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This year's National Poetry Slam also came on the heels of another, perhaps even more remarkable thing that happened several weeks ago -- poetry slam celebrated its 25th birthday with an all-star poetry show in its birthplace of Chicago, with some of the biggest names and best talents in slam's history coming together.

Phil West: Poetry Slam at 25: Why Some People Stand in Line in the Rain to Hear Poems Phil West 2011

And so the movement that started 25 years ago -- which has entered and exited a '90s MTV infatuation, an HBO multi-season series featuring some of slam's upper echelon of poets, pop culture references, and various academic critiques and defenses -- is in as healthy a place, if not a more high-profile place, than it's ever been.

Phil West: Poetry Slam at 25: Why Some People Stand in Line in the Rain to Hear Poems Phil West 2011

And so the movement that started 25 years ago -- which has entered and exited a '90s MTV infatuation, an HBO multi-season series featuring some of slam's upper echelon of poets, pop culture references, and various academic critiques and defenses -- is in as healthy a place, if not a more high-profile place, than it's ever been.

Phil West: Poetry Slam at 25: Why Some People Stand in Line in the Rain to Hear Poems Phil West 2011

And so the movement that started 25 years ago -- which has entered and exited a '90s MTV infatuation, an HBO multi-season series featuring some of slam's upper echelon of poets, pop culture references, and various academic critiques and defenses -- is in as healthy a place, if not a more high-profile place, than it's ever been.

Phil West: Poetry Slam at 25: Why Some People Stand in Line in the Rain to Hear Poems Phil West 2011

This year's National Poetry Slam also came on the heels of another, perhaps even more remarkable thing that happened several weeks ago -- poetry slam celebrated its 25th birthday with an all-star poetry show in its birthplace of Chicago, with some of the biggest names and best talents in slam's history coming together.

Phil West: Poetry Slam at 25: Why Some People Stand in Line in the Rain to Hear Poems Phil West 2011

This year's National Poetry Slam also came on the heels of another, perhaps even more remarkable thing that happened several weeks ago -- poetry slam celebrated its 25th birthday with an all-star poetry show in its birthplace of Chicago, with some of the biggest names and best talents in slam's history coming together.

Phil West: Poetry Slam at 25: Why Some People Stand in Line in the Rain to Hear Poems Phil West 2011

This year's National Poetry Slam also came on the heels of another, perhaps even more remarkable thing that happened several weeks ago -- poetry slam celebrated its 25th birthday with an all-star poetry show in its birthplace of Chicago, with some of the biggest names and best talents in slam's history coming together.

Phil West: Poetry Slam at 25: Why Some People Stand in Line in the Rain to Hear Poems Phil West 2011

And so the movement that started 25 years ago -- which has entered and exited a '90s MTV infatuation, an HBO multi-season series featuring some of slam's upper echelon of poets, pop culture references, and various academic critiques and defenses -- is in as healthy a place, if not a more high-profile place, than it's ever been.

Phil West: Poetry Slam at 25: Why Some People Stand in Line in the Rain to Hear Poems Phil West 2011

And so the movement that started 25 years ago -- which has entered and exited a '90s MTV infatuation, an HBO multi-season series featuring some of slam's upper echelon of poets, pop culture references, and various academic critiques and defenses -- is in as healthy a place, if not a more high-profile place, than it's ever been.

Phil West: Poetry Slam at 25: Why Some People Stand in Line in the Rain to Hear Poems Phil West 2011

This year's National Poetry Slam also came on the heels of another, perhaps even more remarkable thing that happened several weeks ago -- poetry slam celebrated its 25th birthday with an all-star poetry show in its birthplace of Chicago, with some of the biggest names and best talents in slam's history coming together.

Phil West: Poetry Slam at 25: Why Some People Stand in Line in the Rain to Hear Poems Phil West 2011