Eleven poets stepped up to the stage, one by one, in front of five judges and more than 100 spectators to perform spoken word at a small and intimate setting, only illuminated by a disco ball hanging on the ceiling.
The Philadelphia Poetry Slam is an ongoing event occurring every First Friday at PhilaMOCA, a gallery space located on 531 North 12th Street, from Oct. 2012 to May 2013.
Organized by Jacob Winterstein and Alyesha Wise, the poetry slam’s main intent is to give the writers a platform to display their work and improve their writing, hopefully opening more doors and opportunities to come.
Winterstein and Wise met as competitors back in 2008 at the Fuze’s Grand Poetry Slam. Wise finished first and Winterstein, a Temple graduate, finished right behind her. After forming a close bond through poetry, they decided to create a stage that will bring poetry to a wider audience in Philadelphia.
The night began with a quick writing workshop at 7:30 p.m. Sign-ups were at 8:30 p.m. followed by the main event beginning promptly at 9 p.m.
The slam is divided into three sections, with each writer getting three minutes each to perform. At the end of each performance, the judges, who are random members of the audience, hold up their scorecards ranging from numbers one through ten. Since the judges are not professional, the poets must appeal to their tastes.
Various boos amongst the crowd were made when one poet was given a four instead of a higher score, which the audience though was unfair. The score, Winterstein said, isn’t as important as being given instant feedback on your work. The odds may not always work on your favor, but the poetry competition is always a good outlet to for writers to work on their craft.
Eleven members compete in the first round, followed by the five best for the second. The last round concludes with the top three from the preceding round.
When asked what he loved most about poetry, Winterstein replied “I love the simplicity. There’s no instruments or research involved. Just words. It speaks to everyone”.
Slam poetry relies heavily on powerful vocal delivery and thematic presentation. This means that music or any other stage prop used to dramatize the performance is forbidden; just words and the rhythm of the poet’s voice are used.
An attendee, who called himself El Poeta, did not perform but basked in the scenery while selling his own line of jewelry during breaks near the entrance.
“Variety – I like to hear all the subjects the poets talk about,” he said.
Health, racism, women’s rights and love were just a few of the topics written by the poets among others.
The winner of the competition was given the title of the “Philadelphia Poetry Slam Champion” and a chance to compete in the Grand Slam Finals in May.
The next Philadelphia Poetry Slam will take place on Friday, March 1 at PhilaMOCA.
Naveed Ahsan can be reached at naveed.ahsan@temple.edu.
