The Hammer and Tongue Oxford Poetry Slam Final

What a FANTASTIC time at the Oxford poetry slam final at the Old Fire Station last night. Stewart Taylor’s magnificent performance of the very, very funny ‘Do Not Mock The Clog’ deserved to win, especially with the energy and talent he put into the delivery. With the energy filled, hilariously entertaining set from from the genius who is Tim Clare (in particular his Noah’s Ark Bar and Grill poem which just got better and better and funnier and funnier as it went on) and everybody else with their thought provoking, funny, moving poems … what a night!
It was wonderful to meet the very talented 2012 slam winner Davy Mac, whose poems are clever, witty and topical and delivered with panache (I loved it when he made his hat announce ‘Hufflepuff’ as an icebreaker).
I was very impressed with Micah Isser’s clever, surprising perspectives and beautiful imagery, Eric Coffin Gould’s heart stopping, deeply moving love poems, Dan Holloway’s soaring tale of the dark side of London, Kate Walton’s lyrical, flowing and magical dances of remembrance and finally Anna Percy’s raw, powerful poems, challenging our perceptions of body image and female identity.
I performed as Jen Russell (my maiden name) and nerves did get the better of me, especially in the second performance (I was that woman who was literally shaking) but I still really enjoyed the opportunity and personal challenge of getting up and ‘facing the fear’. Hammer and Tongue, I salute you. Well done for everything and thank you.