WORCESTER—In the labyrinth of teenage emotions, where every heartbeat seems to echo a feeling, amazing poetry (or music or art) often emerges as the beacon illuminating the path through the maze. Teenagers often find solace and expression in the art of the verse.
Worcester’s Cultural Development Division, in conjunction with Mass Poetry, gives teens a venue to share their work in the Worcester Preliminary Teen Poetry Slam, taking place on Thursday, April 25, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the White Room at 138 Green St.
Hosted by BrujaTheVillain, youths 13-19 have an opportunity to perform two original poems to be scored by distinguished local jurors including Boston Poet Laureate, Amanda Shea; Worcester Youth Poet Laureate emeritus, Adael Mejia; and Nikk “Nark” Lessard from the Dirty Gerund Poetry Show.
The top four teen competitors win a $50 cash prize and advance to the next round of the competition.
The second round of the competition takes place May 3-5 in Boston’s Seaport District during Mass Poetry’s statewide Teen Spoken Word Festival “Write Here | Write Now | Speak Loud!” The Teen Spoken Word Festival will feature teen slams, workshops, and open mics.
More than a hundred teens from Boston, Lowell, and Worcester get the chance to compete in these slams and prepare to advance to the final round of the competition at the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Festival taking place July 17-20 in Washington, D.C.
The competition welcomes all perspectives, including seasoned teen slam poets, as well as youth who are trying performance poetry for the first time, said the announcement.
“Mass Poetry started in Worcester so it’s important to pay homage to Worcester’s creative scene and bridge the gap between Boston and Worcester creatives,” said Mass Poetry Director Crystal Valentine in a statement.
Participants are invited to register in advance to secure their spot in the Worcester Preliminary Teen Slam competition. To register and for more information visit Individual Teen Preliminary Poetry Slam: Worcester Edition. The event is open to the public.
Send news releases to Charlene Arsenault at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org
