“12 of the Best Slam Poetry Performances to Leave You in Awe” by Yashvi Peeti (2021)

Because slam poetry is about performance as much as about writing, it should be watched as well as read. This Book Riot article compiles the recordings of 12 highly regarded slam poems, all of them very energetic and socially engaged. They include the three poems listed below, which share Beaty’s emphasis on race. Watch the poets’ performances here and use the links below to read their words.

“Principles” by Danez Smith (2016)

Like “Knock Knock,” this poem is a powerful indictment of racism, but it is longer than a typical slam poem and explores a much wider range of issues and feelings related to African American life in the United States.

“Hair” by Elizabeth Acevedo (2016)

This poem uses hair as a metaphor for the prejudice and stereotyping that a Dominican woman faces, even from her own family. The poet’s “wild” hair represents who she is, and it requires no “fixing” as a form of assimilation.

“Mama” by Emi Mahmoud (2015)

In this poem, a Sudanese American female poet condemns those whose love for Blackness is skin deep and who assume they know her because of her looks but care little about the hardship that Black women experience in Africa.