At Blackwater River Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility in Milton, FL, the inmates know twice a year the Library Supervisor encourages them to write original poetry and perform it in the Poetry Slam.
After two years of hosting slams, the performers aren’t reading poetry from a piece of paper; their pieces are memorized or they rarely make it to the second round.
It takes courage, dedication, practice, and nerve to get up and speak in front of a large audience of 150 fellow inmates. From stories about personal addiction, spiritual journeys, pleas of remorse, and humorous takes on possibilities once reentered into the community, the November 20, 2019 Poetry Slam was a special event that is still talked about among the Blackwater population.
Although these spoken words may be fictionalized and per the rules of the Slam- cleaner than many participants originally wanted, 150 other inmates were silent during each performance.
This art form is seen in national competitions and has found a place at Blackwater. Poetry itself provides an outlet for strong emotions to be expressed healthily. Slam poetry allows poetry and the emotions contained within to be shared with others. When words resonate with the audience, people realize they share some of the same experiences and mindsets as others.
Every participant shared a piece of their story. Derrick Thompson encouraged a friend with cancer and Irving Lennon memorialized his daughter, who died earlier in 2019. Maurice Brown shared some “Endless Thoughts.” Kareem Gough overcame his battle with addiction and chooses to carry on. Fady Saweres contemplates his words to God after he dies, since his life has been in turmoil. Damian Cangas lamented missing his daughter growing up. John Fullbright took on the perspective of a death row inmate’s last words. Christopher Altman apologized to his mother.
Some were in the competition to win it, and some were there for the catharsis offered by sharing their art. All the participants faced judging on clarity, originality, timeliness, rhythm, performance, and audience response.
The winner of the latest Poetry Slam, Paris Regal, captivated the audience through humor and realism with lines like “Anything is possible if Moses could beat water from a stone; Anything is possible if Trump could make the Whitehouse his home.” His poem “Win this World” easily clinched a spot in the finals, where he again drew in the audience for a thunderous applause when he took a breath before he even finished performing “Speak Louder.”
Regal says that the slam helps give him confidence and a positive outlet. He plans to continue participating in Poetry Slams for as long as he is at Blackwater and in the community once released.
The growth of the Poetry Slam is something Blackwater takes pride in. As Regal wrote and performed, “all it takes is belief in self; Put on your coat of greatness and leave doubt at home on the shelf.” Many participants write to encourage other inmates in the audience to find a path out of the one that got them there. Finding and encouraging talent recognizable outside of the day-to-day gives these poets self-worth. Providing this emotional outlet and modeled behavior aligns with GEO’s Continuum of Care mission to reduce recidivism through programming.
