A bridge across our fears: understanding spoken word poetry in troubled times

Abstract

Spoken word poetry encourages youth to engage in identity construction, resist oppression and construct counternarratives. Through participating in community_based slams, school workshops and online events, young people can take part in visible activism through exploring their own identity, power and agency and seeing themselves as change agents. In this article, we share longitudinal case studies of two youth poets based in Sydney, Australia. As young women of colour coming of age in troubled times, we consider how poetry offers them a way to engage in story telling and to create counternarratives. We also explore how spoken word allows them to explore their cultural identities, offer testimony about their lived experiences and participate in activism. We situate our research within the COVID-19 pandemic and critically reflect on how the shift online has offered new opportunities whilst also presenting unexpected challenges for youth poets.