Each poet has a time limit of three minutes, with a 10- second grace period. After the grace period is passed, points will be deducted from the poet's final score. Unlike theater or music performance, the poetry slam is a pared- down event because poets aren't permitted to use props, costumes or music. Yet the slams are able to offer the audience more. It's just an expression of creativity straight to the vein.
Poetry slamming and spoken word are on the rise.
As a result, new slam communities are forming from coast to coast. The 1994 Lollapalooza alternative rock tour and the South by Southwest music festival had spoken-word shows. Record labels completely devoted to spoken word, such as Mouth Almighty, have provided national exposure to these forms. Both films will be shown during the nationals. Though there's an immense amount of excitement surrounding poetry slams, not all poets share it.