Stepping Into Slam

Whether you were introduced to slam poetry (competitive poetry) by watching YouTube videos

or, like me, you were exposed to the art by listening to a slam poet in person, it’s always a

magical experience to hear that first piece that realty makes you fall in love. The poem that

makes you say, “Wow, I want to do that.”

I have been writing and performing poetry since February of 2016. I competed in my first poetry

slam that April during the South Eastern Regional North Carolina (SERNC) Poetry Festival that takes place every year in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and I actually won that Slam.

It was fun, you know? Albeit, it was also terrifying and intimidating, but fun was mixed in there

somewhere.

It’s an adrenaline rush. Speaking in front of people who are LITERALLY judging you is tough,

but when they feel what you’re saying? When they relate to you? When they respond to you and

you hear them snapping (yes, that’s a thing), or clapping, or cheering in agreement? There is

nothing like it.

This past April, I made the Fayetteville Fire Slam Team. Since then, we’ve been preparing to

travel to Louisville, Kentucky for what has been described to me as the biggest poetry festival in

the South: The 25th Annual Southern Fried Poetry Festival. There are hundreds of competing

poets, and hundreds of spectators. I’m terrified.

Being on a slam team is completely different than being an individual poet because it’s not just

about you anymore. Your practice and preparation are for the benefit of the team and I’ll be

honest… it’s really, really stressful. If you’re like me, you don’t ever want to let anyone down,

so the fact that there are four other people that would be totally screwed if I messed up is

incredibly scary. Not to mention there’s the introduction of the group piece (a collaborative piece

performed by two or more poets on the team). However, the camaraderie is amazing. The

relationship you build with your team through practices and exhibitions and fundraising is

awesome. It makes all the anxiety worth it.

No matter what your poetry experience level, I would definitely recommend slamming at least

once. It gives you an interesting perspective on poetry, and I’ve learned that when it comes to

writing, new experiences can only help. Then, if you enjoyed it and are financially able to join a slam team (because believe me, that’s important), do it. Even if you find out that it’s not for you,

at least you can say you tried something new.

*Sara Fox is a site blogger, spoken word artist, member of the Fayetteville Fire Poetry Slam Team, co-host for Java Expressions: Acoustically Speaking, and studies Music Education at UNC Pembroke