A poetry slam in Chelmsford, MA didn’t quite go off as organizers planned when they realized that they were hosting their event in an area of the town with the strictest noise ordinance.
Despite it being 4pm in the afternoon, local authorities were contacted dozens of times with reports that teens were “raising their voices” and applauding “above the maximum allowable noise.”
As a result, poets were constantly reminded to keep the energy down and their performances restrained. Audiences were asked not to participate or respond to the poet in any way.
Event organizers did not realize that the location they were using for the Slam was technically a private residential area and subject to the strictest and harshest noise ordinances and pulled the incorrect permits. In fact, Chelmsford has not updated their noise ordinance laws since the early 1900s.
The outcome was strange to say the least. Normally, a poetry slam is full of energy and passion, where the Chelmsford event was almost completely silent. The Slam more resembled a dull thud or even a low clonk.
The outcome was strange to say the least. Normally, a poetry slam is full of energy and passion, where the Chelmsford event was almost completely silent. The Slam more resembled a dull thud or even a low clonk.
Traditionally, slam poets command the stage, evoking emotion and the power of everyday language with dramatic delivery and a powerful enthusiasm.
But here, things resembled more of a solemn church liturgy, or even worse, the “Q&A” portion of a town planning meeting.
The event was billed as a “performance for poets with a strength of heart whose voices can’t be silenced,” but once the cops showed up, things got pretty hushed quick.
Rudy Gibson, a poet known for his theatrical gestures and wild on-stage presence, was asked to reign it in and just read his poem. His poem “Sounds of the Noisy Morning City” just didn’t have the same effect when he couldn’t mimic the clamorous atmosphere of city living. Cars are crazy-loud where he’s from but you’ll just have to take his word for it.
Another performer, Christina Sibley planned to do a piece called “Purse-Sized Feminism” where she gets into a screaming match with her period each month, but instead she had to pivot and just quietly read the back of a tampons package.
Perhaps the biggest travesty of the evening was when headliner Shamondria “The Queen” Simmons was not able to perform her famous “Ode to My Voice,” where she explores how many different registers and volumes she can hit while yelling out the names of every lover who has ever cheated on her. The performance is chock full of the “oohs” and “ahhs” that she usually reserves for the loudest orgasms.
But alas, it was not meant to be.
When contacted for comment, Common Council officials maintained their decision to enforce their draconian noise laws, citing several event violations ranging from Noise Rating Numbers, Unreasonable Noises, and Sound-Level Meter.
A representative for the Council sent a reply: “It shall be unlawful for any person or assemblage to make, continue, or cause to be made any unreasonable noise within the geographical boundaries of the township of Chelmsford exceeding the limitations set forth in section 293-4.”
Needless to say, the twenty or so fans of slam poetry who decided to show up were unhappy. Andrea Hilborn, an aspiring performance poet, talked about her disappointment.
“Preventing the artists to explore the wide range of the medium and their toolkit has essentially just turned this slam poetry event into something resembling, eww yuck…I can’t even say it… spoken-word poetry.”