“Poetry and Spoken Word in general, is the last refuge of true freedom of speech, unfettered and pure.” - Roberto Ascalon

         Slamming is that special entity, it embodies the powerful chemistry of performance and poetry.  If I was asked to describe Slam Poetry as a person, it would sound like this: Thunder roared off of her tongue, like piercing echoes swallowed up by the essence of captivation. Her revolutionary poetry documents a movement that gives freedom of speech and self-expression brand new meanings. It was 1984, when her presence blessed the stage, and poetry hasn’t been the same since. "Slam" Poetry is unbelievably entertaining and welcomes anyone who is brave enough to try and curious enough to watch.

         I am a Slam Poet, who believes that expressing and blazing on the microphone is a very powerful experience.  I also believe that poetry has an uncanny way of bringing together people from all walks of life and various viewpoints. There are many different slam venues in the cities of Seattle and Tacoma, many of them were resurrected after the 60’s era. The 60’s for poetry, was a period in time that reflected the voices of Americans who spoke out against injustice, politics, and inequality.  Amazingly, those voices are still as vocal and determined today.

         Recently, the University of Washington put themselves on the "slam map" by hosting their first slam, featuring the multi-talented Saul Williams.  The Capitol Hill Arts Center with Eleventh Hour Productions also hosts a poetry slam every Wednesday night at 8pm.  I was there, one Wednesday night, when two time national slam champion, author, and New Yorker, Roger Bonair stopped by to bless the mic.  The place was packed – full of literary enthusiasts and poetic die-hards howling all night long.  I asked Roger what it is about Seattle that keeps him coming back year after year, "The thrift stores," he replied. "In New York, there are 10 million people in an artistic hub of very good art and poetry. In Seattle, you hear really good work."

         Roger Bonair is one of those incredible poets who captures your heart and demands your attention.  His Carribean and Calypso flavor is presented as an instrument to stroke and provoke thought in his listeners.  You fall in love with him, almost as quickly as you fall in love with the titles of his poems – "Bitter X-Girlfriend Poem #3,712", "1986", and "Naming and other Christian Things." Mr. Bonair is spreading his wings center stage by developing a play that brings together art and social policy.  "A Tough Line" is the title of this play, and it is scheduled to open soon at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

         The Seattle Poetry Slam is operated by several members who also are great and experienced slam poets.  Karen Finneyfrock and Daemond Arrindell are two of the members, dedicated to bringing diverse, quality shows that speak to the artist in all of us. They have seen a lot of growth in the teams who have traveled nationally to represent Seattle on the slam circuit.  I spoke with Daemond asking him to reflect on his experience with slamming in Seattle:

Melissa: Why is Slam Poetry significant in this day and age when it comes to self-expression?

Slam poetry is one particular venue in which the art of performance poetry or spoken word is showcased.  Slam/spoken word is particularly significant, I think, because it provides an even scale for anyone to walk in and speak their mind, in their own style, in their own cadence with their own words. You don't have to have a specific background, specific experience or qualifications - anyone can get up on that stage and reach the audience. In today's day and age when there is more and more censorship within mainstream media, artists have less and less control over their work and how it is showcased/packaged and to whom, we need more venues for expression where anyone off the street can have that opportunity - to speak their mind and have others hear them.

Melissa: What makes Seattle Poetry Slam unique or controversial?

Slam is a nationwide (actually, it's worldwide now) phenomenon.  At the National competition, Seattle has the reputation of bringing real poetry.  Slam being a combination of performance and poetry, sometimes the poetry aspect of the art form is overshadowed by the performance.  Example: a poet whose writing is average yet whose performance is stellar is more likely to out score a poet whose writing is stellar but performance is average. The team of poets that Seattle sends to the national competition are typically excellent writers first and foremost.

Melissa: How do we incorporate change through our voices?

Simply by using them. By speaking our minds, especially when we are speaking against the majority, we empower others to do the same. Change is action, action first begins with thought. Thoughts tend to change more often when options and alternatives are presented more often. The more voices speaking, the more opinions, options and alternatives people have to choose from. Even more change occurs when voices provide facts and information that are not currently available or are being ignored or overlooked. The more educated we are, the more informed decisions we can make.

Melissa: What more can be said about Seattle poetry?

The Seattle poetry scene is quite diverse and rich.  If you look, an open mic or spoken word performance can be found nearly every day of the week somewhere in the greater Seattle area.  Each of those different shows/open-mics has a different feel, different energy, different style. All that diversity is what makes the Seattle poetry scene so strong and so beautiful.

         I always look forward to going to the Seattle Poetry Slam to hear the works of phenomenal poets, that people have never heard of. I began asking randomly, “who are some of the most interesting performance poets in the Northwest and the world?”  To the side is a list of what people had to say.

         I can honestly say this list is absolutely incomplete, there are many brilliant poets who take space in this world but no one will ever be blessed to hear all of them. For those of us that actually make it to the microphone to give birth to that first word, expression or movement, it is a profound moment.

To find out more about spoken word venues nearest you please visit our MUSICA Calendar. If there is a poet whom you absolutely love, please share it with us.

Melissa Noelle Green is a published poet who resides in the Seattle area. She is the author of "My Soul Says Yes", and “My Pen, My Art, My Soul." www.melissanoellegreen.com

Contact: melissag@musicaentertainment.com