- Title: Poets battle it out in Beirut Slam
- Date: 17th September 2018
- Summary: BEIRUT, LEBANON (SEPTEMBER 15, 2018) (REUTERS) CONTESTANT RECITING POETRY IN BEIRUT POETRY SLAM VARIOUS OF AUDIENCE FOLLOWING PERFORMANCE CONTESTANT PERFORMING AUDIENCE CLAPPING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FOUNDER OF BEIRUT POETRY SLAM, SARA SIBAII, SAYING: "This poetry is mostly spoken, not like the poetry that is written on paper. It goes to stage and has voice and a certain way of presentation. When you read poetry and don't understand it, you read it again. But when you perform, you only have one chance to present it and the make audience understand it and feel it the way you feel it." VARIOUS OF CONTESTANT RECITING POEM (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FOUNDER OF BEIRUT POETRY SLAM, SARA SIBAII, SAYING: "It (the competition) makes people express their stories. We all experience strange things in our lives, (it makes us) express feelings, ideas and private social causes. It is very important for us as a society that people relate to each other, connect, and feel for each other as well." SHADOW OF CONTESTANT PERFORMING / AUDIO OF HIM RECITING VARIOUS OF CONTESTANTS RECITING POETRY VARIOUS OF CONTESTANT, HAMZA CHAMAS, PERFORMING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PARTICIPANT AT BEIRUT POETRY SLAM, HAMZA CHAMAS, SAYING: "This is an open space, so I come here to say what I write. I once wrote and went to an open mic and it happened. I'm not sure if I'm a poet or not, but I have something in my mind and I would like to say it in this space here." CHAMAS PERFORMING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PARTICIPANT AT BEIRUT POETRY SLAM, HAMZA CHAMAS, SAYING: "Spaces like these allow you to speak freely, without restrictions. It is a poetry competition where I don't follow the rules of poetry, which is the good thing about it." CONTESTANT PERFORMING AUDIENCE CLAPPING CONTESTANT PERFORMING / AUDIO OF AUDIENCE CLAPPING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) AUDIENCE MEMBER, MAYA BICHTAWI, SAYING: "I felt that it has something to do with me. I can say that this thing (poetry) looks like me, their poetry was close to me. I could imagine it and understand it, it is not like the one we study at school, from other eras." AUDIENCE CHEERING
- Embargoed: 1st October 2018 15:18
- Keywords: Beirut Poetry Slam poets in Beirut Lebanese poets Arab poetry Arabic poetry
- Location: BEIRUT, LEBANON
- City: BEIRUT, LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA0018Y0MHXX
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Contestants took the stage at the Beirut Poetry Slam to show off their skills with words on Saturday (September 15), in front of an audience of poetry enthusiasts.
The 10 contestants hailing from Lebanon, Syria, and other Arab countries competed for a chance to perform in an international competition due to take place in Paris.
With passion and emotion, the lyrical artists recited out loud verses about love, politics and social issues in both Arabic and English.
A poetry slam was previously held in the Lebanese capital in 2016 and has since marked a change in the way the public perceived poetry, organiser Sara Sibaii said.
In the past, poetry recitals were formal and were introduced to the public in a written format.
But during the slam, poets broke free from traditional forms of writing and recital. And for contestant Hamza Chamas, this is what made the competition very special.
"I'm not sure if I'm a poet or not, but I have something in my mind and I would like to say it in this space here," he said.
"It is a poetry competition where I don't follow the rules of poetry, which is the good thing about it," Chamas added.
A committee of three jurists named university student, Rabab Chamseddine, the winner of the competition.
The Beirut Poetry Slam is an independent initiative aiming to create a "strong slam community in Lebanon and the region", according to its official Facebook page. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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