The National Poetry Slam: Trinidad and Tobago is an annual showcase for Trinbagonian spoken word artists The showcase was sponsored by First Citizens for thirteen years, as culture and youth development were critical pillars of the organisation's corporate social responsibility mandate. It is one of the primary spoken word poetry showcases in the Caribbean region.
History The first iteration of the National Poetry Slam: Trinidad and Tobago occurred in November 2012 at the University of the Southern Caribbean. The event, called VERSES at the time, was organised by an arts-based NGO, The 2 Cents Movement, to create a competitive space for practising poets who produced exceptional craft. At that point, the organisation offered the winner a TTD $1000 cash prize, which was collected from ticket sales at the door.
The following year, The Bocas Lit Fest approached local poet Muhammad Muwakil for ideas to increase youth inclusion at their annual literary festival. Muwakil then collaborated with the founder of The 2 Cents Movement, Jean Claude Cournand, to include VERSES in the Bocas Lit Fest 2013. First Citizens, who collaborated with the Bocas Lit Fest to increase youth visibility in the literary arts, sponsored the event that year and increased the cash prize to TTD 3000 for the winner. The 2013 edition took place at the Nalis Public Library in Port-of-Spain.
For the next few years, the competition was a collaboration between The Bocas Lit Fest and The 2 Cents Movement, with the former hosting the event and the latter producing the logistics. First Citizens remained the sponsor for the event. By 2014, the event had moved to the Central Bank Auditorium due to the significant increase in interested patrons. First Citizens upped the cash prize to TTD 10,000. In 2015 and 2016, the prize increased to TTD 20,000 with another venue change. Globe Theatre in Port-of-Spain was used in 2015 and 2016.
The next significant change took place in 2017. The event was renamed the First Citizens National Poetry Slam. It had drawn significant regional interest and was held at the National Academy for Performing Arts (NAPA). Furthermore, First Citizens increased the prize to TTD 50,000, which at the time was one of the world's highest prizes for spoken word. The event remained in NAPA from 2017 to 2019.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the live event. The 2 Cents Movement could no longer manage the event due to complications in the organisation. The pandemic forced the competition to shift from being the closing event of the Bocas Lit Fest (usually at the end of April) to a stand-alone event. Bocas partnered with local television station TV6 to televise the event. The final was filmed at Queen's Hall. In 2021, the final was also televised by local TV station TTT. In 2022, the final was once again produced for a live audience at Naparima Bowl in San Fernando, marking the first time since its induction that the slam moved outside of the capital. In 2023, the competition returned to the Central Bank Auditorium. It was once again the closing event of the Bocas Lit Fest, as the effects of the pandemic were behind the organisation. In 2024, the final took place in Queen's Hall, Port-of-Spain.
Historical Summary of the Competition YearEvent NameVenueTitle SponsorManagerProducer1st Prize2nd Prize3rd PrizeOther2012VersesUSC NB Auditorium, MaracasThe 2 Cents MovementThe 2 Cents MovementThe 2 Cents Movement$1000N/AN/AN/A2013Verses Bocas Poetry SlamNalis OLD Fire Station POSFirst CitizensBocas Lit FestThe 2 Cents Movement$3000$1000$500N/A2014Verses Bocas Poetry SlamCentral Bank Auditorium POSFirst CitizensBocas Lit FestThe 2 Cents Movement$10,000$5,000$3,000N/A2015Verses Bocas Poetry SlamGlobe POSFirst CitizensBocas Lit FestThe 2 Cents Movement$20,000$5,000$3,000$8002016Verses Bocas Poetry SlamGlobe POSFirst CitizensBocas Lit FestThe 2 Cents Movement$20,000$10,000$5,000$10002017First Citizens National Poetry SlamLord Kitchener Auditorium NAPA POSFirst CitizensBocas Lit FestThe 2 Cents Movement$50,000$20,000$10,000$8002018First Citizens National Poetry SlamLord Kitchener Auditorium NAPA POSFirst CitizensBocas Lit FestThe 2 Cents Movement$50,000$20,000$10,000$8002019First Citizens National Poetry SlamLord Kitchener Auditorium NAPA POSFirst CitizensBocas Lit FestThe 2 Cents Movement$50,000$20,000$10,000$8002020*First Citizens National Poetry SlamQueen's Hall POSFirst CitizensBocas Lit FestTV6/Bocas Lit Fest$50,000$20,000$10,000$8002021*First Citizens National Poetry SlamTTT StudiosFirst CitizensBocas Lit FestTTT/Bocas Lit Fest$50,000$20,000$10,000$8002022First Citizens National Poetry SlamNaparima Bowl, San FernandoFirst CitizensBocas Lit FestTTT/Bocas Lit Fest$50,000$20,000$10,000$5002023First Citizens National Poetry SlamCentral Bank POSFirst CitizensBocas Lit FestTTT/Bocas Lit Fest$50,000$20,000$10,000$5002024First Citizens National Poetry SlamQueen's HallFirst CitizensBocas Lit FestTTT/Bocas Lit Fest$50,000$20,000$10,000$5002025First Citizens National Poetry SlamLord Kitchener Auditorium NAPA POSFirst CitizensBocas Lit FestTTT/Bocas Lit Fest$50,000$20,000$10,000$10002026National Poetry SlamLord Kitchener Auditorium NAPA POSBocas Lit FestBocas Lit FestBocas Lit Fest$25,000$15,000$8,000$1500 Televised only
All $ is Trinidad and Tobago currency.
Format Since 2014, the competition has had three major stages: Auditions, Semi-Finals, and Finals. For most years, almost 100 poets sign up for auditions. The number of participants who move on from auditions to semi-finals and from the semi-finals to finals is not fixed. Still, it has traditionally ranged between 30 and 40 for semi-finals and between 10 and 15 for finals. Poets usually have a maximum of four minutes to perform their poems.
Winners Alexandra Stewart has won the competition thrice (2019, 2020 and 2022). No other poet has won more than once. Here is a list of the winners over the years. +YearWinner2nd Place3rd Place2012Angelo HartCharnell LucienChinyere Herbert2013Crystal SkeeteAkile WallaceKito Fortune2014Idrees SaleemBrendon O'BrienAkile Wallace2015Akile WallaceDerron SandyKleon McPherson2016Seth SylvesterKyle HernandezIdrees Saleem2017Camryn BrunoAlexandra StewartIdrees Saleem2018Deneka ThomasKyle HernandezIdrees Saleem2019Alexandra StewartShineque SaundersDeneka Thomas2020Alexandra StewartKevin SoyerAhmad Muhammad2021Derron SandyAlexandra StewartMichael Logie2022Alexandra StewartKevin SoyerDerron Sandy2023Kyle HernandezDerron SandyAlexandra Stewart2024Shakira BurtonAlexandra StewartSeth Sylvester2025Shaquille WarrenDerron SandyAlicia Psyche Haynes2026Johchele JohnsonDerron SandySeth Sylvester
Finalists By Year Listed by top-3 and then alphabetical order except where placements were publicly released for all competitors. The number in brackets is the total number of finalists in that year.
2012 (9) - Angelo Hart, Charnell Lucien, Chinyere Herbert, Kito Fortunę (4th), Hadiya Phillips (5th), Afiya Lynch, Genevieve Valentine, Jabari Lynch and Warren De Mills
2013 (6) - Crystal Skeete, Akile Wallace, Kito Fortunę, Hadiya Phillips (4th), Idrees Saleem (5th) and Warren De Mills
2014 (12) - Idrees Saleem, Brendon O'Brien, Akile Wallace, Chike Pilgrim, Crystal Skeete, Cynzia Wallace, Derron Sandy, Ivory Hayes, Kito Fortune, Kleon McPherson, Kwame Weekes and Latisha Herbert.
2015 (12) - Akile Wallace, Derron Sandy, Kleon McPherson, Ariana Herbert, Brandon O'Brien, Chike Pilgirm Deneka Thomas, Idrees Saleem, Jabari Lynch, Kito Fortune, Leandra Williamson and Verne Tittle
2016 (14) - Seth Sylvester, Kyle Hernandez, Idrees Saleem, Akile Wallace, ALexandra Stewart, Brandon O'Brien, Darrion Narine, Deneka Thomas, Derron Sandy, Kirby Moses, Marcus Millette, Michael Logie, Safiya St. Clair and Verne Titte.
2017 (13) - Camryn Bruno, Alexandra Stewart, Idrees Saleem, Brendon O'Brien, Deja Lewis, Derron Sandy, D'Israel Billy, Emmanuel Villafana, Kyle Hernandez, Marcus Millette, Michael Logie, Seth Sylvester and Shineque Saunders
2018 (15) - Deneka Thomas, Kyle Hernandez, Idrees Saleem, Ahmad Muhammad, Akile Wallace, Alexandra Stewart, Brendon O'Brien, Camryn Bruno, Carlon George, Davon Musgrave, Dellon Mathison, Deja Lewis Jillian Smith Marcus Abraham, Marcus Millette and Shineque Saunders
2019 (16) - Alexandra Stewart, Shineque Saunders, Deneka Thomas, Abdul Majeed Abdal Karim, Brendon O'Brien, Crystal St. Hillaire (Formerly Crystal Skeete), Idrees Saleem, Isaiah John, Javaughn Forde, Kyle Hernandez, Marcus Millette, Michael Logie, Muhammad Muwakil, Ronaldo "Red" Frederick, Seth Sylvester and Shimiah Lewis.
2020 (13) - Alexandra Stewart, Kevin Soyer, Ahmad Muhammad, Gary Acosta, Nia Thompson, Ronald Forde, Ronaldo "Red" Frederick, Seth Sylvester, Shimiah Lewis, Shineque Saunders, Sophia Cooper, Tineka Francois and Zakiya Gill.
2021 (11) - Derron Sandy, Alexandra Stewart, Michael Logie, Abdul Majeed Abdal Karim (4th), Ronaldo Mohammed (5th), Zakiya Gill (6th), Terriq Betaudier (7th), Terryl Betaudier (8th), Shivana Sharma (9th), Renaldo Briggs (10th) and Seth Sylvester (11th).
2022 (11) - Alexandra Stewart, Kevin Soyer, Derron Sandy, Abdul Majeed Abdal Karim, Askala George, Javaughn Forde, Joel Phillip, Michael Logie, Ronaldo Mohammed, Shimiah Lewisand Zakiya Gill
2023 (15) - Kyle Hernandez, Derron Sandy, Alexandra Stewart, Abdul Majeed Abdal Karim, Akile Walllace, Deneka Thomas, Dominique Friday, Javaughn Forde, Michael Logie, Mishael Henry, Renaldo Briggs, Ronaldo Mohammed, Seth Sylvester, Shakir Gray and Soleil La Barrie.
2024 (16) - Shakira Burton, Alexandra Stewart, Seth Sylvester, Abdul Majeed Abdal Karim, Alicia Psyche Haynes, Daniel Baptiste, Darion Cuningham, Derron Sandy, Dershawn Hernandez, Gabrielle Murray, Kedisha Thomas, Keeron Issac, Kyle Hernandez, Renaldo Briggs, Ronaldo Mohammed and Michael Logie.
2025 (14) - Shaquille Warren, Derron Sandy, Alicia Psyche Haynes, Alexandra Stewart, Camryn Bruno, Deneka Thomas, Javaughn Forde, Keeron Issac, Kevin Soyer, Michael Logie, Renaldo Briggs, Rochelle Rawlins, Seth Sylvester and Shakir Gray.
2026 (10) - Johchele Johnson, Derron Sandy, Seth Sylvester, Alexandra Stewart, Alicia Psyche Haynes, Colleen Cleghorn, , Renaldo Briggs, Rickibah Issac, Shaquille Warren and Shimiah Lewis.
Records Most final appearances Alexandra Stewart112016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026Derron Sandy102014, 2015, 2016, 2017,202, 2022, 2023, 2024,2025,2026Seth Sylvester92016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026Michael Logie82016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024,2025Idrees Saleem72013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019Deneka Thomas62015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2025Kyle Hernandez62016,2017,2018,2019, 2023, 2024Akile Wallace62013,2014,2015,2016,2018, 2023Abdul Majeed Abdal Karim52019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024Brendon O' Brien52014,2015,2017,2018,2019Renaldo Briggs52021, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026Shimiah Lewis42019, 2020, 2022, 2026Javaughn Forde42019, 2022, 2023, 2025Ronaldo Mohammed42021, 2022, 2023, 2024Kito Fortune42012,2013,2014,2015Marcus Millette42016,2017,2018,2019Shineque Saunders42017,2018,2019,2020Kevin Soyer32020, 2022, 2025Zakiya Gill32020,2021,2022Crystal St. Hillaire (formerly Crystal Skeete)32013,2014,2019Alicia Hayes32024, 2025, 2026Shaquille Warren22025,2026Shakira Burton22024, 2025Keeron Issac22024, 2025Hadiya Phillips22012,2013Warren De Mills22012,2013Kleon McPherson22014,2015Chike Pilgrim22014,2015Verne Titte22015,2016Ahmad Muhammad22018,2020Renaldo "Red" Frederick22019,2020
Most top-3 finishes