What is Spoken Word?

It's open mic/scène ouvert.
It's bilingual, English and French, but mostly English.
C'est poésie sonore. Lire vivant.

According to Wikipedia: Spoken word is a form of literary art or artistic performance in which lyrics, poetry or stories are spoken rather than sung. Spoken-word is often done with a musical background, but emphasis is kept on the speaker.
One of the most common sorts of spoken word performances is performance poetry, where a poet either reads previously-published poems, or reads poems specifically written to be performed aloud. Another kind that has gained popularity in recent years is political and social commentary, done in such a way that it is, while still prose, somewhat more artistic than a typical speech. Spoken word artists are often poets and musicians.

Spoken word gained notoriety in the late 1980s and early 1990s through the emergence of "poetry slams," where spoken word artists would square off in cabaret-style duels. (Wikipedia)

But there's no competitive element here. This is not a slam night in that sense. Rather I want to get back to a more beatnik spirit of encouraging people to express themselves. Whether it's performance poetry, story-telling, stand-up, monologue or something else. An original text or a classic read well.

There's only one rule - make the words come alive.