Here is an example of the poetic device chiasmus. It is not slam poetry - it is a poetry slam. Compare that to Shaw's "Power does not corrupt men; fools corrupt power." Slam is not a kind of poetry. It is a kind of poetry contest. A panel of judges evaluates each poet's performance and accumulate scores and/or eliminate.

Each delivery is usually required to be under three minutes. Over time is penalized. The number of rounds in the slam varies. Typically, three rounds will occur. Sometimes, the rounds are eliminative. That is, only so many poets progress to the next round. Sometimes all poets perform for all rounds and the scores for each round are accumulated and the highest accumulated score wins.

Many "page" poets, as distinguished from performance poets, poo poo what they erroneously call "slam poetry" as being too loud and active. Any kind of poetry can be used in a poetry slam. The only rule in a slam is that the poetry is performed, not read. Therefore, poetry presented in slams is often referred to as performance poetry. Naturally, poetic devices used in performance poetry may not be exactly the poetic devices used in page poetry. Performance poetry must be more accessible, more alive. Devices like bombast, hyperbole, ecphonesis, epiphonema, apostrophe, aporia, antanagoge are more likely to be used in performance poetry than page poetry. See definitions at the bottom of this article.

Slams are dynamic, lively, and fun. In the occasional slam, winner status is not definitive. Naturally, over time, if a performance poet amasses and impressive number of wins, the correct conclusion is that the person is a good performance poet. That doesn't necessarily mean the person is a good page poet but it is likely. Because either way, what ultimately wins for a poet is a performing knowledge of the most powerful poetic devices.

On November 2, at Slo Deliverance at Linaea's Cafe 1110 Garden St. a one round slam will be presented.

The following night another one round slam will be presented at Another Type of Groove.

At both of these events, anyone can enter the slam. So memorize your best poem that is less than three minutes and go participate.

Another Type Of Groove is the product of Cal Poly students. This exciting reading meets in Phillips Hall by the PAC. Besides an really exciting open mike with every kind of poetry imagineable, ATOG features world class poets every first Thursday at 7pm. The next ATOG will feature a mini-SLAM. For more info see ourSLO.com/slam. The Groove will also feature surprise guest poets. The off campus community needs to really show an appreciation for and support this reading.

Here are some links to information about poetry slams and performance poetry.

• What is Slam? by jack mothershed
• Austin Poetry Slam's rules
• Replying to a Friend about What Slam Is
• Dallas Poetry Slam's FAQ page

• bombast and bomphiologia - purposefully inflated rant. Exaggeration done in a self-aggrandizing manner, as a braggart.
• hyperbole - extreme exaggeration:
• epiphonema- defining a group by characteristics. The quintessential example of this is Eitan Kadosh's "America, It Has to be the Cheese." If you click on that link, go to page 28. This is destined to be one of the most revered poems ever. I challenge you to read it.
• ecphonesis - A striking, summarizing reflection. Example: "Thus is the haughty miller soundly beat, And thus he's lost his pay for grinding wheat, And paid for the two suppers, let me tell, of Alain and of John, who've tricked him well, His wife is taken, also his daughter sweet; Thus it befalls a miller who's a cheat." —Chaucer, The Reeve's Tale
• apostrophe - speaking to someone who is not there.
• aporia - leading an audience to form an opinion. Example: "Where shall I begin to describe her wisdom? In her knowledge of facts? In her ability to synthesize diverse matters? In her capacity to articulate complex ideas simply?"
• antanagoge - Putting a positive spin on something that is nevertheless acknowledged to be negative or difficult. Example: "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Its beauty poetically is its capacity for long development in a performance poem delivered with increasing intensity.