Spoken Word

Inspiration & Exploration

Spoken word is poetry designed to be performed out loud — it uses your voice, your body, and your breath as instruments. It is one of the most powerful art forms around, and you do not need any special equipment to do it. Start by watching Button Poetry on YouTube (youtube.com/ButtonPoetry) — their videos have hundreds of short, incredible performances. Search for poets like Sarah Kay, Phil Kaye, and Rudy Francisco. Notice how they use pauses, speed up for emphasis, and slow down for weight. SLC has a real spoken word scene — look up Slamming Utah and the Utah State Poetry Slam. Just absorb as many performances as you can this week. You're ready for the next step when you can describe two techniques you noticed performers using and name one poet whose style you want to learn from.

Tools & Techniques

Spoken word has its own toolkit. Learn about slam poetry (scored competitively), open mic poetry (shared freely), and performance poetry (theatrical, sometimes with music). Key techniques: anaphora (repeating a phrase for power), enjambment (letting a line break mid-thought to create tension), and call-and-response (inviting the audience in). Read the free guide at poetryfoundation.org on performance poetry. Watch videos of poets explaining their craft — Sarah Kay has a great TED Talk called "If I Should Have a Daughter." The difference between a poem on the page and a spoken word piece is that the performance IS part of the art. Practice reading anything aloud — song lyrics, your own journal entries, even a cereal box. You're ready for the next step when you can define slam, open mic, and performance poetry and name three performance techniques.

First Creations

Write and perform your first piece this week. Pick something you feel strongly about — something that happened to you, something that makes you angry or joyful or confused. Free-write for ten minutes without stopping. Then go back and find your three best images or lines. Build a short piece (one to two minutes) around those lines. Perform it out loud to yourself in the mirror or in your room. Record it on your phone. Listen back and notice where you rush, where you mumble, and where it feels alive. Rewrite the weak parts. Every great spoken word artist has a huge pile of first drafts that never saw a stage. That pile is the work. You're ready for the next step when you have written and recorded one complete original piece between sixty and ninety seconds long.

Style Development

Now develop your voice — literally and artistically. Try three different pieces with three different tones: one angry or urgent, one tender and personal, one playful or funny. Notice which one felt most natural and which felt like a stretch. Study how poets use their bodies: hand gestures, eye contact, movement. Practice projecting your voice without shouting — breath support matters. Read about the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in New York (an important spoken word landmark) and compare it to local venues like Mestizo Coffeehouse in SLC, which has hosted open mics and arts events. Your artistic identity is starting to show — lean into what makes your perspective unique and specific to your life. You're ready for the next step when you have three pieces in three different tones and can perform one from memory without looking at notes.

Refine Your Craft

Push yourself with more challenging work and refine your abilities.

Portfolio Piece

Choose your strongest piece and polish it to performance-ready. Memorize it completely. Record a final video performance — good lighting, steady camera, strong presence. Then perform it live somewhere: a school open mic, a family gathering, or a community event. Look into the Utah State Poetry Slam at utahslam.com to see how to compete or attend as an audience member. The Utah Arts Alliance and Plan-B Theatre both support youth voices — check their websites for youth showcases and submission opportunities. Compile all your pieces from this quest into a written collection and add a short bio about yourself as a poet. You're ready for the next step when you have performed one piece live in front of a real audience and have a written collection of at least five original works.