Poetic expression flows freely

     Poetry slams can provide a mouthpiece for many people.  They can make people laugh, cry or think, all through words.  The first annual Poetic Notions Poetry Slam did just that.  The slam was hosted by Art as an Agent for Change, an RSO that educates people about social issues through artwork, poetry and other media.  The event was opened to people at colleges all over Georgia.
     The slam was born when AAC founder Paul Grigsby came up empty-handed in his search for a statewide poetry slam.
     “I was looking for an intercollegiate poetry slam in Georgia, and I couldn’t find one,” Grigsby said.  
     This inspired him to have AAC host the first. 
     Many people from different backgrounds performed, with different themes in their songs and poetry.  Some people spoke about religion, others spoke about life experiences.  Some were humorous and others were thought-provoking.
     A poetry slam encourages the audience to make as much noise as they like.  Silence is unacceptable.  The poets are judged on how well they engage the audience, and in turn, the cheers of the audience influence the judges.
     An audience favorite was Genae Carter, whose poem “My Heart Is Imprisoned by Your Love” was inspired by an abusive relationship.  Carter won the honorable mention for her performance.
     “I love the thrill, and I love to inspire my audience,” Carter said.
     Another popular poem was performed by Nadirah Ross. It was titled “The Taste Generation,” and described how people want a taste of everything, and they make excuses such as, “I smoke, but I don’t inhale,” and “I’m a genius, but I can’t keep HOPE.”  Parts of the poem were set to the tune of “Killing Me Softly,” mixing a capella singing with the spoken word.  Ross was the poetry slam’s runner-up.
     “I wrote this poem because I noticed a lot of things that plague our generation,” Ross said. 
     The night’s winning poet embodied the intercollegiate aspect of the event.  Kiera Nelson, a student at Georgia State University, came to compete with her poem about a slam school, and the different types of poems that go there.  For winning the slam, she won a $200 prize.
     The poem was inspired by Nelson’s desire to do something different, after hearing three years worth of the same things at poetry slams.
     “A friend e-mailed me (about the event), so I got on Facebook and signed up,” Nelson said.
     Many other performers shone on the stage of the MSU Lounge.  Some rappers from Baldwin High School made the audience go wild with their rap about Milledgeville.  Another poet shared a story about a young girl’s downward spiral in her cries for attention.
     The event was very popular among those who attended, and AAC plans to make it a tradition.
     “I enjoyed the experience, and I can’t wait for the next one,” Grigsby said.
     Grigsby ended the show with the traditional AAC exit, shouting, “AAC!”
     The audience responded with a resounding, “Shut it down!”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Apr 25 2008. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry