Our Slam Rules

1. All poets are welcome to compete. All you need to do is show up in time to signup. There are generally ten slots. But exceptions are made on occasion.

2. Each piece you perform must be an original work.

3. You cannot use props. Props are best defined as anything that other poets DO NOT have access to from the stage.

4. Each poet has three minutes to complete their piece. You get a ten second grace period. After that we deduct a half point for every ten seconds over time.

5. Poems are scored by the judges. The judges are picked randomly from the audience.

6. The scores are between zero and ten. Zero being the worst. Ten being the absolute best.

7. The highest and lowest scores are dropped. This helps to avoid judges that are partial or averse to certain poets.

8. Each round scores are totaled. After each round lower scoring poets are dropped. The highest cumulative scores proceed to the final round. Number of poets dropped each round can very and are determined at the start of each slam. This decision is based on the total number of poets competing in that slam.

9. The top scoring poet is the winner of that slam.

10. The best poet always looses….

Making The Team

1. Team qualification is done in three parts. Competing in monthly slams, competing in semi-finals and finals in the spring.

2. There is a monthly slam open to all competitors.

3. The poets who place in the top three spots at each monthly slam are awarded points for their win (1st = 3 points 2nd = 2 points, 3rd = 1 point)

4. Any poet who attains 6 points within the normal season (Sept – March) will move AUTOMATICALLY into the finals competition and will not have to compete in the semi final rounds OR any poet who wins the annual Portland Individual Slam competition will also move directly to the finals competition. Once a poet is eligible for finals they CANNOT compete in a slam for the rest of the season.

5. There are 12 slots available for the final and semi final competitions.

6. At the end of the season all poets are ranked based on their point total. Poets who are eligible to move directly to finals are added to the finals list. All other poets are given a slot in semi’s based on their points (highest to lowest).

7. The remaining number of slots available in finals will determine the number of poets who will pass through the semi final competition (i.e. if there are 8 remaining slots open in finals we will eliminate 4 poets from the semi round and the rest move on to finals)

8. Finals will consist of three rounds which eliminate two poets in each round. The top five poets will be eligible for the team (fifth place is an alternate). Anyone who cannot make nationals or is otherwise dropped from the team will be replaced by the poets next in line based on the final score of that competition.

9. Poet must be willing and able to pay ALL travel expenses if necessary. Port Veritas will cover any and all expenses possible. However if you cannot cover your own travel expenses we cannot guarantee that you will be able to attend the national competition.

Code of Conduct

Port Veritas is host to a monthly poetry slam. However that competition is only one part of our overall mission and goal. In an effort to ensure that everything we do (including our weekly reading and monthly Slam) does not conflict with our primary mission we have established and will enforce some very simple rules:

1. Poets reading in the open mic should read one piece (no more than five minutes). Exceptions can be made with permission by the host of that evenings event. If you wish to read more than one piece or for more than five minutes, please ask the host(s) first. 

2. We ask that noise be kept to an extreme minimum during someone’s performance. Since we cannot specify what acceptable noise is, we leave that judgement up to the host. If you are asked to be quiet please do so.

3. During the slam we encourage people to be vocal and exhuberat. That is the nature of slam. However vulgarity towards, threatening or intimidation of performers, judges, employees and patrons is NOT acceptable. If your behavior is deemed inappropriate, you will be given a warning by either the host(s) or employees of the venue.

4. Noise outside of the venue should also be kept to a relative minimum. We understand this is outdoors and a great place to talk without distrupting the reading. But please be mindful of our neighbors. If you can be heard clearly from halfway down the block…you’re probably too loud!

5. There is a zero tolerance policy in regards to violence. Anything that would legally be considered battery or criminal threatening will result in IMMEDIATE removal from the premisence. Further penalties up to including permanent ban from the premesis will be decided by the Host, Members of Port Veritas and the Owner/Operator of the venue.

6. All decisions in regards to violation of these rules are made by the host(s). If you have a concern, complaint or question please contact either the venue or host(s) after the event. We WILL NOT dispute these decisions during an event or at the venue.

 7. Have FUN!! We are not here to make life difficult or uncomfortable for anyone. Despite some wonderful tendancies for us to strive for an anarchist utopia…we must have certain rules. They are meant to give everyone a fair, equitable and safe place to express themselves and share in the expression of others. To sum it up…if it ain’t LOVE leave it outside.

Questions and concerns can be addressed via email at info@portveritas.com