poetry slams

Chronicles the cultural history of spoken word poetry in the United States, and details its evolution from its roots in twentieth-century New York to its twenty-first-century development due to technology and social media. Includes black-and-white photographs.

Harlem. Ever since her body grew into curves, Xiomara Batista has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking. She pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers-- especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about. Mami is determined to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, and Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself. When she is invited to join her school's slam poetry club, she can't stop thinking about performing her poems.

"Soma Kear's verses have gone viral. Trouble is, she didn't exactly think her slam poetry video through. All she knew was that her rhymes were urgent. On fire. An expression of where she was, and that place . . . was a hot mess. Following her Ba's deportation back to Cambodia, everything's changed. Her Ma is away trying to help Ba adjust to his new life, and her older sister has taken charge with a new authoritarian tone. Meanwhile, Soma's trending video pushes her to ask if it's time to level up. With her school's spoken word contest looming, Soma must decide: Is she brave enough to put herself out there? To publicly reveal her fears of Ba not returning? To admit that things may never be the same? With every line she spits, Soma searches for a way to make sense of the world around her"--Provided by publisher.

"A fascinating history of the art form that has transformed the cultural landscape, by one of its influential practitioners, an award-winning poet, professor, and slam champion. In 2009, when he was twenty years old, Joshua Bennett was invited to perform a spoken word poem for Barack and Michelle Obama, at the same White House 'Poetry Jam' where Lin Manuel-Miranda declaimed the opening bars of a work-in-progress that would soon revolutionize American theatre. That meeting is but one among many in the trajectory of Bennett's young life, as he rode the cresting wave of spoken word through the 2010s. In this book, he goes back to its roots, considering the Black Arts movement and the prominence of poetry and song in Black education; the origins of the famed Nuyorican Poets Cafe in the Lower East Side living room of the visionary Miguel Algar?n, who hosted verse gatherings with legendary figures like Ntozake Shange and Miguel Pi?ero; the rapid growth of the 'slam' format that was pioneered at the Get Me High Lounge in Chicago; the perfect storm of spoken word's rise during the explosion of social media; and Bennett's own journey alongside his older sister, whose work to promote the form helped shape spaces online and elsewhere dedicated to literature and the pursuit of human freedom. A celebration of voices outside the dominant cultural narrative, who boldly embraced an array of styles and forms and redefined what--and whom--the mainstream would include, Bennett's book illuminates the profound influence spoken word has had everywhere melodious words are heard, from Broadway to academia, from the podiums of political protest to cafes, schools, and rooms full of strangers all across the world"--Provided by the publisher.

Following the unexpected death of her father, eighteen-year-old Layken becomes the rock for both her mother and younger brother. She appears resilient and tenacious, but inside, she's losing hope. Then she meets her new neighbor Will, a handsome twenty-one-year-old whose mere presence leaves her flustered and whose passion for poetry slams thrills her.

A group of high school students grow in understanding of each other's challenges and forge unexpected connections as they prepare for a boys versus girls poetry slam. Includes author's note about foster home care.

"Through puns and poetry, Chicken Lily overcomes her fears and reads a poem onstage at her school poetry jam"--Provided by publisher.

Before Russell Simmons' Def Poety Jam, Slamnation captured the cutthroat world of spoken-word poetry. The film follows Saul Williams and three other top poets as they make their way to the National Poetry Slam, the Super Bowl of poetry.

Provides a definition of slam poetry, discusses the history and tradition of the art, and offers advice on how to become an effective slam poetry performer, covering the rules of competition, poetry writing, how to conquer stage fright, rehearsal, and performance techniques.

A guide to staging a poetry slam, discussing the history and tradition of spoken word poetry, the rules and regulations of slam competition, the skills of being a slammaster, slam formats and organization, venues, light and sound, publicity, and other topics.