近距离内射合集

The Chicharra Poetry Slam Festival returns to Albuquerque this month with over 80 artists from across the country vying for Southwest Regional Championship titles and $5,000 in prizes. As boisterous as the buzzing insects for which it is named, Chicharra fills the city with buzzworthy verse and marks the start of spring.

The three days of competition begin on Thursday, March 19, and continue through Saturday, March 21, with opening and closing events on Wednesday, March 18, and Sunday, March 22. The entire festival is presented free of charge except for the final Champions Stage event, which requires a paid ticket.

For the uninitiated, poetry slams are spoken word competitions where poets perform in front of live audiences and panels of judges. Alongside the competitive bouts, Chicharra will host open mics and workshops, which are open to everyone, as well as a number of special events, including the popular Nerd Slam at Secret Gallery and a 21-and-over erotica-themed open mic and burlesque show at Albuquerque Social Club.

Local poet Zachary Kluckman, who founded Chicharra as a 鈥渨ild daydream鈥� in 2024, said the festival has grown far beyond his initial expectations.

鈥淚鈥檓 just really thrilled, honestly, that this event has gained so much traction and become 鈥� I don't know if I鈥檇 call it a landmark, or a burgeoning landmark, on the cultural scene 鈥� but I鈥檓 excited that that鈥檚 happening,鈥� Kluckman said. 鈥淲e were even fortunate enough last year to be named one of the top five best arts events in Albuquerque Magazine.鈥�

This year, the city of Albuquerque has proclaimed March 19 to be Chicharra Poetry Slam Festival Day. The official proclamation will be read at the Champions Stage on March 21 prior to the poetry slam finals. At the end of the evening, the individual and team winners will be announced and will receive their trophies.

This year鈥檚 festival also includes youth programming for the first time.

鈥淲e鈥檝e got what we鈥檙e calling Voices Rising, which are our youth events,鈥� Kluckman said. 鈥淎ny youth between the ages of 13 and 20 can compete in the youth events and take part in that programming, which includes a workshop with former poet laureate (of Albuquerque) Hakim Bellamy, a workshop with Scarlett Cortez 鈥� a poet from Santa Fe 鈥� some pre-slam warm-ups, and then the actual Youth Slam competition, which is being hosted by New Mexico鈥檚 state poet laureate, Manuel Gonz谩lez.鈥�

Although registration for the adult competitions has already closed, Kluckman said there are still a few slots available for youth poets who want to compete. They may sign up on Chicharra鈥檚 website.

鈥淭his is pretty exciting for us, because we鈥檝e been planning since Day 1 to include youth events, and now we鈥檙e at that point where it made sense to do it this year, and we were seeing a pretty good turnout,鈥� Kluckman said. 鈥淚 think we鈥檒l get a dozen or so youth poets.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 really important to hold the door open behind us for the next generation,鈥� he added.

One of the most highly anticipated Chicharra events is the Nerd Slam, in which superfans of comic books, anime and superhero movies answer trivia questions for the chance to read their 鈥渘erdiest鈥� poems.

鈥淚 remember one year at another regional event, there was a poet who picked 鈥楾eenage Mutant Ninja Turtles鈥� as his subject, and he came in costume, dressed as a 鈥楾eenage Mutant Ninja Turtle,鈥欌�� Kluckman said. 鈥淗e ended up winning the competition and did this really amazing poem in costume. It was an amazing thing. And I know it sounds sort of silly to some folks ... but it鈥檚 a really fun opportunity for poets to engage their other interests.鈥�

Another popular event is the erotica open mic and burlesque show at Albuquerque Social Club.

鈥淚t鈥檚 always packed. I think last year we had 150 people there, at least,鈥� Kluckman said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a little bit bawdier and more risqu茅. ... And they have burlesque performers who dance in between some of the poems. Last year, we actually had a kink and fetish demo.鈥�

Kluckman said the evening, hosted by local poet Kristin Patton, is tasteful and respectful.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a very safe space,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just an opportunity for poets who like to write poems that are a little more Ana茂s Nin-flavored, or more Sappho-influenced, to share their work. And it鈥檚 really a tremendous event.鈥�

After the festival, whichever slam poet is crowned the individual champion will have the opportunity to compete at the national level.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 what happened for our winner last year, Black Chakra,鈥� Kluckman said. Jacob Mayberry, who goes by Black Chakra, is from Baltimore.

鈥淗e won the Chicharra Poetry Slam Festival, then I got him a berth at the BlackBerry Peach National Poetry Slam, and he won that. So, now he will be representing the 近距离内射合集 States at the World Slam in Africa this year.鈥� 

BlackBerry Peach is only for individuals, Kluckman said, but there is a new national poetry slam coming in 2027, so the winners of Chicharra鈥檚 team competition will be eligible to compete for a national prize for the first time next year.

鈥淓ssentially, what this means is that, in terms of poets who are looking to compete at the national level and beyond, Chicharra has become a central access point for those opportunities, which is really exciting,鈥� Kluckman said.

One of Chicharra鈥檚 missions, Kluckman said, is to promote free speech.

鈥淭hat means free speech for everyone, whether we agree with it or not,鈥� Kluckman said. 鈥淚 may vigorously disagree with what someone says, but I鈥檓 very much a proponent for the idea that everybody has a right to say what they鈥檙e going to say. Hopefully, it won鈥檛 be harmful. And if it is, then how people react is also free.鈥�

Kluckman anticipates a fair amount of political poetry this year.

"Poetry 鈥� and slam poetry, in particular 鈥� has always had that sociopolitical element, like beat poetry before it, because, at the end of the day, any poet's job, arguably, is to respond to the world around them," he said.

Sometimes that means speaking truth to power, he said, and sometimes it means speaking across the political aisle.

鈥淎rt absolutely has the power to change perspectives and to change hearts, at least in the moment,鈥� Kluckman said.

He sees the success of Chicharra as proof of poetry鈥檚 continued cultural relevance.

鈥淒espite what some folks would tell you, poetry is very much alive,鈥� Kluckman said. 鈥淚t is very much vibrant and breathing, and it is very much still speaking truth.鈥�

Logan Royce Beitmen is an arts writer for the 近距离内射合集. He covers visual art, music, fashion, theater and more. Reach him at lbeitmen@abqjournal.com or on Instagram at .