In this week's cover story, "Slam, Bam, Thank You, Ma'am," Westword shadowed Denver poet Suzi Q. Smith and traveled to Wyoming with her and two other big names on the national touring roster: Bobby Lefebre and Theo "Lucifury" Wilson. Aside from a lowly Westword writer, the rental car held three separate slam champions with multiple titles, all of whom have previously performed with Slam Nuba, now the reigning national team. The trip included passionate reflection, which you can read inside the story, and of course, serious slam poetry.
Click through for a video of the three poets' performances.
As part of the the University of Wyoming's Martin Luther King, Jr. Days of Dialogue series, Smith, Lefebre and Wilson trekked to Laramie to teach a workshop on slam poetry. In front of an audience of 24 students, the group began and ended by performing their own work, splitting the middle with a series of timed prompts encouraging their crowd to create. At the workshop's close, all three took to the stage of the student union's lounge to perform again, this time accompanied by their new students.
Watch all three poets represent the genre in the videos below.
Suzi Q. Smith, our cover poet:
Bobby LeFebre, two-time Grand Slam Champion:
Theo Wilson, AKA "Lucifury," one of five members of Slam Nuba during its recent National Slam Poetry championship win:
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Lefebre and Wilson perform "Devil's Pie":
For more on Suzi Q. Smith: "Read the poetry created by this week's cover artist," "Watch our cover poet perform with Lady Wu-Tang, Denver's raw and rowdy female tribute" and "Suzi Q. Smith, this week's cover poet, nominated for a Cultural Arts Leader award."
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