Sherman Alexie on Poetry Slams

February 6, 2010

[CC licensed image by moontan]

“What the slams are all about is an attempt to create an oral tradition. The real issue is that I don’t think there’s a lot of critical distinction in the slams. They are more interested in the quantity of expression versus the quality of expression. When I was at a slam in Boston I got in trouble for making a critical distinction. But, damn, it’s poems. I’m happy anytime someone gets up and gets poetic.”

(my feelings exactly)

Tags: aesthetics, cpb, poetics, poetry, sherman alexie, slam