"Word" is the Word

            Don’t expect a formal greeting, prompt start or even a handbill if you attend one of the UNC Wordsmiths’ poetry slams.

            Do expect a good time.

            Despite the fact that the Wordsmiths’ Grand Slam was primarily a chance for top poets to qualify for UNC’s team for the College Unions Poetry Slam Inivational (CUPSI) in April, the atmosphere was relaxed.

            “We don’t write to compete,” said Jacob Jacoby, who was the night’s host. “We write to get free.”

            Jacoby is the Programming Director of the Sacrificial Poets, the organization for which the Wordsmiths are the collegiate branch. The Wordsmiths host free poetry slams once a month. The winners are invited to compete in the annual Grand Slam, which this year was held from 7-9 p.m. Jan. 28 at the Carrboro Arts Center.

            Ten minutes after 7 p.m., however, the '90s rhythm and blues music continued to blast from the front speakers. The crowd of more than 50 continued to dwindle in and fill up the folding chairs until there was standing room only. The nine poets alternated between sitting in the front row, talking with friends in a corner, and pacing anxiously.

            “Word,” Jacoby greeted the crowd, then proceeded to ask who had never been to a poetry slam and knew none of the contestants. Five minutes later, these unknowing volunteer judges had been supplied with white boards and markers.

            Once the ball got rolling, though, it didn’t stop.

            Sacrificial Poet Kane “Novakane” Smego delivered a poem as a “calibration” to which Jacoby said the judges should compare the other poets. Smego spoke about how he wanted to “go back” and influence different historical figures. He said that he wanted to show Martin Luther King a picture of an integrated school—which received several snaps—and to tell Caesar “behind you, behind you”—which got several laughs.

            The nine competing poets, introduced only by their first names, took the stage and delivered their first poems. These covered topics from comical kvetch board-like complaints to laments about a once-angelic cousin fallen into drug abuse.

The scores were tallied up as the judges rated each poet, so within a minute after the end of the round, the top six scoring poets were announced.

Three poems did not receive high enough scores to move on to the next round: a story about a singing immigrant, a metaphor about a love like an unfinished musical score, and an explanation that the poet didn’t need a love poem because his lover already was one.

The only one of these eliminated poets that deserved a second chance was the first because of her imagery. Images make the best poems because words that do not create images are hard to relate to. The first poet, Ashley, really painted a picture of her singing immigrant, yet her own song was cut short.

In the second round, the three poets who stepped up to show their diversity got the highest scores. Two poets that had approached serious subjects before used their second round to deliver heart-felt love poems. Moe, the comical complainer, turned to her concerns about celebrities and drug use, a poem that seemed to be inspired by Amy Whinehouse.

The scores in the third and final round could not have more accurately reflected the performances. Lauren was given a 28.1 out of 30 as she begged her mother for forgiveness from ambiguous past wrongs. Moe received a 28.2 for her telling account of a girl who drank herself into a miscarriage.

Third-round winner Chicas showed off his versatility like none other. After a tear-felt account of his cousin’s drug-induced downfall and his suave but encouraging insistence to the audience that “You are like a walking orchestra,” he shyly practiced asking a girl on a date. His performance was so convincing that audience members “aww”ed throughout and cheered when his 28.7 was announced.

Overall, however, Lauren was the highest scorer. Even for Chicas' fans, this announcement was no cause for disappointment. The top five were given spots on the CUPSI team. Besides, as Jacoby said, it’s not about the competition.

Two of the judges, Jared and Katie, agreed. Jacoby poked fun at them throughout the night, dubbing them the “East Berlin judges” because of their low score-giving. They said they found this amusing, though.

Katie said she was glad a friend recommended the slam to her.

“It was raw,” she said. “Human. Honest.”