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Slam Poetry Trainer

Practise slam poetry with prompts and a timer

It will be designed for anyone who wants to train for slam poetry: it will generate themed prompts (social issues, identity, place, love), and offer an on-stage timer (3 minutes, per LIPS rules) and a syllable counter. A training tool designed for OnStage's creative workshops.

  • It will generate rotating themed prompts for every writing session
  • It will offer a 3-minute timer with visual warnings (LIPS rules)
  • It will count syllables and estimate how long the text runs
  • It will offer a list of rhetorical devices: anaphora, metaphor, climax, antithesis
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Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know about this tool.

  • What is slam poetry?

    Slam poetry is a competitive form of performance poetry born in Chicago in the 1980s. In Italy it is governed by LIPS (Lega Italiana Poetry Slam): original texts, maximum 3 minutes, no musical accompaniment, just voice and body.

  • How does the prompt generator work?

    Press the "New prompt" button and you get a theme, a required keyword and a formal constraint (e.g. "start every stanza with the same word"). Prompts rotate between social, local, identity-related and universal themes.

  • Can I use it for school workshops?

    It was built with that in mind too. OnStage APS runs slam poetry workshops in schools across Salento. The tool is the support resource used in the workshops, and stays available to students afterwards so they can keep practising at home.

  • Does the timer comply with LIPS rules?

    Yes: 3 minutes total, with a warning at 30 seconds remaining (symbolic yellow light) and a stop when the limit is reached (red light). Going over time incurs a penalty in official slam scoring.

  • How do you take part in an official slam?

    OnStage APS runs Slam Salento, an official stop on the LIPS circuit. To take part: fill in the form on the website, bring an original, previously unpublished text, and stick to the 3-minute limit. Open to everyone, no preliminary selection.

Do you need help?

Write to us if this tool doesn't meet your needs: we're always evolving it with our community.

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