Slamming is competitive poetry where the emphasis is on good writing, good performance and warmth of audience response.
Slamming began in America. It was invented by construction worker/poet Mark Smith in August 1986. The first slam was held at The Green Mill Lounge, Chicago. He invited the audience to play a major role by asking them to judge the poets, using scorecards. Mark Smith says: “The slam is about poets performing professionally to an audience they care about, allowing that audience to enjoy themselves, while presenting them with the most profound and heartfelt poetry the poets can muster.”
How Do I Enter?
All you have to do is email with your name and desire to enter …and then turn up to the first heat armed with poetry!
How It Works at Purbeck
At Purbeck we’ll be having two first round heats in the Duck Shed on Saturday afternoon in which poets will have three minutes to give us their best. Judges (picked from the audience) will choose three winners from each of these heats to go through to round 2.
Round 2 then allows six poets to go on to perform their second poem. Again, judged by members of the audience, the poets with the highest scores will go on to perform two poems each in the grand finale.
The final takes place on the Fire Stage on Sunday afternoon and consists of two rounds of poems. Each finalist will perform a poem each with scoring and then a second poem that will be scored separately. The poet with the highest combined score will be crowned Purbeck Folk Festival POETRY SLAM Champion 2014!
Your host…
We’re really lucky to have Steve Biddle, captain of the Bournemouth-based Freeway Circle of Poets, on hand to host our Poetry Slam. Steve is the Bournemouth Festival of Words 2012 Poetry Slam Champion.
You can’t label Steve’s poetry style. It’s catchy and intriguing as he can capture life as it is, how it was and where it’s going. Steve performs his original material at events around the UK including Glastonbury Festival and Brighton Fringe 2012. As a member of The Poetry Society, Steve also writes bespoke poems on request and known for his unique creative flare to organise words in an engaging manner. His passion for poetry is evident as Steve supports many creative hubs from open mic events to workshops. Dig deeper to discover Steve Biddle’s inspirations, take a look at his well respected work plus check out up and coming events.
The Freeway Circle of poets will also be hosting a poetry circle for those budding poets who would like to perform in a less formal setting.
