Harrison Auditorium was filled to capacity Monday night as the College All Star Poetry Slam kicked off this year’s annual Spring Fest at North Carolina A&T State University.

Hosted by English professor Bryon Turman and Mr. A&T Austin James, this slam featured thirteen poets from A&T, UNC-G, and Bennett College.

“It was awesome,” said Armie Hicks, junior information technology major from Raleigh, N.C.

“I liked the diversity using other schools, as well as the spirituality, sensuality, and sexuality that the poets used.”

A&T sophomore Brandon Brockington walked off the stage as the winner as he competed against twelve poets in a three-round elimination competition. Each poet was judged on content, creativity, performance, and delivery.

“I am very appreciative,” said Brockington, an English education major from Baltimore after he won.

“I’ve been writing since I was six, but didn’t start Couture Word until last semester. Fingers [Brian Fingers] is really the reason why I do this, I probably wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t for him.”

As a segue between rounds, performances by Couture Productions, Couture Dance and a breakout performance by the band Batteries Included kept the audience entertained as the judges calculated the scores for the poets from each round.

In addition to those performances, DJ Red October kept the crowd rocking in their seats as well as a showcase of clothing from The Difference Boutique.

“This was our first performance as a band,” said drummer of Batteries Included Reggie James.

“We were all confident, and there was more anticipation than nervousness,” said James an accounting major from Sterling, Va.

Within each round, each poet talked about a variety of different topics and issues ranging from suicide to cuddling.

One poet, however, took a different approach to her delivery.

A&T poet Champ brought her mother on stage, and recited a heartfelt poem asking for her mother to die slow.

She expressed her love and appreciation for her which did not leave a dry eye between the two of them.

Within the first two rounds, the poets competed against those from their school, before finally competing against poets from different schools.

In the last round one poet from each of the three schools all recited a poem about the devastation in both Haiti and Katrina.

Finalist Brandon Evans from UNC-G expressed in his poem about how he felt for those in Haiti, and how we should help them, however we should not turn a blind eye to those devastations that hit us at home like Katrina.

“I really enjoyed performing,” said Evans, a sophomore media studies major from Rocky Mount, N.C.

“I just leave it to God, and get my inspiration from him.”

“I was really amazed by the talent,” said Xavia Johnson junior public relation from Atlanta, Ga.

“I really liked Brandon’s approach, especially his play of words.”

• Kelcie McCrae