Open Slams have three rounds: 8 poets in the 1st, top 5 scorers moving on to the 2nd, and the top 3 moving to the 3rd. Third round poets get points, 1st (3pts) 2nd (2pts) and 3rd (1pt) towards the Semi-Finals. Anyone can sign up to compete.

Robert Lashley grew up in Tacoma and attended Western Washington University in Bellingham. A finalist for a Cave Canem fellowship and a semifinalist for the PEN/Rosenthal fellowship, he often performs at Northwest spoken word venues and has helped Bellingham, where he lives, develop one of the nation’s finest poetry slam scenes. Robert also maintains a blog, “The Brother Got to Write.” His essays appear in various journals, including Blogcritics Magazine. “Songs My cCty Taught Me” his first full length book, was Published by Radical Lunchbox Press In december.