Poetry Slam is the competitive art of performance poetry, putting dual emphasis on writing and performance to encourage poets to focus on both what they are saying and how they are saying it. A Poetry Slam is a competitive event - usually open to general public - where performers read their work and are judged by members of the audience. This pathfinder is meant as a device for anyone interested in finding information about poetry slams. It includes basic information, such as definitions and a history of the concept of the poetry slam, as well as current links to venues across the United States. It is separated into three categories for easier navigation: The General Links section contains a cross-section of poetry links, some containing quite broad poetry information and others with more specific information. The State Links section has state-specific information about poetry for fifteen states where slam poetry has been popular. The People section includes links to personal web pages for a number of slam poets. Click on the toolbar above to jump to one of the sections, or browse by simply scrolling down.
The following links are a smattering of some of the best poetry slam websites available. They are labeled "General" because they can comprise nearly any facet of the genre, from slam poetry venues to youth poet organizations to movie synopses. I've ordered them in a completely subjective manner, trying to put the sites I feel contain the most useful information at the top.
Below are links to states that have well-developed slam poetry networks and communities. Slam Poetry exists in some form in every state in the nation, but the states below represent the regions where it has thrived. They are listed alphabetically, by state.
The following poets are just a few of the most well-known artists performing in the genre. This is far from a comprehensive list, and many of the best poets have been omitted simply because a comprehensive web source does not exist for them. Still, those listed below form a talented core of slam poets. Like the general links, they are subjectively ranked according to their (perceived) importance to the genre and the quality of their websites.