Slam Poetry To Get Kids Interested

By Eddie Keegan

When we think ´poetry,´ many of us tend to think Wordsworth, Burns and Shakespeare, largely down to the way schools teach about poetry. School age students tend to study the classics and while there is no doubt whatsoever that such classics are simply masterpieces and deserve their place in the literary canon, they often fail to appeal to younger generations.

So how can we get youngsters excited about poetry? Well, it seems a number of schools in the UK might have the right idea now. The National Schools Slam Poetry competition introduces school children to the art of performance poetry by holding a nationwide poetry slam annually. The poetry performed at slam poetry events tends to be more edgy, modern and allows for a very free style. Rhyme and rhythm are often central and these are the types of poems that are, essentially, brought to life by being performed.

The children are not just judged on the writing craft. In fact, some of the best slam poems out there would even potentially look quite flat when simply left on paper. But at poetry slam competitions there is a massive requirement of the poet to really bring their poem to life. The poet is expected to portray the meaning of their words in their performances. This is much more demanding, arguably, than a traditional poetry recital.

The popularity of performance poetry is on the up in the USA as well, where TV shows like Def Poetry are watched by millions. Def Poetry, in fact, often gets celebrities on board to come and perform their poetry, perhaps most notable Kanye West. It´s easy when you watch slam poetry to see why so many compare it to hip hop.

This style of poetry really does bring out creative expression through the use of words, rhyme and rhythm so there´s no denying this is a superbly productive outlet for young people. More to the point though it brings poetry well and truly into the modern era.

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