The Poetry Slam

On February 3, 2010, I went to my first poetry slam. My dad told me that the Milpitas library was having a poetry contest. When I got there, though, I learned that it was a HIGH SCHOOL VALENTINE’S DAY poetry slam. Luckily, I wasn’t the only non-high-schooler. Before the poetry slam, I grabbed a chocolate cookie and a Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Candy Heart to eat.

When the slam started, my recitation was the second-to-last recitation. After 2 recitations, I grabbed a few tostitos and some salsa to eat. Some of the poems, like one about procrastinating, were really good. Others were... “ish*”... but the judges loved them.

I had chosen this poem to recite:

The Ocean is Formed by Many Rivers

Sometimes you learn from a person
That is one important way
Sometimes someone needs to help
Guide you on the learning highway

Sometimes you need written records
Something made by someone learned
When you need to learn that way
Do it, or you'll be burned!

Sometimes you learn through watching
A person doing something
That is also an important
And easy way of learning

Sometimes you need knowledge
And then you need to see
When done right
It is a cup o' tea

Sometimes company helps you
Being surrounded by those who are good
If you know great people
Use this way! You should! You should!

Do these all
Every way to learn
If you study hard
All knowledge, you shall earn

And so you can see
Many rivers create
A vast ocean
Whose thirst no amount of knowledge can sate

By: Abhijit Ramaprasad
(Translated from a 13th century Kannada poem from Someshwara Shataka)

I got a 27.3 out of 30 for my score. After the last poem, we had a brief intermission in which I ate a few snacks. And then the awards were given. I won the participation prize: COCONUT M&M’S[COCONUT M&M’S(!!!!)], a Fool’s Gold CD, and a certificate. One good thing was that the toughest judge, the judge who gave the director of the Poetry Slam the lowest score of all the judges, complimented my poem! He said,"Good Job".

*: The 1-4 place poems were “ish” but they won everything in the participation prize AND cash. I’m pretty sure I came in 5th. After the slam, my sister and mom went home. Me and my dad got some books before leaving. The slam was pretty cool.