Slam Rules

Go In, Poet!

• Each poet must perform work for which they are the primary author.
• No props (Referencing or using ANYTHING that is not available to all poets).
• No costumes (Wearing clothing or accessories that are obviously meant to accentuate a poem or that are worn to enhance a specific performance).
• No musical accompaniment or musical instruments.
• Poets who use props, costumes or musical accompaniment will be deducted 2 points.
• Poets have 3 minutes and a grace period of 10 seconds to perform their poem, after which time 0.5 points will be deducted for every 10 seconds or part thereof that they go over.
• A poet’s time starts as soon as they engage the audience. This includes any introduction.
• Group poems are encouraged.
• There will be one sacrificial poet to calibrate the judges before the 1st round.
• The order that the poets will compete in each round will be drawn randomly.
• The slam is two rounds. The top four poets from the 1st round will compete in the 2nd round.

Forming the GPS Team

The Guelph Poetry Slam (GPS) team will be determined poetry slams from February 2018 - December 2018.

The January 2018 Poetry slam is finals night will determine the members of the GPS team. The team will be composed of five members.

​To qualify for an invitation to compete in finals night a poet has to compete a minimum of three times throughout the season and be one of the top ten poets with the highest average scores and rank.

Scores

Of the scores the poet receives from the five randomly selected judges, the high and low scores are dropped and the middle three are added together, giving the poet a total score of 30. Poets 1st round and 2nd round scores will be added together for an accumulative score out of 60.

Once each slam has come to a conclusion a final overall ranking based on the poet's accumulative scores and previous ranks is given.