ECC to present poetry slam

Elgin Community College presents the latest in performance poetry during the seventh annual Poetry Slam from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 15. The event, which is free and open to the public, is held in the Advanced Technology Center Auditorium on the main campus, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin.

Poetry slam, a competitive event during which poets perform their own work and are judged by selected members of the audience, puts a dual emphasis on writing and performance, encouraging poets to focus on what they're saying and how they're saying it. Audiences are encouraged to react openly to all aspects of the slam, including the poet's performance, the judge's scores and the host's banter; they can pound their feet in disagreement or snap their fingers to cheer a good performance or score.

The slam offers college and high school students and community poets an opportunity to sign up for three-minute reading slots. Hosting the event is Marc Smith, the acknowledged founder of the competitive art of performance poetry (i.e., the poetry slam).

In 1986, Smith, a construction worker, poet and veteran of open mike poetry readings, convinced the owner of the Green Mill, a popular Chicago jazz club, to start a weekly poetry competition on Sunday nights. This became the Uptown Poetry Slam and has evolved into a mecca for performance poets.

Smith, co-author of "The Spoken Word Revolution" and author of "The Complete Idiots Guide to Slam Poetry", performs some of his own poetry during the slam. Known for his gritty performances, he gives audiences a unique vision of what poetry is and what it can be. Smith has hosted and performed in such prestigious venues as the Smithsonian Institution, the Kennedy Center and the Art Institute of Chicago.

The slam is sponsored by the Student Life Office, the Creative Writing Club and the Writers Center. For information, contact the Office of Student Life at (847) 214-7370 or studentlife@elgin.edu.