by Damian Garde
Daily Lobo
For poet Damien Flores, slam poetry is an art that defies boundaries.
"It's something everyone can get into," he said.
Flores is the president of UNM Lobo Slam, a group of student poets who have garnered national attention in the past year. Flores was a member of the team representing UNM at the 2005 National Poetry Slam, a competition the team went on to win.
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The group is performing tonight at Higher Grounds in the SUB.
Slam poetry differs from literary convention in that it relies heavily on performance. Poets perform their verses before a crowd, after which a panel of randomly selected judges gives a numeric score to each performance. Furthermore, slam poetry often deviates from poetic norms in the way it is delivered. Many slam poets speak rhythmically, lending their art to hip-hop.
Slam is also characterized for the subjects chosen by poets. Many choose to speak on issues of race, homophobia and political issues. It is also common for slam poets to eschew the rules of poetry, using words and concepts considered by many to be unfit for respectable art.
"I tend to lean toward more comedic stuff, as well as storytelling with a political bent," Flores said.
He is quick to point out that his concern with politics avoids obvious topics like war and partisanship but focuses on the personal interactions of established groups.
Flores' method draws a stark contrast to fellow club member Jessica Lopez, who describes her poetry as confessional. Lopez sees the slam stage as a place where anything can be shared.
"I write about things I wouldn't talk about with my family and friends," she said.
Further removed from the styles of his teammates is club member Hakim Bellamy.
Bellamy, a member of the Albuquerque team that took first place in 2005's National Poetry Slam, relates his style to the concerns of modern hip-hop.
"If you asked for my top three influences, none of them would be poets," he said.
Bellamy cited A Tribe Called Quest's Q-Tip and Phife Dawg as his main forebears.
"I never took a formal poetry course, but my mom made sure we were cultured," he said.
Despite its growing popularity nationwide, slam poetry is not without its detractors. Many in the literary community have criticized slam, claiming it relies solely on quality of performance rather than strength of verse.
Literary critic Harold Bloom was quoted in the Paris Review likening slam poetry to the death of art.
Flores disagrees.
"A lot of people say slam poetry is not poetry, which is an unfair judgment," Flores said.
Lopez said she sees this criticism as a sign of slam's importance.
"If you look at different kinds of art movements, the revolutionary ones are always looked down upon," she said.
Bellamy said he sees it more as a capitalist issue of scarcity.
"There's a certain idea that things become more valuable when less people have them," he said. "I think slam started as a matter of accessibility."
Bellamy said those involved with academic poetry are dismayed by the proliferation of an art they once held as their own. Bellamy is also quick to point out the dissent present within the slam scene.
"It seems, in everything, there's a load of hypocrisy," he said. "Even in the slam community, the old heads are saying, 'All these new jacks are just wannabe rappers.'"
