By Abigail Vaughn
Volunteer State hosted its second annual Slam Poetry contest on April 18.
There was a total of 12 student performances. Last year there were 14 student performances.
There will be another Slam Poetry contest next year in April, for National Poetry Month.
Aspen Ricks, a Vol State student and a contestant performed a poem called ‘Object of an Argument.’
“I really enjoyed the Poetry Slam. Even though I was nervous, it was so relieving to get out of my comfort zone and listen to other people’s expression through their works as well,” said Ricks.
Every contestant got a participation prize which included a Starbucks gift card, candles, pens, bookmarks, stickers and a poetry activity book. The first-place winner was Nyla Spencer, she performed a poem called ‘Empty’, second-place winner was Gwen Swan, she performed a poem called ‘Touchin’ Bass’, third-place winner was Celeste Bishop who performed a poem called ‘Yes, You Can Have It.’
“The best way for students to get started writing poetry is to first immerse yourself in the world of poetry. Read it, listen to it, and watch slam poetry performances. Button Poetry via YouTube is a great resource. Write whenever you have inspiration. Carry a small journal, use the Notes app in your phone, or record voice memos. Ideas won’t usually come all at once, but that’s okay, because revision is part of the creative process. Consider sharing your poetry with friends or instructors for feedback– anyone in the English department would love to help! Finally, don’t take it too seriously. Poetry, at its heart, is an experiment in expression,” said Jamie Gorczyca, an English professor at Vol State.
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