Spoken Word
Most folks lean their description of "poetry slams" toward being a competition where artists or writers perform their pieces on stage for an audience of judges. Without a doubt, that's a big part of it. A notable difference between a 'poetry slam' and a 'poetry reading' is the execution, which tends to incorporate drama and performance rather than the traditional soft-spoken delivery. The art is also referred to commonly as 'spoken word' because of its focus on tone and language during performance.
Slam poetry is about feelings, emotions and stories, but it's mixed with personal style and it displays intimate characteristics. Style is a defining characteristic of slam poetry and to be unique, it has to be your own - and that's what makes poetry slam poetry. Once you nail that concept, you're ready to impart your wonder to the world.
From: The Art of Spoken Word Poetry