So they held the slam to determine who would represent Saint Louis in the Individual World Poetry Slam this year. I’d say there were about 25 people there, nine of which were poets, and three were running the slam.
The flyers said 9 PM, so I figured I’d be safe showing up around 10, and I was right. By 10 the first poet was taking the stage. Kevin, the slam master went on this diatribe about how St. Louis poets are lame for not coming out and how there should have been 40 poets there. Considering that the slam didn’t wrap up until 12:30 in the morning with 9 poets, I wonder what they would have done with 40.
I brought my camera to shoot stills and video, but since I only had an hour worth of tape, I figured I’d just watch the first round and start shooting the second. Just as the second round started Michael O’Brian asked me to take over for him as score keeper and time keeper, and I said okay, so that kinda fucked up the whole videotaping agenda. I was calculating scores during the round to save time, but nobody bothered to tell me that the rankings going into round three would be based on the totals scores from both rounds, and I didn’t even have scores for round one until round two was over. They also had no calculator so I’m doing all the addition in my head and on paper. So I’m adding up scores for 9 poets from two rounds with decimal points and time penalties. Then, Michael, who by this time is drunk, starts yelling at me that I’m taking too long. And I’m just guy who showed up an hour late.
Throughout the third round, Michael drunkenly kept trying to talk to me while I was simultaneously trying to calculate scores and keep time. Once, he started talking to me just as Kevin was reading the scores and I had to ask all the judges to hold up their scores again and Kevin to reread them.
After the show, I waited to finish talking to Michael while he spoke with the winner, a really talented young girl named Nicolé. He was sitting right up against her with his arm around her shoulder and his hand practically wrapped around her neck. I couldn’t see her face, but I imagine it could not have been a comfortable situation. I’ve known Mike for years and even I was backing away from him when he kept leaning into my face to talk to me. Anyway, he says he wants to raise money for me to finish and distribute my film in exchange for me being the new time keeper/score keeper at the regular Wednesday night slam. Not that I have a much of a film for people to be involved with, but I’m weird about who I involve, so I doubt this arrangement will work.
Added to which, I get such a bad taste in my mouth from the slams, I can’t imagine obligating myself to being there twice a month. I love Mike and I love live poetry, but I think I gotta walk away from this.
And you wonder why I dropped out of the St. Louis Slam, with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum in charge?
What exactly is a poem in a poetry slam like? It’s hip hop influenced, right?
I’m a pretty decent writer of rhymes when I sit down to actually do it, and I was thinking about maybe trying something like this, but don’t know how. Could you recommend how I would best get started into this kind of stuff?
There are several different kinds of slam poems. Hip-hop type poems are popular, but slam poems can also be influenced by stand-up comedy, dramatic monologue, jazz or literary poetry. I’ve even seen some really good slam poets who weave in modern dance.
It’s kinda a fusion between poetry and some other artistic discipline. Some of the best slam poets aren’t hip-hop at all.
I would highly recommend renting HBO’s Def Poetry or the movie Slam Nation on DVD. You’ll get to see several different typs of slam poets.
Other than that, just go to a local slam and check it out. I’ll probably be at the one this Wednesday at the Red Sea. I’ll warn you in advance that it might be kinda lame.
Yeah, my problem is I wouldn’t be much of a performer, although the stuff I would write would probably be pretty decent.
Anyway, I suppose I’ll check some of that stuff out. I’ve been meaning to check out some slams around here, but haven’t had the chance to really look up anything.
Nicole is the sweetest girl – and deserves so much better than st louis’ slam team can offer her. I have to beleive we have met before But I can’t say for sure – I may see you around…