Queensland State Final, Australian Poetry Slam | QLD Poetry

If you’ve read the little bio that pops up next to these reviews, then you’ve come to learn that I am published poet. This is something the host, crowd, and competitors of the Queensland final of the Australian Poetry Slam did not know while I shouted my largely controversial scores from my seat in row G. I know they were controversial because I was boo-ed almost every time I gave a score and was deemed “the mean judge” quite early on. It seemed to me these scores were as divisive as they were due to my apparent status as the only poet in a group of five randomly selected judges.

Serina O’Connor (L) performers with last year’s national winner, Hudda the Goddess (R).

Yes, you read that correctly, the fate of the poets competing for the opportunity to perform at the Sydney Opera House later this year and become the Australian Poetry Slam champion lay in the hands of five anonymous strangers (affectionately referred to by the host as Lemons, Zen, Lawyer, Behind The Hat, and Drama) with wildly varying knowledges of and experiences with poetry. This description of the night’s mechanics feels fairly illustrative of the utter chaos (complimentary) of this event. So please keep this factoid close to your heart while you read the rest of this review.

The night’s host, Meg Bartholomew, is a primary school music teacher and it shows. She bursts on to the stage in a Very Funky Suit and has the audience in the palm of her almost immediately. Her comedic distractibility makes for some delicious crowd work and brightens up what could have easily been a rather self-involved and deeply serious event.

The poets themselves – while quite skilled – still varied somewhat in their prowess. This is reflected in my scores which ranged from a 6.8 to a 9.8. The latter of these going to the night’s winner Anna McGahan. Her performance was truly the highlight of the competition. McGahan’s writing is lyrically complex, sonically delicious, and speaks of parenting, reparenting, shame, unconditional selfhood, and unconditional love with such a wonderous astuteness. Her victory is more than earned and I wish her the best for the national heats.

Winner of the QLD state final, Anna McGahan.

The night’s features were local drag supernova, Gogo Bumhole and two-time QLD Poetry Slam winner and last year’s Australian Poetry Slam champion, Huda the Goddess.  Gogo is electric as always and after a delightfully funky opening number enrols the audience in a dance rehearsal so we might replace the crew of back up dancers that cancelled on them last minute. This wonderful experience gives the audience a lesson in “the poetry of the body” as Gogo puts it. Huda has the audience enchanted from the moment she steps onto stage. We hang from her every word, and she is deeply generous with them. Each piece is a spiritual experience. Huda’s voice is undeniable and is one we should all be listening to closely.

McGahan is announced the winner and the night comes to a close. And I do my best to stick with friends to avoid being mobbed by cantankerous audience members. But just as I am to leave a young stranger passes me by, recognises my voice and the fairy wand that marks me “Drama”, and calls me ‘the best judge of the night’. So, you can believe me when I say that the Queensland Final of the Australian Poetry Slam was an absolutely raucous night and that if you’ve never been to a slam before you should definitely change that.

Event Winner Anna Mcgahan and Runner-up Zach Pleming will be flown to Sydney to perform at the Opera House for the National finals of the Austrlaian Poetry Slam on 23 October 2022.