When most people think of Spoken Word Poetry they think of dimly lit cafes full of artsy, “cultural” hippies. In my head, I always used to associate it with The Den in the tv programme Moesha (who remembers that?!) In fact, the world of Spoken Word is far more accessible to anyone than ever before becoming something we can all participate in without intimidation.

This beautiful form of expression has been around for centuries as an outlet for poets and their communities. I won’t bore you with the historical details but simply put, people have been performing poetry in all shapes and forms for a long, long time.

What exactly is Spoken Word Poetry and how is it different to the anthology poetry we were taught at school? Well, these special types of poems are not meant to be read. They are meant to be performed, sung, shouted, whispered, improvised and even acted. Once written down, the words jump out of the page begging to be bounced off a mic. It’s a rich audio/visual experience. One that’s best witnessed live with an intimate crowd. Emphasised words, rhythms, tones, gestures all add to the personality of the story-telling. The stories of experience, opinions and emotions.

Thanks to media, modern-day spoken word has been exposed to younger generations through inspiring programmes like Russell Simmon’s Def Poetry Jam and TED Talks by Sarah Kay (I myself am pretty much obsessed with both of these!). I discovered a flourishing universe of Spoken Word on YouTube including recorded performances from one of the most prestigious poetry venues in the world – The Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe in New York.

One of the things that keeps this art alive is Slam Poetry.  A “slam” is a spoken word poetry competition where individual poets perform in front of a panel of judges and an energetic (often vocal) audience. It’s an amazing thing to be a part of. As each contender makes their way onto the stage, the audience are encouraged to clap and stomp their feet for their arrival. Normally there’s a time limit on stage for each poet and once time’s up, the judges use score cards to cast their votes. Whooping and booing from the crowd wraps up every number. Performances are judged not only on content but delivery too. After attending my first ever slam, I knew this was something I had to be a part of again (and maybe even perform on one day…). The connection you feel in the atmosphere between the audience and the poet is something else.

Although poetry is not everyone’s cup of tea, anyone can relate to it’s wide range of subject matters. The power of the performance is indescribable. Words weaved together like magic to feed your imagination. You don’t want to look away. You don’t want to blink. You don’t want to miss a word. And when it’s delivered well, you get those goosebumps.

I’m not an expert on all poetry but the discovering is definitely the fun part. I’ll be sharing my favourite Spoken Word performances regularly here so keep a look out! The introductory video I want to share is a powerful performance by one of my favourite poets, Mayda Del Valle. She’s got a fast, aggressive tone in this one, addressing her struggles of identity and culture growing up in America. The delivery is EVERYTHING in this one. The variation of speed and emphasis on words brings that emotion right to the surface. Enjoy.

Twitter Anj @anjali_barot

Mayda Del Valle – Descendency