Nationals Wrap-up

Before I went to the National Poetry Slam, I said that it was a big party disguising itself as a competetion.  Now having gone through the experience, I see that it is so much more than a party.

In June of this year the Slam community lost someone great.  Her name was Shannon Leigh.  I never knew her, but last year she wowed everyone on the individual finals stage.  She took third place, but many say she was robbed.  Everything that I have heard about this young woman is amazing, and I am sorry I did not know her.

The grip of capitalism cannot be escaped, even after death.  It is very expensive to die in this country.  So many people bought, Tshirts, CDs, and books of poetry by and for Shannon.  There was such an outpouring of support, for this young woman, and her family.  Almost immediately after she went into a coma a Livejournal community was started, and continued after her death.

People say that the slam community is like a family.  I saw that evidenced everywhere Shannon's name was mentioned, and even when it wasn't.  We didn't just lose a poet, and friend.  We lost a sister.

Shannon was not the only phenomenon that opened my eyes to the beauty of this event.  On Wednesday night, two of the people from Mesa announced their engagement.  I cannot think of a better place to propose than the National Poetry Slam.  I cannot confim anything, but there have been rumors that they will either get married, or repeat their vows, at next year's Nationals.

Everyone you talk to about the National Poetry Slam will tell you this, but it really does have the atmosphere of a family renunion.  Everyone knows everyone, and even though I knew hardly anyone it was easy to talk to people, and make new friends.  Poets are great people.

I can never fully explain what the National Poetry Slam is like.  It has to be experienced.  The ony thing that I know is that I want to go back next year.