Cow Town? No. Not so much…
The Women of the World Poetry Slam prelims kick off tonight — on International Women’s Day
So today is International Women’s Day, and regardless of whether you already knew that or even care now that we’ve told you, Denver is placed particularly well for some serious celebration this year. Today marks the first day of competition in the Women of the World Poetry Slam, which is in turn a first of its own. Although it already hosts the national champion slam team (Slam Nuba), Denver joined the roster of national slam host cities in 2012 with the four-day competition as its first gig.From yesterday through Sunday, the poetry slam challenges the best double-X-chromosed poets in the world across a weekend devoted to topping it. Although slams will be interspersed with an extensive sleight of creative and off-kilter events throughout its stay in Denver, the competition proper begins with the first preliminary rounds tonight at 7 at three core venues: Mercury Cafe, Eden and Leela European Cafe. Over the course of the weekend, 72 competitors, most of whom claim top titles in their own cities, will be whittled down to one winner through progressively tougher slams.
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| Check out the full schedule at the Women of the World website. |
Ranked on a scale of 1 to 10, poets compete for points in creativity and presentation in front of judges selected randomly from the competition’s audience in order to ensure fairness. On Saturday, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Denver Art Museum‘s Ponti Hall, 12 finalists will compete to become the fifth annual Women of the World champ.The halls of history already include one previous Colorado winner, Andrea Gibson, who represented the Denver/Boulder area with her 2008 title. (Poetic justice?) Last night, Denver/Boulder poet Lindsay Miller won the final spot in the 2012 competition at the “Last Chance Slam” in the same venue where she first witnessed slam poetry: Denver’s own Mercury Cafe. Counting Miller, the competition features three Denver natives, though Amy Everhart and Kay Crown now represent Portland and Chicago, respectively.
“It’s beautiful to see how many people are showing up, and having all of these poet friends coming in from other cities to be here and really promote the art is incredible,” says Denver poet and WOW co-organizer Suzi Q. Smith. “Last night we packed out Mercury Cafe with at least 300 people. For a Wednesday night in Denver, Colorado for poetry, that is not bad — not bad at all.”
But this weekend is not all slam, bam, thank you, ma’am: The full roster of Women of the World events, available in detail online, includes haiku spin-offs, a walking tour of Denver;’s history in beat poetry, a males-only poetry recital, a hip-hop showcase and a handful of open mics and writing workshops. On Saturday afternoon, Denver youth slam team (and 2012 Westword MasterMind winner) Minor Disturbance presents four slam showcases that include spots from teen poets and Slam Nuba.
The process to attract the competition began last year, when the city’s first bid to host it was turned down. Depending on its success, the gig could place Denver in the running for future (and larger) hosting roles.
“I think our poetry scene will see what the result is really quickly after this is all over,” Smith says. “We want to keep this momentum going and really galvanize the scene. Now we have all the relationships in place between people in the community that if we want to throw another slam or maybe a nationals, we’re ready. The groundwork has been laid.”
For more on Smith, Women of the World and how it came to Denver, read our recent cover story, “Slam, Bam, Thank You, Ma’am.”
Please tell me that you’re competing!
Bartholomew!
Ahhh! this made me SO happy! No. I am not a poetry slam kinda poet
….yet.
THese guys are absolutely amazing! I admire their work and am inspired by them.
Thank you. you made me smile!
Peace, Jen
Hey I thought my hometown, Calgary, was cowtown.
it’s ironic you’re from Denver – our two cities our so much alike. we have the Calgary Stampede which includes one of the biggest rodeos in North America. but we were just named the cultural center of Canada.
how cool is that?
Louise,
See! The World is one small town. I LOVE that!
I love my CowTown. We CAN be both can’t we!?
Peace, Jen
calgary and Denver are so much alike it’s scary. both close tot he mountains, both with ranching nearby. cowboys and big business. and yes, both cities are cowtowns
Louise,
Have you been to Denver? It sounds like we have doppleganger cities!
Jen
I live in Denver, too. It is a beautiful place to just BE. You cannot look at a Denver sunrise (or sunset) and be mad. It is impossible.
We also have some of the nicest people in America (I’ve lived in many different places in the US being a military wife.)
Thanks for the info about the Poetry Slam and the shoutout for our beautiful city.
This Earth is a small town!
I have worked all over the country and coming back to Colorado to shut down Rocky Flats was the best thing I EVER did! I love it here and being a Native makes the SUN so much more important to me.
I can not imagine living elsewhere for long.
(Thank God for travel!)
I hope to attend several of the events this weekend. I have seen many of these groups and poets live and they are really remarkable!
Peace, Jen
I too have returned to CO from afar. My husband was stationed at Lowry AFB (we were married here) but Uncle Sam wouldn’t let us stay.
When he retired, we headed back.
We’ll have to get together sometime.
Excuse me but i LOVE LOVE LOVE DENVER, cowgirl! COOL contest. Are you playing!!! The world is small too … but Chicago is big, and there’s about 120 square feet for you to sleep with a lot of dust bunnies and paint
MY FRIEND, JEN xoxo
Mel,
I am hoping hoping to make it to chi town, to you, sometime this Summer!!!
Crossign fingers and toes!!!
XOXO Jen
I’ll even suck up the dust
You’ll be in the paint swamp room . … OY xoxo melis
wow-this looks AWESOME! wish I could attend.
ME TOO! I wish you could be here
One day….
XO Jen
Go Denver!
Darn tootin!