On Feb 18th I went to a poetry slam in Rahway, where majority of the roster would be decided and compete at Southern Fried. I’ve always thought about trying out to make the team to see how it differentiated from the Nationals, which I have been to twice. I can’t remember the last time I actually slammed, but once I saw the slammers and walked inside the building that adrenaline rush came back to me and I wasn’t even participating lmao.
The poets did not come to play… I saw and felt the hunger from the poets as the scores went up
And you had to fight for spots – I saw and felt nervousness from the poets as you’re not only performing what YOU believe is your best piece, but you’re also looking at the crowd/judges trying to gauge if they’re feeling what you are presenting.
I missed that energy, also the comradery of the poetry community as a lot of big names were in the crowd rooting the poets on – at the end of the night we took pictures and had multiple conversations outside – the usual vibe which always gives me a great feeling of inspiration heading home.