Poets in the Park

What is a poetry slam?

A Poetry Slam is a judged competition where participants read or recite original poetry or lyrics. This style is known as "spoken word": poems are expressively and rhythmically performed.

Format and Scoring
Poet's read one poem per round and scores are given after each poem. The poet's performance is judged on a numerical scale by members of the audience. The scores for each round are calculated by dropping the highest and lowest score and adding the remaining scores together. Final scores are calculated by averaging each participant's scores from all rounds.

History
The Poetry Slam was established in the mid-1980s as a means to heighten public interest in poetry readings. Since then, spoken word has evolved into an international art form emphasizing audience involvement and poetic excellence with roots in urban and hip-hop culture.

Poets in the Park slam rules

1. Read 1 piece of poetry per round. There will be 2-3 rounds depending on participation.

2. Time limit is 3 minutes per poem. Time limit may be adjusted depending on the number of participants.

3. No props, costumes or music allowed. You may read from a piece of paper.

4. Be creative. Be yourself. Have fun with it!

Poets in the Park Teen Poetry Slam
and Poetry Workshops

2013 Poets in the Park Teen Poetry Slam
Sponsored by Valley Natural Foods
Sunday, May 5 at 2 p.m. at the Wescott Library, Eagan
1:30 registration

Join Slam Master Cynthia French for a spoken-word poetry competition for teens ages 12-19. Bring your original work and express your creativity. Slam competitors should arrive at Wescott Library by 1:30 p.m.

Additional entertainment by local musicans to be announced.

Poets in the Park programming also features a poetry writing workshop at the Dakota County Library and a slam documentary screening at the Apple Valley Teen Center. See below.

Coordinated by Caponi Art Park and students from the School of Environmental Studies, and in partnership with Dakota County Library and the Apple Valley Teen Center. Sponsored by Valley Natural Foods.

2013 Teen Poetry Workshops and Other Opportunities

Teen Writers Workshop: Poetry with Katrina Vandenberg
Monday, April 1 at 4-5:30 p.m.
Wescott Library, Eagan in the Wescott Meeting Room (Lower Level)

Get inspired to begin or expand your poetry writing with award-winning poet Katrina Vandeberg. Ages 12-16.

Poetry Jam at the Apple Valley Teen Center
Friday, April 19 at 4-6 p.m.
Apple Valley Teen Center: 14255 Johnny Cake Ridge Rd.

Come join us for an afternoon of poetry writing and sharing and snacks, followed by reading and performing your poems (if you chose). Prize drawings during the event. Staff is available to assist in poetry writing and performance, as needed. Grades 6-12.

Louder Than a Bomb Film Screening
Saturday, April 20 at 6-9 p.m.
Apple Valley Teen Center: 14255 Johnny Cake Ridge Rd.

LOUDER THAN A BOMB is a film about passion, competition, teamwork, and trust. It's about the joy of being young, and the pain of growing up. It's about speaking out, making noise, and finding your voice.

It also just happens to be about poetry.

Every year, more than six hundred teenagers from over sixty Chicago area schools gather for the world's largest youth poetry slam, a competition known as "Louder Than a Bomb". Founded in 2001, Louder Than a Bomb is the only event of its kind in the country—a youth poetry slam built from the beginning around teams.

LOUDER THAN A BOMB chronicles the stereotype-confounding stories of four teams as they prepare for and compete in the 2008 event. By turns hopeful and heartbreaking, the film captures the tempestuous lives of these unforgettable kids, exploring the ways writing shapes their world, and vice versa.

This project funded in part or in whole from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

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