More than Words: Student Writers Realizing Possibilities through Spoken Word Poetry

Spoken word is a performative poetry that combines "words, sounds, and movements that privilege a Black aesthetic" (Winn 60). It has roots in blues, spiritual, and hip-hop music and has been popularized in particular by the slam performances exemplified in the documentary "Louder Than a Bomb." Due to its performative nature, audience is a particularly important aspect of this writing pedagogy. This article illustrates an enactment of culturally sustaining writing pedagogy through composing, performing, and responding to spoken word poetry.