now, after classes and a more careful study of the genre of poetry, my ear is more sensitive. It's kind of like the difference between someone who can hear that a singer is slightly off key and someone who can't hear it. Before, I couldn't hear it, and now I can -- however subjective that hearing may be. I think that is both sad and good, and I blame the careful study of poetry and its various characteristics, forms and movements for the change in my hearing.

That said, the institutionalization of slam poetry will lock it into a category with standards and characteristics that are in part established by the nature of the movement, and in part established by what the academia considers good or bad poetry. I have two minds on that -- I think it is good and bad: good for the recognition and shift in what might traditionally be considered good poetry; bad for the people who don't want the rules and regulations to determine what is quality poetry and what is not.

The other thought I have on the matter is that slam poetry is much like beat poetry, but we don't hear many people today calling themselves beat poets. I think maybe slam poetry consists of a broader defintion than beat poetry, but without studying what people have said is unique about the beat poets, I really don't see how they are any different than other poets of their time or after. Not many people call themselves beat poets unless they were a part of that clique. Will slam poetry be stuck in time with a certain generation, or will it become something that is timeless. Given its performance characteristic, it could become institutionalized and then become timeless. . . . Or, it could just be a part of the history of poetry in America and an influence on some later movement of poetry.

I don't think any of the possiblities are bad, but I am not sure that they are all great either. Does that help clarify my comment?

Jody