The Australian Poetry Slam 2023 has celebrated two Slam Champions, including a Ballarat youth!
Earlier this month, the Sydney Opera House buzzed with poetic fervor as sixteen passionate wordsmiths take the stage, each representing a different corner of Australia for the 2023 Australian Poetry Slam. Featuring an audience roaring with enthusiasm as the performance unfolds, judges faced the daunting task of selecting the cream of the crop, which narrows down to a riveting top five.
It’s a clash of generations and a celebration of poetic diversity as NSW First Nations poet Rob Waters, a seasoned artist with two decades of wordsmithing behind him, faces off against the infectious wit and youthful energy of 16-year-old K.J. Hayward from Ballarat, Victoria. The poetic battle is so intense that they tie for the top spot – twice, both becoming the 2023 Australian Poetry Slam champion.
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The Australian Poetry Slam is the most prestigious spoken word competition in the country, with 70 heats held across the nation. The National Final is the culmination of Story Week, Word Travels’ annual festival celebrating the power of performed writing.
Rob Waters, one of the 2023 Australian Poetry Slam Co-Champions, is a Gomeroi man, celebrated poet, storyteller, cultural educator, and spoken word artist. His performance left the audience spellbound, and his victory was sealed after delivering a poignant poem about the Stolen Generation.
K.J. Hayward, a 16-year-old self-taught poet and home-school student from Ballarat, emerged as the 2023 Australian Poetry Slam – Youth Champion. Her incredible journey, from an open-mic night in Ballarat to claiming victory at the Victorian State Final and, ultimately, the National Championship, is a testament to the raw talent and passion that drives her. K.J.’s poems challenge the flaws in our education system and tackle toxic masculinity with grace and compassion.
Reflecting on his win, Rob Waters remarked, “It’s an exciting time at the moment. People are listening to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices being heard. Despite the negativity that’s out there at the moment, I feel a shift, and there’s a lot more people wanting to listen to our people’s stories, to hear what we have to say and what we have experienced.
“Some of the stuff I talk about can make people feel uncomfortable but it’s the truth we live every day. This isn’t about truth telling but truth listening, and it’s about time Australia started listening because we’ve been telling the truth for a long time. At the end of the day, our culture is grounded in love, and when we speak with love and listen with love, that is where progress can happen.”
K.J. Hayward, equally stunned by her victory, added, “I never once in a million years thought that this was going to happen. I’ve gone from performing my first open mic night in Ballarat to winning the Australian Poetry Slam at the Opera House, in the space of two months, this has all happened so quickly!
“Performing for the APS has always been a dream of mine, but if I could go back and tell the 12-year-old me who read and re-read former APS winner, Solli Raphael’s book, that she was going to be a champion one day…she would never believe me. I am super honoured to come to a draw with the amazing Rob Waters; this has really put into perspective just how much my poetry has moved the audience because his words are just beautiful.”
As Australian Poetry Slam Champions, Rob and K.J. will receive a prize pack worth $20,000, including professional mentoring, publishing opportunities, tours, and performance engagements for 2024.
Previous APS winners include novelist Omar Musa, poet Solli Raphael, and Stephen Oliver from ABC’s Black Comedy.
For those who want to relive the poetic magic of the National Final, performances by the talented finalists, covering contemporary and traditional themes, can be found on the Australian Poetry Slam YouTube channel: Australian Poetry Slam YouTube Channel.
