Micaiah Swaim and Reche Mouwembe rehearse for the upcoming performance. photo by Allison Acolla
The slam poetry club’s upcoming performance is sure to wow the crowd.
The slam poetry club has returned to Thomas Jefferson High School this year, and the members are excited to be back. Their debut performance on March 4th will showcase the team’s hard work.
Slam poetry is a type of performance where people read their poetry in front of a crowd. These poems are usually longer and more free form than poems usually read in school, and often address topics that involve groups of people who have been marginalized in some way. These topics help convey emotion through the performance to the audience, which is the goal of slam poetry. Audience participation is also a big part of slam poetry; clapping and cheering are encouraged.
Throughout the year members have been learning and practicing writing slam poetry and distinguishing it from the conventional types of poetry taught in school. With the help of teacher and club organizer Jennifer Stephenson, members are working on things such as length, rhythm, pacing and diction to enhance their poetry. Leading up to performance day, members are working on fine tuning both the team and individual poems, as well as rehearsing in front of each other and other students.
The club was reintroduced to TJ this year by Stephenson because of her love for slam poetry. “I want to help students see that poetry can be amazing, exciting, passionate and fun,” explained Stephenson. Her goal for the club is to introduce slam poetry and offer a safe and caring environment for students. This club helps students express feelings and experiences with others who have gone through similar situations. “Slam poetry has taught me to be myself and helped me express my feelings in words,” said Junior Reche Mouwembe.
The performance will be held on March 4th during lunch in the student lounge area. Students will be able to watch members of the club perform confessional poems with rhythm. Before the performance begins there will be a short introduction of the team, what they do, who the poets are, and the topics they have chosen for the poems. This performance will highlight all the hard work the club has been putting in all year. Be sure to come support these poets!
