Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Earlier this month, I judged the Camden Schools Poetry Slam in which teams from the borough, each mentored by a different poet, jousted over two rounds for the title. Frankly, the high standard of the work was startling - many performances wouldn't have seemed out of place on the London Slam circuit. It was almost too close to call, but Hampstead School were eventually worthy winners.

A couple of observations. Firstly, as I watched the young people on stage, I couldn't help thinking back over everything I've read about the problems of literacy in our schools; especially among teenage boys. Now, I wouldn't dream of talking down the concern, but watching these students perform, I was struck by the difference between having nothing to say and not having the linguistic tools with which to say it. Isn't spoken word, with its freeform nature and performance element, an excellent bridge between the dustiness of schoolbooks and the thrill of self-expression?

I once taught a schools workshop with Charlie Dark - as it turned out, one of the mentors on the day in question - and he said something that has stuck with me ever since. I paraphrase, but it was something like: "Look, everyone will write a poem at some time of their lives, probably a love poem, so you'd better learn how to do it. And even if you don't, you're still going to need lyrics!"

It sounds simplistic, but it's obviously true - the clever use of language is vital in everything from finding a job to finding a mate. And poetry can be an excellent demonstration of the immediate power of a smart tongue.

Secondly - and this sounds contradictory but it's actually anything but - much of the feedback I gave to the students concerned the quality of their writing. The poets that scored highest were those who had something original to say and, typically, this was because they were describing emotions and situations that had real meaning to them. If spoken word has a weakness, it's that poets tend to slip into clichΓ©. Much is made of the difference between 'page poets' and 'performers', but the great performances I've seen have all been by great writers - Jamie McKendrick, Daljit Nagra and the estimable Wendy Cope. They are 'page poets' all, but the brilliance of their craft shines through.

At one point during the feedback, I said, "Real writers write and write and write." But my fellow judge, Kim Trusty, added an important addendum: "Real writers read." Good point.

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