Spoken word
Before the invention of writing, a cycle of practicing, listening and memorizing shaped how each language drew on its resources of sound structure. A Kikuyu poet described her verse to author Isak Dinesen by saying "Speak again, Speak like rain". This phrase confirmed T. S. Eliot's comment that poetry remains one person talking to another. In Africa, performance poetry dates to prehistorical times with the creation of hunting poetry. Elegiac and panegyric court poetry developed extensively throughout the history of empires in the Nile, Niger and Volta river valleys. One of the best known griot epic poems was created for the founder of the Mali Empire, the Epic of Sundiata. Poetics were an element of theatrical performances of local oral artists, linguists and historians. These performances included instruments such as the kora, the xalam, the mbira and the djembe drum. Drumming for accompaniment is not to be confused with performances of the talking drum. The talking drum is a literature of its own since it depends on conveying meaning through non-musical grammatical, tonal and rhythmic rules imitating speech. Jerzy Ficowski studied and wrote extensively about the Polska Roma tradition of spoken word. He discovered Papusza when he followed gypsy caravans on the road. She became one of Poland's most iconic poets after Ficowski had her work translated and published. Ancient Greeks trusted the spoken word as the repository for their best thought. They offered inducements to men called rhapsodes who set themselves the task of developing minds capable of retaining and voices capable of communicating cultural treasures. Greek lyric appeared in the Olympic Games.
In 1849, the Home Journal wrote about concerts that combined spoken word recitations with music. Actresses Sophie Schroder and Fanny Kemble demonstrated these early forms. Vachel Lindsay helped maintain the tradition of poetry as spoken art in the early twentieth century. Composers such as Marion Bauer, Ruth Crawford Seegar, and Lalla Ryckoff composed music to be combined with spoken words. Robert Frost spoke well because his meter accommodated his natural sentences. Poet laureate Robert Pinsky said "Poetry's proper culmination is to be read aloud by someone's voice". Sound once imagined through the eye gradually gave body to poems through performance. Reading aloud erupted in the United States late in the 1950s. Some American spoken-word poetry originated from the poetry of the Harlem Renaissance, blues, and the Beat Generation of the 1960s. Spoken word in African-American culture drew on a rich literary and musical heritage. Langston Hughes inspired hip-hop and slam poetry artists in their word stylings. The Civil Rights Movement influenced spoken word significantly. Notable speeches included Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream", Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman?", and Booker T. Washington's "Cast Down Your Buckets". These incorporated elements of oration that influenced the movement within the African-American community. The Last Poets was a poetry and political music group formed during the 1960s. They helped increase the popularity of spoken word within African-American culture. Gil Scott-Heron released his spoken-word poem "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" on the album Small Talk at 125th and Lenox in 1970. This release brought spoken word poetry into wider American culture.
Outside the United States, French singer-songwriters Léo Ferré and Serge Gainsbourg made personal use of spoken word over rock or symphonic music from the beginning of the 1970s. Their albums Amour Anarchie (1970), Histoire de Melody Nelson (1971), and Il n'y a plus rien (1973) contributed to popularizing the genre within French culture. In 2003, the movement reached its peak in France with Fabien Marsaud aka Grand Corps Malade being a forerunner of the genre. Musicians who have performed spoken-word lyrics in the UK include Blur, The Streets, Isaac Wood, and Kae Tempest. In Zimbabwe, spoken word has been mostly active on stage through the House of Hunger Poetry slam in Harare. Mlomo Wakho Poetry Slam operates in Bulawayo while the Charles Austin Theatre hosts events in Masvingo. Festivals such as Harare International Festival of the Arts, Intwa Arts Festival KoBulawayo and Shoko Festival have supported the genre for years. In Trinidad and Tobago, this art form is widely used as social commentary displayed all throughout the nation at all times of year. The main poetry events are overseen by an organization called the 2 Cent Movement. They host an annual event in partnership with the NGC Bocas Lit Fest and First Citizens Bank called "The First Citizens national Poetry Slam". This organization also hosts poetry slams and workshops for primary and secondary schools. It is involved in social work and issues. In Ghana, the poetry group Ehalakasa led by Kojo Yibor Kojo AKA Sir Black holds monthly TalkParty events. These are collaborative endeavors with Nubuke Foundation and/or National Theatre of Ghana. The group has produced spoken-word poets including Mutombo da Poet, Chief Moomen, Nana Asaase, RhymeSonny, Koo Kumi, Hondred Percent, Jewel King, Faiba Bernard, Akambo, Wordrite, Natty Ogli, and Philipa. Individual artists like Megborna continuously carve a niche for themselves. He stretches borders by combining spoken word with 3D animations and spoken-word video game based on his yet to be released poem Alkebulan.
American poet Marc Smith started the poetry slam in November 1984. Competitions often included elimination rounds and were labeled poetry slams. In 1990, the first National Poetry Slam took place in Fort Mason, San Francisco. It remains the largest poetry slam competition event in the world today. The movement reached a wider audience following Russell Simmons' Def Poetry which aired on HBO between 2002 and 2007. The poets associated with the Buffalo Readings were active early in the 21st century. Spoken-word poetry is often performed in a competitive setting. Judging panels listen to contestants during these events. The popularity of slam poetry resulted in competitions being held across the world at venues ranging from coffeehouses to large stages. The Nuyorican Poets Café on New York's Lower Eastside was founded in 1973. It stands as one of the oldest American venues for presenting spoken-word poetry. Yolanda Wisher named Poet Laureate of Philadelphia in 2016 while Jewel Rodgers named Nebraska State Poet in 2025. These appointments show how the form has gained institutional recognition over time.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
What is spoken word poetry and how does it relate to African oral traditions?
Spoken word poetry is a performance art that dates back to prehistorical times in Africa with the creation of hunting poetry. It includes elegiac and panegyric court poetry developed throughout empires in the Nile, Niger and Volta river valleys.
When did American spoken-word poetry emerge and what cultural movements influenced it?
Reading aloud erupted in the United States late in the 1950s. Some American spoken-word poetry originated from the poetry of the Harlem Renaissance, blues, and the Beat Generation of the 1960s.
Who founded the first National Poetry Slam and when was it held?
American poet Marc Smith started the poetry slam in November 1984. The first National Poetry Slam took place in Fort Mason, San Francisco in 1990.
Which French artists popularized spoken word over rock or symphonic music in the 1970s?
French singer-songwriters Léo Ferré and Serge Gainsbourg made personal use of spoken word over rock or symphonic music from the beginning of the 1970s. Their albums Amour Anarchie (1970), Histoire de Melody Nelson (1971), and Il n'y a plus rien (1973) contributed to popularizing the genre within French culture.
What topics do modern spoken-word poets address in their performances?
This art form conveys important or controversial messages to society including raising awareness of racial inequality, sexual assault and rape culture, anti-bullying messages, body-positive campaigns, and LGBT topics.