Spoken Word Poetry This research paper will cover the culture of spoken word poetry which has existed for many years. The ancient Greeks are said to recite epic poems aloud just as actors of Shakespeare's day recited Shakespeare's soliloquies aloud before an audience. As a preteen I became part of the spoken word community because it was a way for me to express myself through words. However it wasn't until I was fifteen or sixteen that I truly journeyed into spoken word culture. I got to know other spoken word poets like Sarah Kay, the creator of Project Voice. I became interested in spoken word poetry through YouTube videos and the influence of my older sister, who is also a spoken word poet. Even though there is a wide range of different poets, we all speak the same language, especially when it comes to spoken word poetry. Being a poet is just a simple part of being in spoken word culture. It takes more than just the ability to rhyme words and connect sentences that contradict each other but nevertheless complement each other. Anyone can be a poet, however not everyone can grasp the skills of being a spoken word poet. The important thing is not how the words appear on paper, but how they are presented. Most people assume that all it takes to be a spoken word poet is to simply know how to rhyme and know how to repeat lines they have written. Being a spoken word poet requires a certain level of pride, maturity, understanding of words and sounds, and a high level of stage presence. All in all, spoken poetry helps you think critically. Spoken poetry is not poetry. Spoken poetry by definition is poetry written on a page but performed for an audience. Poetry is meant to be the focus of the paper…Cultural Studies. Nov/Dec2013, vol. 35 Issue 5, p392-407. 16 p. Print."Martin Luther King I Have a Dream Speech - American Rhetoric." Martin Luther King I Have a Dream Speech - American Rhetoric. Np, nd Web. May 13, 2014."Poetry Slam: The Art of the Spoken Word." RSS of high activity site existence. Np, nd Web. February 24, 2014. Smith, Marc Kelly, and Joe Kraynak. Grab the Microphone: The Art of Performance, Poetry, Slam, and the Spoken Word. Naperville, Illinois: Sourcebooks MediaFusion, 2009. Print."Standards in Spoken Word." minnesota microphone. Np, nd Web. February 24, 2014."Tips for performing at open mic poetry and spoken word nights." The List. Np, nd Web. May 13, 2014."WORD UP." : How to get started with spoken word poetry. Np, nd Web. February 24, 2014."Alley of Wandering Thoughts." : Tips for writing spoken word. Np, nd Web. 24 February. 2014.