SLAM POETRY DOES NOT EXIST

Interesting article on poetry genre: Slam Poetry.


SLAM POETRY DOES NOT EXIST: HOW A MOVEMENT HAS BEEN MISCONSTRUED AS A GENRE

By Chris Gilpin

Lately, I’ve been meeting slam poets who have never participated in a poetry slam. Let me be clear. I’m not talking about spoken word artists working outside of the slam movement; these are self-proclaimed slam poets with no interest in participating in poetry slams. They’ve never attended one and have no intention of doing so.

This is a bit absurd but understandable, given how many people think that slam is a poetic genre rather than a grassroots movement. If you believe that slam poetry is a poetic genre, then you should be able to learn the technique and craft of making slam poems and do so in any context. Why bother with the potential let down of a poetry competition? Just find some slam poetry on YouTube and imitate whatever style has the most hits. Tada! You’re a slam poet!

 

There’s only one drawback to this approach: slam poetry does not exist.......