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“We want to hear your stories, your poems, whatever you have to tell us.”
That invitation from Jules Stevenson is a sincere one; the audiences and poets that make up the Winnipeg Poetry Slam are genuinely excited to welcome anyone and everyone to their first open mic night of 2025 on January 28 at the Handsome Daughter, regardless of what they have to say.
“It’s very, very, very diverse,” says Stevenson, Winnipeg Poetry Slam's marketing director when speaking on Morning Light about who comes to their events. “A lot of people will tell poems about their personal experiences, their personal stories… we also have a lot of poems about Winnipeg and what it’s like living here.”
Another element of the open mic night that contributes to its welcoming and supportive atmosphere is the variety of structures that aspiring poets can use to share their works. “We have a lot of very interesting, very different poems and poets who come up,” Stevenson says, “and every single one is different, and it hits you in a different way.”
“Anything can walk through the door. I am just constantly surprised by what people come up with and just so impacted by their stories.”
In addition to the open mic night, poetry fans will also be treated to a poetry battle between two local poets, BWriteWord and One of the Many. The two competitors are vying to represent Winnipeg at the 2025 Canadian Individual Poetry Slam in Vancouver this coming April.
An accomplished poet in her own right, Stevenson highlights the unique characteristics of both finalists as something aspiring writers can look up to. “BWriteWord is an absolutely amazing poet,” she says glowingly. “A lot of his poems are very sweet. It’s very much about love and it warms your heart to listen to him. And then, One of the Many has a musical background, so he has a lot of rhythm.”
Prospective poets wanting to participate in the Winnipeg Poetry Slam's open mic night can show up at 6 p.m. and sign up at the door. The festivities get underway in earnest at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 to $10 on a sliding scale and are available for purchase with cash only. For more information, patrons can visit the Winnipeg Poetry Slam’s Instagram page.