No topic was taboo at a spoken-word poetry contest in Dunedin last night.
Dunedin High Schools' Poetry Slam organiser Ellen Waite (16) said 15 high school pupils recited poems, about three minutes long, for the competition.
The year 11 Columba College pupil said no topic was taboo.
''You can speak about whatever you want, and it's your opinions, and it's in a very supportive environment - that's the key.''
Slam poetry was a communication medium for teenagers, she said.
The poems had a natural rhythm, rather than a rhyme, and the words were delivered with meaning, she said.
''You can yell things and you can whisper things.''
At the contest, the audience of about 80 clicked their fingers to let the poets know their words were being felt.
