Brookline Poet Performs in National Competition

Five years ago, Brookline poet Tera McIntosh saw a slam poetry performance for the first time.

Two years ago, she stood on stage for her own first performance.

This year, she will compete in the 23^rd annual National Poetry Slam, which is being held this week in Charlotte, North Carolina.

To have made it to the national level is nothing short of an honor, she said.

“It’s kind of the holy mosh-pit of slam poets,” McIntosh said. “You’re going to see the best of the best there.”

The competition starts today, Aug. 7, and ends Saturday. The first performances will be held this evening, with round two on Thursday and
finals on Saturday night.

The National Poetry Slam is held in a different city each year, and it’s something like the Olympics of poetry. In all, 62 poetry leagues from the United States will compete, as well as six teams from other countries.

McIntosh said she and her teammates all have winning in mind, but with so many talented slam poets appearing at the competition, anything could happen.

“That’s the beauty of slam poetry,” she said. “You never know what will be taken well and what will not be taken well.”

McIntosh and her teammates are members of , the only registered, professional slam poetry league in Pittsburgh.

Including McIntosh, five Pittsburgh-area poets are in Charlotte this week. William James of Clarion, Adriana Ramirez of the Highland Park area, and Valkyrie Willaims of West End also will compete. They are coached by Lori Beth Jones, of Sheraden.

Steel City Slam and , fall under the umbrella of Pittsburgh Poetry Collective. Performance group WordUp and the community-based writing workshop series WordPlay also are part of the Collective. Members of the groups have performed at in Brookline.

The organizations all are geared toward helping community members and local youth discover self-expression, identity, social issues and confidence through poetry. McIntosh said one of the greatest parts of being at the National Poetry Slam will be meeting poets from other cities and learning
how they make a difference in their communities.

“We will be able to meet others and learn how they are helping their cities and their youth,” McIntosh said. “We’ll learn and grow from it, and this will help us help others grow in their skills.”

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