It was off the hook!
Man, I don't even know how to describe the event. For months, my friends had described slam poetry to me, and I'd usually respond with a, "Cool." I didn't really understand the levels of passion, heart, and dedication that goes into the writing and delivery of such a work of art. For an example, watch this video.
People went up there and got lyrically serious (seriously lyrical?) about topics that meant a lot to them. The poets made people laugh, they made people think, and they made people cry.
The half-time show was a Haiku competition, for which I'd come prepared. I started out with this self-composed winner in mind.
I had not time to
write a haiku. Now what am
I going to do?
The problem was, I was near the back of the line, and some guy near the front had a similar idea. I didn't want to upstage myself, so I quickly composed a new haiku in my head. This was my final delivery.
Sometimes, I just run
out of time to say what I
want to say. It's a
I didn't win, but I was on stage anyway!
And for me, that was the beauty of the event. People were able to get together and present original material without fear of judgment or scorn. I'm sure some people in the audience raised a brow at a few of the acts, but for the most part, you could feel how excited everyone was just to be there.
And the poets were inspiring. I came up with and wrote down about five different slam poem ideas throughout the event. I wanted to rush home and write my own rhythmed reasoning. Nearly everyone I talked with said they wanted to try their hand at performing during the next event. People went home buzzing with ideas, and it was because a few brave souls stood up and spoke out.
Whether they were prepared and slamming down some serious limericks, or sweating and composing a haiku on the spot, people shined their light as bright as they could,
I think that's all God expects of us.
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