Poetry finds its champions in unexpected places. On July 25, the Newberry Library honored one such champion, Marc Kelly Smith, the creator and enduring host of the Uptown Poetry Slam. This event commemorated the 40th anniversary of the first-ever slam hosted at the Green Mill, where it continues to thrive, and marked the Newberry’s acquisition of a comprehensive collection documenting the slam’s history.
The collection includes photographs, programs, audiovisual materials, and more, capturing the vibrant essence of poetry slams over the years. Among the artifacts are personal notes from Marc Kelly Smith, records of performances, newsletters, and even a pair of boxing gloves gifted to Smith by the late poet Tony Fitzpatrick.
Amazing gifts like these enrich our cultural landscape,” remarked Alison Hinderliter, modern manuscripts curator at the Newberry. “The collection is a treasure for both Chicago and its poetry enthusiasts.”
Though the full processing of these materials will take up to three years, portions will become available for public exploration and academic research before the end of the year. Complementing this achievement, another slam event is slated for September 26, World Poetry Slam Day, extending across 50 cities including locales like France, the Ivory Coast, and Mexico.
“There’s no denying the global reach of the slam movement,” Hinderliter observed. Even mainstream puzzles felt its impact, as evidenced by the recent New York Times crossword clue, “Poetry competition,” which revealed the four-letter answer “slam.”
Marc Kelly Smith’s influence resonates in various settings, from taverns and galleries to classrooms and laundromats. His events give poets a stage to compete before audiences who express their reactions through finger snapping and foot stomping. Winning participants take home a modest prize of $10. This phenomenon, which Smith dubs a “crowd pleaser,” showcases poetry’s universal appeal across all demographics.
Admiration for Smith’s creation is widespread. Michelle Boone, CEO of The Poetry Foundation, attended the recent Newberry celebration alongside Adrian Matejka, editor of Poetry Magazine. Reflecting on the event’s success, Matejka expressed how poetry provides a unique lens to make sense of the world, helping him shape complex emotions into tangible language through metaphor and simile.
The collection of poetry at the Newberry Library also includes works from emerging voices, like Chicago poet Dylan Weir. Weir’s debut collection, “Public House,” explores the personal chaos and urges to articulate experiences that often defy straightforward prose. He remarked how poetry grants him the space to capture fleeting truths and emotions that conventional language may fail to convey.
Both Matejka and Weir’s perspectives reaffirm the enduring power of poetry. As Marc Kelly Smith once aptly declared on stage, “Poetry is the heart of the people and the people is everyone.”