The ACU Language and Literature Department will host a free poetry slam reading this Friday at the Hunter Welcome Center from 7:30-9:00 p.m.

ACU Students and a local Austin slam poetry group called Speak Piece will perform pieces of slam poetry that they created.

The event is open to the first 400 students that show up, and students can earn a spiritual formation credit for attending.

There will also be a free poetry workshop hosted by Speak Piece for all students Friday from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. in room 120 in the Onstead-Packer Building. Speak Piece will talk about how to write poetry and give tips on how to write your own piece.

The event is put on by the Language and Literature department, the McNair Scholars Program and the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMCA).

Albert Haley, associate professor in the language and literature department, said there is a difference between spoken word/slam poetry and written poetry.

“Spoken/slam poetry tends to be more of the cultural moment, addressing things everyone is thinking about rather than indulging in obscure thoughts,” Haley said. “Spoken word poetry is lively, embracing rhythm and rhyme. The other kind of poetry is written for the page. Often it can’t be understood unless one has time to study it and reread it on the page.”

“They are going to be a part of TEDx, which we didn’t know at first, and it kind of just fell in our lap,” Haley said. “Hey, that’s the same day. They have a slot; they could do slam poetry. It would be perfect.”

Jacob Corona, junior biology major from Corpus Christi, said that it is kind of nerve-racking performing slam poetry in front of people.

“It’s kind of vulnerable, you get up there, and everyone is looking at you,” Corona said. “You’re making eye contact with people and thinking, I hope they understand what I’m saying.”