9th Hour Poetry Slam | 14th & V | 2nd Fridays | Hosted by Charity Blackwell

A poetry slam is a competitive event in which poets perform their work and are judged by members of the audience. Typically, the host or another organizer selects the judges, who are instructed to give numerical scores (on a zero to 10 or one to 10 scale) based on the poets' content and performance.

This is an opportunity for poetry lovers to enjoy the competitive art of late-night performance poetry!

Enjoy two rounds of high intensity poetry, with the audience choosing a winner.

1st Place Winner Takes ALL - $100

The Rules:

• Slammers must arrive 30 minutes prior to the show. We will randomly select the order of the slam through a draw.
• Each poem must be of the poet’s own construction.
• Each poet gets 3 minutes 30 second (plus a ten-second grace period) to read one poem; if the poet goes over, points will be deducted from the total score.
• A poet’s time begins as soon as they say anything on stage or engage the audience in any way.
• The poet may NOT use props, costumes, or musical instruments. This includes the removal of clothing.
• The poem can only be performed by one person.
• Poets ARE allowed to read from paper and electronic devices such as laptops or cell phones. There will be no point penalty assessed unless it’s used as a PROP (as outlined above).
• 6 Competitors will be eliminated after the 1st round

Partial funds raised for this event will support Busboys and Poets DC Representative for the Women of the World Poetry Slam!

HOSTED BY: the D.O.P.E - CHARITY BLACKWELL

Charity Blackwell (She/Hers) is a spoken word artist, host, emcee, and poetry specialist who has spent several years contributing to the arts scene in DC and across national platforms. She is a Trinity University graduate, where she received her B.A and M.A, for Communications. She is the Director of Creative Arts and Education at the arts and sports nonprofit DC SCORES and the D.O.P.E (Director of Poetry Events) at the well renowned DC arts cultural hub, Busboys and Poets. Since her early college days, Charity’s natural stage presence and charm have led her to many hosting opportunities, including events such as the Poetry SLAMS Poetry OUT LOUD National competition, Busboys and Poets, and many more. She has performed her original work on international networks such as BBC News, DC United Audi Field for the game opener, the Woman’s Sports Foundation, Major League Soccer Network, The Lincoln Theater, The Kennedy Center, The Hirshhorn Museum, Dock 5, and numerous stages across Washington D.C. and the east coast.

Host or Publisher Busboys and Poets