Australian Poetry Slam ’08

The audience is not worked up over a football game
or wrestling match; they’re here
for a verbose brawl, a battle of wits, metaphorical bloodsport, an endurance contest fought,
won, and lost with the travel of words from mind to mouth to mic to the mob. Believe it or
not, they’re here for poetry.
– Benjamin Ortiz after witnessing the US National Poetry Slam
In 1984, a construction worker and poet named Marc Smith started a poetry reading series at a Chicago jazz club, looking for a way to heighten public interest in poetry readings. The series’ emphasis on performance laid the groundwork for a style of poetry and performance which would eventually spread across the world—the poetry slam.
In 2008, the National Library is again participating in the Australian Poetry Slam. We are calling all poets, hip-hop artists and other outspoken wordsmiths to polish their rhymes and lyrics. This year’s national competition follows the highly successful inaugural Australian Poetry Slam ’07, where over 600 poets across the country participated in a historic battle of the spoken word. Last year Canberra hip-hop artist Omar Musa, winner of the ACT heat, was runner-up in the national final.
All contestants are given a mic, a live audience and just two minutes to impress the judges (selected at random at each heat) with their spoken word, poetry, hip hop, monologues and stories. Poets must follow a series of rules: poems must be the original work of the performer and written within the last 12 months; there can be no musical accompaniment or props; and a two-minute limit applies. Heat winners compete against other state and territory winners for the coveted Australian Poetry Slam ’08 title and $5000 cash at the Sydney Opera House on 4 December.
An enthusiast once remarked that a poetry slam ‘gives depth to the nation’s dialogue that you don’t hear on the floor of Congress. I want a floor of Congress to look more like a National Poetry Slam.’ Although the ACT Slam is unlikely to offer the alluring prospect of Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull performing under the pseudonyms of ‘KRudd’ and ‘MTee’ and bashing out the merits of the latest health care scheme, a good night is still assured.
Australian Poetry Slam ’08—ACT Heats
Friday 7 November & 14 November, 7 pm
Foyer, National Library of Australia
Admission free
Register to compete: events@nla.gov.au or (02) 6262 1122
Matthew Annett
Events Co-ordinator, Publications and Events



