Please read the info below carefully for details about how the season of slam competition works.

9/9/2009         Open Slam 1
9/16/2009       Open Slam 2
9/23/2009      Open Slam 3
9/30/2009      Open Slam 4
10/7/2009       Open Slam 5
10/14/2009     WOWPS Prelim 1
10/21/2009     Open Slam 6
10/28/2009    Specialty Slam: DEAD POET SLAM- All poets in this slam will honor a “Dead Poet” by reading in their stead. This is our annual Halloween slam and thus costumes are not just allowed, but encouraged.

11/4/2009       Semifinal Slam 1
11/11/2009     WOWPS Prelim 2
11/18/2009     Open Slam 1
11/25/2009    Specialty Slam: HAIKU SLAM - Annual Haiku battle - in the end, there can be only one!  Haiku’ers should plan to bring upwards of 20 haiku for this throwdown. (Note - the Seattle Slam uses a VERY loose definition of Haiku - no topic matter is off limits, so long as its addressed in 17 syllables.)

12/2/2009      Open Slam 2
12/9/2009      Open Slam 3
12/16/2009    WOWPS Prelim 3
12/23/2009    Open Slam 4
12/30/2009   NO SLAM
1/6/2010        WOWPS Prelim 4
1/13/2010       WOWPS Finals
1/20/2010      Open  Slam 5
1/27/2010      Open  Slam 6
2/3/2010        Semifinal Slam 2
2/10/2010     Open Slam 1
2/16/2010      Open Slam 2
2/23/2010     Specialty Slam: Black History Month :”Paying Homage” Slam - 1st time specialty slam. To “Pay Homage” - all slammers in this competition must read the work of a Black Poet of their choosing.
3/2/2010        Open Slam 3
3/9/2010      Open Slam 4
3/16/2010       Specialty Slam: Rosie the Riveter Slam (Women Only Slam)
3/23/2010      Open Slam 5
3/30/2010      Open Slam 6
4/6/2010        SemiFinal 3
4/13/2010     Wild card
4/20/2010     Specialty Slam: Iron Poet Slam - Poets in each round will be assigned different challenges - a theme to incorporate, a physical challenge and much more…

Sunday 4/25/10: 2010 GRAND SLAM w/ Featured Poet Joaquin Zihuatenejo All-Ages at Town Hall - Click Here for Tix

WHAT does all this stuff mean?

Poets who compete in the slam don’t just win bragging rights and prizes. They are also competing for a chance to represent Seattle at one of three national/international poetry slam competitions: Nationals, IWPS and WOWPS.

The National Poetry Slam: To earn a spot on the Seattle National Slam Team, poets must compete in a series of Open Slams which 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. Poems used in the 3rd round cannot be repeated again until the Semi-Final.

The top 8 point earners from the Open Slams compete in a Semifinal Slam - the top 2 will then advance to the Grand Slam.

There will be 3 Semifinals thru the season and a WILDCARD SLAM: 16 poets are taken into this slam by signup. The top 2 competitors go directly to the Grand Slam.

NOTE: The last requirement to qualify for the Grand Slam is participation in AT LEAST ONE of the themed/specialty slams during the season.

Women of the World Poetry Slam (WOWPS): this is an individual competition of the best female poets in the country. Seattle’s rep will be decided by 4 preliminary (Oct 14, Nov 11, Dec 16 and Jan 6) women-only slams, and a finals (Dec 17). The Prelims will be three rounds bouts: 1st round- 4 min. time limit, 2nd round- 2 min time limit, 3rd round-1min. time limit.

WOWPS Championships will take place in Columbus, Ohio in March 2010.

Individual World Poetry Slam (IWPS): Also an individual competition but open to anyone - Seattle’s rep will be decided thru 4 preliminary slams during the 2010 summer season culminating in a finals.  2009 IWPS will be held in Berkeley, Ca Oct 8-10 2009. The Seattle rep for 2010 will be decided during the summer of 2010.