Every Wednesday night at ToST, Seattle Poetry Slam hosts a spoken word blow-out unlike anything you’ve seen before! Join a supportive community that LOVES the word - written AND spoken.

Each week you will see an OPEN MIC, A FEATURED POET and A SLAM.

(Check our “Upcoming” Page for more info on future slams and features)

THE SLAM is a performance poetry competition where each poet has a 3 min. time limit to perform a poem, earning a score between 0 and 10 awarded by randomly-picked judges from the audience. Scores are based on content, originality and performance. The winning poets get prizes and a chance at being on the Seattle team that will challenge 72 other teams from cities across the U.S. and Canada at the National Poetry Slam. Competition for a place on the team is fierce, making Seattle a top national contender. Seattle teams consistently make the semi-final round and have repeatedly made the final round at Nationals. For the last two years, a Seattle Slam team member has won the title of National Poetry Slam Indie Champion. In 2006 it was, Anis Mojgani, and in 2007 it was Danny Sherrard.

While the slam can sometimes get heated and competitive, this community always holds true to the famous words of Slam Poet Allan Wolff: “The point is not the points, the point is the poetry.” To get a taste of the poetic circus that is the slam, check out our Myspace page: www.myspace.com/seattlepoetryslam. For recent press coverage of Seattle Poetry Slam, please visit The Seattle Times. _______________________________________________________________

How can I get on the mic?
Sign-ups are from 8-8:30pm. Poets have two options: the Open Mic OR the SLAM. There are 6 spots available on the OPEN MIC and 8 spots for the SLAM. If there are more sign ups than slots, readers are drawn lottery style for fairness.

What are the rules?
Open Mic readers are encouraged to keep their performance to 4 min. or less and can perform one piece. The Slam has 3 simple rules: -poets must perform their own original work - no props, costumes or musical accompaniment - poets have 3 min. (with a 10 second grace period) to perform one poem. After that, points are deducted from the poet’s score.

SEATTLE POETRY SLAM
8pm, Wednesdays at ToST
513 N. 36th St. Seattle, Wa 98103
$5 cover, 21 and over, ID required
info@seattlepoetryslam.org