Cantab Feature for Wednesday, May 18, 2015: World Qualifier Final

The Boston Poetry Slam will kick off our Summer of Slam a little bit early this year with the second and final night of the annual World Qualifier: the final four poems (of a six-poem series) to select the Boston Poetry Slam’s sole representative to the 2016 Individual World Poetry Slam! This year’s IWPS will take place in Flagstaff, Ariz. from October 12-15, and our World Qualifier slam winner will be entered into the event.

Our roster for the show is ready! The following poets have qualified to slam in Finals, and the order of the first round will be as follows:

1. Chloé Cunha
2. RebeccaLynn Gualtieri
3. Mckendy Fils-Aimé
4. Nora Meiners
5. Bobby Crawford
6. Neiel Israel
7. John Pinkham
8. Marshall Gillson
Invited to sacrifice: Zeke Russell, Emily O’Neill

This winner-take-all competition features the top eight finishers from the May 4 World Qualifier Speed Slam. A four-round night, including one limit-breaking 4-minute round, will culminate in a head-to-head finals to determine who will represent the BPS in the American Southwest!

For more details, you can also check out the full rules and format for the World Qualifier Series.

This show in our weekly Wednesday series takes place at the Cantab Lounge, 738 Massachusetts Ave. in Cambridge. Doors for the show open at 7:15. An slightly shortened open mic begins at 8:00 and the slam begins at approximately 10:00. The show is 18+ (ID required) and the cover charge is $5; proceeds will go toward funding the World Qualifier winner’s trip to IWPS in Phoenix, Arizona this October.