Heather Majaury - Winner of our first poetry slam

Pat the Dog Playwright Centre and Metaverse are holding a Poetry Slam upstairs at the Button Factory.  If you’ve got a poem, now’s your chance to perform in front of an eager audience. Bring your best verse and recite it, read it, or even sing it. Share without care at the open mike or put on your verbal boxing gloves and enter the poetry slam contest. There’s a $100 prize for first place, but everyone’s a winner.

This month we feature poet Kay’la “Kiki” Mahy, while Beth Anne Fisher of the Guelph Poetry Slam plays host.

If you’re a poet in the Kitchener-Waterloo and surrounding area and have an interest in how the scene is developing, we’d love to hear from you. We’ll reserve some SLAM time to discussion so we can get a sense of what K-W poets want from the scene, recruit some more volunteers to help build the SLAM community and start a tradition of open dialogue and camaraderie among KW poets.

Got ideas or a poem? Then come on down and take your turn at the mike. Newcomers and listeners are welcomed.

October Poetry SLAM!
October 30, 2010
7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
The Button Factory
25 Regina Street South, Waterloo

Admission is $5 or pay what you can. No one will be turned away.

Love poetry? As part of Culture Days, Pat the Dog Playwright Centre and Metaverse are holding a Poetry Slam at the Button Factory. You can participate or just listen. Got a poem or two? Bring your best and recite it, read it, or even sing it. You can share without care at the open mike or put on your verbal boxing gloves and enter the poetry slam contest. There’s a $100 prize for first place, but everyone’s a winner.

This month, The Burlington Slam Team will make their way to Waterloo to show us their stuff, while host Michael Charpentier will be there to keep things rolling.

Think you got what it takes? Then come on down and take your turn at the mike. Newcomers are welcomed. If your inner poet is feeling a bit shy, stay tuned for details on our upcoming Poetry Slam School with Kevin Sutton.

Culture Days Poetry SLAM!
September 25, 2010
7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
The Button Factory
25 Regina Street South, Waterloo

Admission is free with a suggested donation of $5.

The Burlington Slam Team includes the following members:

Truth Is…: Noted for using thunderclap rhythm, with a distinctive voice; Truth Is… has been described as a poetic slice of cheesecake topped with awesome-sauce. She is an internationally recognized spoken word artist and a former grand slam champion. In addition, she has also headlined in several conferences focused on social equity and motivation.

Tomy ‘Bam Bam’ Bewick: Passionate with purpose, honourary member of Up From The Roots, 1/3 of the Dream Chasers, founder of Open Minds Respect Events, and Burlington Slam Project, a founding member of the Toronto Poetry Project and the T-Dot Slam Fam. Tomy has competed and featured across Canada and the US and is still ready to grow.

Made Wade: Influenced by rap music ever since he could listen and raised in poverty, Made Wade doesn’t take his craft lightly. As a hip-hop MC he has received radio airplay and won battles, as a slam artist he has won Toronto’s Roots Lounge, Toronto Poetry Slam (2x) and the $100 Slam (2x). He was an individual finalist in the 2009 Rustbelt Poetry Slam and a (wildcard) team finalist in the 2009 CFSW.

Yogi: The power of the word is something that resonated with Yogi when he was a child. As a writer, he has performed at Luminato, CBC Poetry Face-Off  and the Eden Mills Writer’s Festival. As an artist, he has worked with Quattro Books & Burning Effigy Press. Yogi is the author of “Telling Moments” and the upcoming “10am Paintings”.

Lishai (alternate): Lishai is a poet historian, weaving together storytelling and truth seeking to reclaim her-story. She joined the word revolution in early 2010 and has since made a name for herself in the slam circuit with her blend of philosophical inquiry, historical insight and passionate delivery.

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Eager to hear more? Got a poem to share? Join Pat the Dog and Kevin Sutton in June for more open mike, more SLAM and more great verse.

June Poetry SLAM!
June 26, 2010
7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
The Button Factory
25 Regina Street South, Waterloo

Tickets at the door. PWYC, suggested donation $5.

In this spoken-word poetry competition, judges and performers come from the audience itself. Got something to say? You’ll have three minutes at the mike. Participants are welcomed on a first-come basis. Sign up early online via our Facebook Group, SLAM! ‘Box in a Button, or at the event itself.

To encourage creativity, First Prize goes to the highest scoring poet; Second Prize goes to the lowest scoring poet. In partnership with the Living Earth Festival, the winner also receives promotion through a spotlight poetry set at the inaugural Speaker’s Corner spoken word event (part of the Living Earth Festival!) on Saturday, April 24. More prize details still to come!

Can’t make the event? Join the discussion or look for future slam events on our SLAM! ‘Box in a Button Facebook Group.

Whether you wish to perform or just listen, the event is pay-what-you-can and open to all.

April 23, 2010
7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
The Button Factory
25 Regina Street South,
Waterloo, ON