SLAM!

Some words float from the tongue like flurries, the syllables feathery and soft. Others hide in the corners of sentences, suffocated by spotlight-hogging nouns, buried between flashy verbs and adjectives. Then there are the words that beg to be screamed, not said, letters jammed together so that just the sound of the word makes you shudder.

'Slam' is such a word. There is no element of softness, silence, calm. Everything about it is loud and attention-seeking. If 'slam' were a person, it would be a champion wrestler or a fearless politician.

According to Merriam-Webster, 'slam' means:

-to strike or beat hard (verb)

-to shut forcibly and noisily (verb)

-to utter verbal abuse or harsh criticism (verb)

-a heavy blow or impact (noun)

-a noisy violent closing (noun)

-a banging noise, especially one made by the slam of a door (noun)

-a cutting or violent criticism (noun)

-a poetry competition performed before judges (noun)

'Slam' is thought to be of Scandinavian origin, deriving from the Norwegian word 'slamre' (to bang) and the Swedish word 'slamra'(to rattle).

There are numerous uses of the word in pop culture. Grand slam. Slam dunk. Poetry slam.

Poetry slam is my personal favorite. I discovered the undeniable power of slam poetry this summer, when I was perhaps overflowing with typical teenage angst. I've always loved poetry more than any other art form, but this was more than merely words arranged in stanzas or clipped lines. Slam poetry speaks; it slices right through the soul, sears carefully-constructed beliefs until they crumble beneath beautifully revolutionary thoughts.

After an entire summer spent perusing the internet for slam poetry, compiling a list of favorite performances, I've selected a few videos to share, pieces that perfectly illustrate why slam poetry is deserving of its name. S-l-a-m. To strike or beat hard. A heavy blow or impact. A cutting or violent criticism. Nothing about slam poetry is timid or restrained. Just like its name, it doesn't speak. It screams.

Here's a video by Andrea Gibson, award-winning slam poet and social activist:

Andrea's poem, "Blue Blanket", addresses gender issues and sexual abuse. Her words are piercing, and her execution is flawless, so that the performance resonates with those personally affected by themes of sexual objectification and violence, as well as any other human beings with an ounce of compassion. My favorite part is:

but how much closer to free would any of us be

if even a few of us forgot

what too many women in this world cannot

and I'm thinking

what the hell would you tell your daughter

your someday daughter

when you'd have to hold her beautiful face

to the beat-up face of this place

that hasn't learned the meaning of

"stop"

Not only does Andrea master the crafting of language with her spot-on rhyming and rhythms, but she also successfully draws people in by including an addressee, directly challenging the audience to reflect upon the state of society and what it means for our children, our futures. To me, this performance exemplifies the essence of slam poetry and the word slam itself.

The following is another example of brilliant slam poetry, performed by Joshua Bennett, Brave New Voices slam champion.

This poem even more directly connects to the 'slam' aspect of slam poetry, as Joshua voices:

true love knows no frequency

and so I will use these hands to speak volumes

that can never be contained within the boundaries of sound waves

I will shout at the top of my fingertips until digits dance

and relay these mental messages directly to your soul

If that poetry doesn't 'slam' you, I don't know what will. There's something about slam poetry that is so raw, so honest, so real. By both reciting his poem and incorporating sign language into his performance, Joshua's message demands to be heard, seen, and felt, just as the word 'slam' implies.

My final suggestion is the work of a younger performer, a video I stumbled across in the blogging world. The blogger is genderkid, a transgender boy from Argentina. His post about a slam poet, Miles, can be viewed here. Miles's performance touches on gender identity and the impact of names. His fearlessness astounds me; I can't imagine being brave enough to share such an emotional personal story with the world. To me, this is what 'slam' really means.