The Rise of Slam Poetry The Rise of Slam Poetry
BY CHARLIE BLODNIEKS When we think of poetry, we think of an old-time coffee shop writer with heavy tweed clothing and an air of... The Rise of Slam Poetry

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BY CHARLIE BLODNIEKS

When we think of poetry, we think of an old-time coffee shop writer with heavy tweed clothing and an air of musk hanging around them. We seldom envision a twenty-something year old, left-wing, social extremist spilling their heart before a microphone. The art of spoken word, or slam poetry, a free-verse, emotional and performance-driven piece, has been on the rise in recent years, starting as a “hipster”-esque fad and spiraling into a beautiful and self-expressive art form. Central topics during spoken word’s time of societal prevalence have been suicide, depression, eating disorders, and the difficulties of being different. Spoken word has achieved two wonderful things: bringing people into the arts, and exposing and discussing the societal stigma around the topics the poets choose to write about.
 The first of the ultra-mainstream slam poems was Shane Koyczan’s “To This Day,” an empowerment piece about overcoming the ravages of bullying. He follows the stories of three victims of bullying, showing the shards that words can reduce the soul to. Since then, Koyczan has launched the “To This Day Project,” an anti-bullying and anti-suicide campaign. Between motivational speaking, community involvement, and the sheer power of poetry, Koyczan has begun to make a palpable impact. Amongst the influential slam poems of our time are “Dear Straight People” by Denise Frohman, “Shrinking Women” by Lily Meyers, and “What Teachers Make” by Taylor Mali. Andrea Gibson, too, has led a strong career in slam poetry, centering her pieces around gender identity, sexuality, self-harm, and suicide; through her passion, she has helped a growing population of people see the light in the dark.
Aside from the obvious benefits of self-expression, slam poetry is providing a sort of forum to talk about these pressing societal issues. Gibson’s “Trellis” conveys through a chilling tone the silent victims of rape and sexual assault; this topic is, by nature, difficult to discuss–but that doesn’t warrant dismissal. Rape, sexual assault, and the array of motivations behind poetry are, unfortunately, reality for far too many. By talking about it and allowing others to know that they are not alone, we’re slowly breaking down this societal taboo that tells us we must be quiet about injustice or self destruction.
The trend of spoken word is still very much alive. Due to the way that these artists have drawn people into this medium, the legacy will continue. We’ve set for ourselves a perpetual cycle of self-expression–if we continue to fuel the flame, it will become a fire that cannot die. All we need to know about poetry is that it brings the spirit of passion into the world, allowing our hearts to beat as seven billion individuals, yet, it’s the same beat.

As Andrea Gibson so eloquently and truthfully put, “we have to create; it is the only thing louder than destruction.”