I am Poetry: A Slam Experience

I Am Poetry is a poetry slam competition curated by Aniah Heaven Poetry. The experience will be hosted by King of Hearts on August 23rd, 2025. There will be 18 poets selected to compete in 3 rounds of timed poetry for cash prizes.

Registration

Registration for competing poets opens on May 1st, 2025 and closes at 11:59 PM on May 31st. Registration to compete is first come, first served. Register early to ensure your spot in the competition. Once all 18 slots are filled, registration will be closed.

Rounds & Time Limits

Round One: 18 poets, each poet has 2 minutes to perform one poem.

Top 10 poets from Round One advance to Round Two

Round Two: 10 poets, each poet has 2 minutes 45 seconds to perform one poem.

Top 5 poets from Round Two advance to the Final Round

Final Round: 5 poets, each poet has 3 minutes and 25 seconds to perform one poem.

Please note: These time guidelines will be strictly enforced. They are meant to serve as a challenge to poets to bring their very best work and performance that they can. Every second counts. Judges will reframe from judging any part of the performance that goes beyond these time limits.

Judging Criteria

Poets will be scored on the following criteria:

Poetic Craft: Word choice, rhythm, rhyme, structure of piece.

Performance: Energy, confidence, emotion, body language. Memorization is expected for all poets.

Content: Is there a clear powerful message coming across in the poem?

Please note: Aniah Heaven Poetry will be offering a series of workshops to assist poets with preparing for the slam.

Cash Prizes

The top 3 poets will be going home with cash prizes. Upon registration, each poet will submit a $30 registration fee. This contributes to the final prizes for the evening. The pot will be split between first, second, and third place. The prize pot may increase due to donations made during the event.

1st Place: $240

2nd Place: $145

3rd Place: $100

Are you more than just a poet? Are you poetry? Come prove it at I Am Poetry: A Slam Experience.