'Listen,” the Lizard King Jim Morrison once wrote, 'real poetry doesn't say anything; it just ticks off the possibilities. Opens all doors. You can walk through any one that suits you.”

The doors of possibilities and imagination will be opened when local poets share their words during the inaugural Bay of Plenty Regional Poetry Slam at Worlds End Bar and Restaurant at Fraser Cove this Saturday.

Bay of Plenty Regional Poetry Slam co-organiser Dhaivat Mehta. The inaugural slam takes place at Worlds End Bar and Restaurant at Fraser Cove this Saturday. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

A slam is not like those poetry recitals you see on television, the ones with people wearing berets and tweed jackets sitting in smoke-filled cafés clicking their fingers in applause, y'dig?

Saturday's inaugural event has been co-organised by Sian Northfield and Dhaivat Mehta who explains that the power of slams lies in the 'animation of words, the pacing, the message”.

'When you listen to (2014 National Poetry Slam winner) Te Kahu Rolleston, it's theatre but it is just one person on the mic,” says Dhaivat. 'It condenses the energy, making it more of an entertaining experience, like theatre or listening to freestyle rap.

'Slams have also reached popularity recently because many poems explore social, political and, at times, very personal topics which people can relate to and have opinions about.”

This Saturday's slam will feature two sections – a Youth Slam for poets under 18, and an Adult Slam, with the winner going on to represent the Bay at the national slam final in Hamilton later this year.

As there's an age restriction for the national finals, the youth winner will be offered the chance to head along to Hamilton to watch the slam unfold.

'I've certainly been surprised by the words and the power our young local poets have,” adds Dhaivat.

'It's great they've taken the chance to express themselves in this way and we hope the slam will encourage them to aim for bigger things.”

Participating poets will present two poems which will delve into any subject matter – imagination is the only limitation.

Each poem will be scored out of 10 by five judges, who will be selected at random from the audience on the day.

'If you have something you to say and feel you can't express it in any other way, the Poetry Slam is for you. And in general, I feel the realm of poetry is the best way to get your message out there.”

The inaugural Bay of Plenty Regional Poetry Slam is on at Worlds End Bar and Restaurant at Fraser Cove on Saturday, October 17, from 3pm to 5pm.