To Beirut, with love: Young poet to represent Mideast in world competition
Rabab Chamseddine, a 21-year-old Lebanese poet, is headed for Paris for the World Poetry Slam next year after winning the Beirut Poetry Slam with works that tackled notions of self and country.
BEIRUT — Her trophy nearby and new fans offering hugs and praise, Rabab Chamseddine, a 21-year-old Lebanese poet, was riding high after her win at the 2018 Beirut Poetry Slam.
“I am feeling more than great. I just want to smash everything. I am way too excited,” she told Al-Monitor at the finals on Sept. 15 when asked about her thoughts on representing the Middle East next year at the World Poetry Slam.
Slam poetry is different from traditional spoken word performances “because it’s a competition,” organizer Maysan Nasser explained. Ten artists present two poems, each one three minutes long, and judges score their performance and content. “The contestants have nothing on stage apart from their words,” Nasser added.
Held at Station Beirut, an art space in the Lebanese capital, the event featured poets ranging from published writers to novices preforming for the first time, reading their poems in Arabic and English.
