The Wigan heat of Superheroes of Slam 2013, part of Commonword’s quest to find the north-west’s finest performance poet, is being held on Thursday, 8 August. Twelve poets will battle it out over two rounds at the Tudor House hotel in Wigan, judged by a panel for writing and performance excellence.  Write Out Loud’s Julian Jordon, who will be the host on the night, has written a poem to mark the occasion:

High octane poetry at Wigan Slam

 
Come and see 
supercharged, superheroic writers
rev themselves to a poetic St Vitus,
parade poems in the pie-hot heat of a Wigan slam, 
wham, bam, thank you, sir, and ma’am
with their latest oeuvre, if they’ve the nerve,
to jolt the judges to justice for their poetic cause,
whoop the people up to oohs! and aws,
vent their poetic rage, relate the zeitgeist of our age
on the Tudor’s floodlit stage, and engage, 
with you.
 
Or will their sterile stanzas make them stumble,
their hopes of glory start to crumble,
their verse worse if unrehearsed,
render the judging panel averse,
or find they’re no longer in it 
because they exceeded the three minutes, 
at the mic – that’s what it’s like.
Come and see. 

There will be:
erudition, exposition
of each poet’s proud position
as they seek recognition 
for their crafted composition, 
which they perform sans inhibition
in high-octane competition 
giving rise to attrition 
causing 3-2-1 ignition 
of some literary munition
that will cause disparition 
of  the toughest opposition.
And all for you. 
So don’t miss it.

The Wigan winner takes a £75 first prize, and goes through to the grand final in Manchester. Entry/donation is £3, including slam competitors.

ILLUSTRATION: PETE KALU