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Herbst Theatre is buzzing with people. This theatre normally seats
just short of a thousand people, but tonight it is holding a sold-out
show, all seats are filled, and yet more people are still coming in. There
are people sitting in the aisles and stairways! The lights dim and the
host, James Kass, walks onto the stage; the excitement in the atmosphere
rises as the crowd goes wild when James begins with his ritual,
"Pretend I am a 16 year-old poet and I just gave my heart out to
you!" This is how the 8th annual Youth Speaks Teen Poetry Slam Finals
kicks off.
The air is thick with competition, but it's not about the competition.
No, it does not matter who wins or looses. The scores do not matter,
except the fact that the poets with the highest score get an all expenses
paid trip to L.A. to compete in Nationals. No, we are just here to soak up
some poetic sun. The emcee, 2002 Teen Poetry Slam Champion, Chinaka Hodge
stands up on stage as DJ Funklor rips up the beats. There are 15 finalists
going up tonight, Nayeli Adorador, Adarius Bell, Dahlak Brathwaite,
Luke Brekke-Meisner, Emiliano Borgois-Chacon, Meilani Clay, Santasia
Foster, Bobby Gordon, Amelia Rosenman, Talia Taylor, Kirya Traber,
Johuanna Travis, Katy Turchin, Jose Vadi and George Watsky. Looks like
tonight will be unforgettable.
Now here's the breakdown on how the Slam works. There are two rounds
in a slam. Each poet will perform one piece and the five judges give him
or her scores ranging from 1-10, though the numbers 1-8 are rarely used.
(Most scores are in the 9-point-somethings) The highest score and the
lowest score is omitted so the highest possible score for once piece is
30. The top eight scores of the first round move up to the second round.
Each poet then performs another piece in the second round and is
scored. The top four go on to Nationals. The 15 finalists draw numbers at
random before the slam begins to see who will go up first in the first
round. In the second round the last person in the first round goes first
and the first person of the first round goes last. Judges (and the crowd)
tend to need some warming up, so before the first competing poet goes up
there is a sacrificial round. The sacrificial poet(s) busts out a poem and
gets scored, but is not included in the competition. A few of
tonight's sacrificial poets are specials guests, the 2003 champs Josh
Begley, Rafael Casal, and Rickena Bates.
After the sacrificial poem for the first round by Nina Rosenberg and a
group piece by Josh Begley and Nico Carey, the crowd is pumped, the judges
are warmed up, and everyone is ready for the competition to begin. But
after a few poets, the crowd is booing! And I'm right there booing along
with them. What's with the judges tonight!? They've been giving the all
time lows in scoring. The first poet Adarius Bell got an 8.5! An
8.5!!! Adarius!!! Obviously yelling this at you doesn't help you
understand. See, you don't know Adarius, I mean� he's Adarius! And
Adrius, an 8.5? Never goes together! Anyways, that's besides the point.
The first few poets, Adarius, Luke, Bobby, Johuanna, amazing poets! But
these judges just didn't know what they were doing. Not until half way
through the lineup did the judges warm up. I say this first round was
unfair, but what could have been done? Already behind schedule, we just
kept going.
When George Watsky struts on stage in his flaming red jacket and cool
shades, the whole crowd goes wild! Either they were at his semi-finals, or
more people love Watsky then I thought. "I am Cupid!" Watsky
starts of his poem full confidence; the judges have to love this! Through
his poem he leans over and straddles the mic, you can hear the girls
squealing somewhere in the audience and in the end, Watsky rips off his
shades and whips them into the audience. Some girl must have fainted.
Dahlak Brathwaite walks on stage calm; everyone who hasn't seen him
perform before is expecting a tranquil soulful piece, but this poem is
nowhere near calm. "So you wanna write about REVOLUTION? Okay, well,
begin with...REVOLUTION! Yeah, see, already they're intrigued for more,
like they ain't already heard the same thing before. Then you start it
low, with a calm intro�" and slowly his poem builds and builds,
he begins yelling and the whole crowd is yelling with him, "The only
revolution I see, are the spinners when your car stops:
One Revolution! Two Revolution! Three Revolution! Four Revolution!
Five Revolution! Six Revolution! Seven Revolution! More
Revolution!
More Revolution! What Revolution! No Revolution! Fuck Revolution!
Fuck Revolution, and I don't mean to be hurtin' you,
But if that's revolution, we got some work to do,
So Fuck Revolution, the grip and the pound,
Cuz if that's what you call Revolution, I'll just my put fist
down!" And everyone is up! Standing, yelling, cheering. The first
perfect score for tonight.
The second perfect score of the night was taken by 16-year-old
Emiliano Bourgois-Chacon, the young, amazing San Franciscan poet. His
style of poetry is not bustin' like Dahlak or Watsky, but is very deep and
meaningful. He walks on stage amazed by the other poets, the first thing
he says is, "Wow, I just want to say how amazing tonight has been.
All these poets here are just amazing." He is just the cutest thing!
His poem brought me close to tears.
The first round was over. Eight poets make it to the second round.
Nayeli, Dahlak, Emiliano, Meilani, Amelia, Kiyra, Jose, and George. All
eight poets are remarkable poets, how are the judges able to narrow it
down to only four poets?! The scores of the second round are very close.
Emiliano and Dahlak score another perfect score! They are now guaranteed a
spot each leaving two spots left. It's time to announce the top
scores. James Kass gets up to the mic, "Now I have a little surprise
for you. We're not sending one team to L.A., but TWO!" Everyone could
have died from joy right then. All eight poets are going down to L.A. to
compete in Nationals!
This was an amazing show with a wonderful twist at the end. All the
tension building up to which of the four poets it was going to be had
allowed everyone to just let go when hearing all eight poets had made it.
All eight young, creative, incredible poets.
The night inspires you to pick up a pen and write. Write your heart
out and to come again next year. Maybe then, you'll be the one on
stage.
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