The Omaha Healing Arts Center Poetry Slam

Home of the 2003 and 2006 National Poetry Slam semi-finalist Omaha team and 2007 iWPS Finalist Dan Leamen

(and now on MySpace at www.myspace.com/omahahealingartspoetryslam)


(image © Omaha Healing Arts Center)

2nd Saturday of every month

at 1216 Howard in the Old Market beginning at 7:30pm

more great events at the Healing Arts Center

The Healing Arts Center has been a place for great poetry and performance since January of 2002. Doors open at 7, with an open mic (you have up to 3 minutes to read whatever you'd like) starting at 7:30pm and the slam (competition poetry (see below) 3 rounds (meaning you need 3 poems, none longer than 3 minutes)) beginning afterward. Emceed by Matt Mason and Zedeka and featuring many of the nation's finest poets, it's guaranteed better than a night at the movies for only a $7 suggested donation.

Sign up is limited, so to read you must sign up before 7:30. Sign ups will only be allowed after 7:30 if there are less than 6 on the open mic list or 8 on the slam list.


Upcoming Schedule:

  • July 11 features both the Omaha and Lincoln National Poetry Slam teams as well as a silent auction for fantastic items from everyone from Big Brain Tattoo to Opera Omaha. Tonight is also a No-Repeat month... meaning if you slam with a poem you've slammed with here before, you get docked 2 points that round (having open mic-ed it is okay)

  • August 8 has no feature right now. There may be a special August show with DC/Baltimore poet Chris August so watch this space.

  • September 12 has no feature right now.

  • October 10 features NY poetry slam legend and 2009 Women of the World Poetry Slam champ Rachel McKibbens!

  • November 14 features Ames, IA poet Jim Coppoc, a man with THREE books coming out from different presses in the next year.

  • December features the Women of the World poetry slam finals to determine Nebraska's representative at the 2010 international event.

The Omaha Healing Arts Slam thanks The Nebraska Writers Collective and the Lincoln Poetry Slam for help booking our features.


If you'd like to receive monthly show updates, send email to mtmason at novia.net asking for the Poetry Slam emailings.

To qualify for the Omaha National Poetry Slam Team, Individual World Poetry Slam, or World of Women Poetry Slam (the 3 annual Poetry Slam, Inc. events) see the Omaha Tournament Page.

Help the Omaha Poetry Slam bring in great features and send poets to events like the National Poetry Slam by donating: click here to donate.


2009 Slam Season Champions

January 10, 2009
April Team Finals Qualifiers:
1st: Steven Evans
2nd: Sara Lihz
3rd: Dan Leamen		 February 14, 2009
April Team Finals Qualifiers:
1st: Zedeka
2nd: Steven Evans (Already qualified)
3rd: Ben Wenzl (Already qualified)
4th: Katie F-S
5th: Jarvis		 March 14, 2009
April Team Finals Qualifiers:
1st: Steven Evans (Already qualified)
2nd: Tryst
3rd: Ron Horner
4th (Tie): Marissa Gill
4th (Tie): Lucas

April 11, 2009
Team Omaha Finals

1st: Ben Wenzl
2nd: Dan Leamen
3rd: Sara Lihz
4th: Steven Evans
5th: Pat McEvoy
6th: Marissa Gill
7th: God's Gift
8th: Katie F-S		 May 9, 2009
1st: Jarvis
2nd: Pat McEvoy
3rd: Deirdre Evans
June 13, 2009
1st: Ron Horner
2nd: Tryst
3rd: Kayla Ostronic

2008 Slam Season Champions

January 12, 2008
March Team Finals Qualifiers:
1st: Tryst
2nd: Pat McEvoy
3rd: Sam Stecher (declined spot)
4th:Marissa Gill		 February 9, 2008
March Team Finals Qualifiers:
1st: Stacy Fox
2nd: Jarvis
3rd: Ross (declined spot)
4th: Duo Cult

March 8, 2008
Team Omaha Finals

1st: Johnny Tornado
2nd: Jarvis
3rd: Stacy Fox
4th: Steven Evans
5th: Pat McEvoy
6th: Tryst
7th: Ron Horner
8th: Marissa Gill
9th: Sara Lihz
10th: Ross
April 12, 2008
Anything Goes slam
1st: Marissa Gill
2nd: Sam Chesters
3rd: Sara Lihz		 May 10, 2008
Anything Goes slam
1st: David Hufford
2nd: Sara Lihz
3rd: Duo Cult		 June 14, 2008
1st: Zedeka Poindexter
2nd: Tryst the Assassin
3rd: Sam Chesters
July 12, 2008
1st: Jarvis
2nd: David Frenzel
3rd: Janine Brooks		 August 9, 2008
1st: Jarvis
2nd: Austin Rodenbiker
3rd: Deirdre Evans 		September 13, 2008
1st: Deirdre Evans
2nd: Steven Evans
October 11, 2008
1st: Pat McEvoy
2nd: Jordan Brown
3rd: Sara Lihz

November 8, 2008
WoW Finals

1st: Sara Lihz
2nd: Katie F-S
3rd: Oracle Jones 		December 13, 2008
April, 2009 Team Finals Qualifiers:
1st: Pat McEvoy
2nd: God's Gift
3rd: Ben Wenzl


Click for the 2002-7 Slam Season Champions




What's a poetry slam? It's competition poetry; meaning humor, politics, sex, entertainment masquerading as literature, literature masquerading as entertainment. Poets will read, then judges will flash Olympic-style scoring (ranging from 1 to 10) based on the poet's poem as well as performance of the poem to determine who goes on to the next round until there's just one poet left standing as the champion, and only the champion can leave with the Golden Monkey.

The Omaha Healing Arts Slam uses the rules listed at PoetrySlam.com

We're proud to have hosted Marty McConnell, Roger Bonair-Agard; Buddy Wakefield; Anis Mojgani; Yusef Komunyakaa; Big Poppa E; Ken Arkind and Panama Soweto; Mike McGee; Shane Koyczan; Sean Conlon; Andrea Gibson and Katie Wirsing; the 2006 Normal, IL Poetry Slam Team; Gary Mex Glazner; Detroit's Scott Klein; the 2004, 2005, and 2006 Denver Poetry Slam Teams; Dessa Darling; Jonathan Bryant; the Albuquerque and Des Moines Poetry Slam Teams; Craig Arnold; Luke Warmwater; Charlie Rossiter and more.

Also, closely-affiliated Omaha readings have featured Marc Smith, Eitan Kadosh, Phil West, Anthony R. Miller, Rachel Kann, Morris Stegosaurus, Cat Sanders, Derrick Brown, Hilary Thomas, Bret Axel, and Earl Bates, among others.

For more information or to receive monthly updates on the show, send an email to mtmason at novia.net asking for the Poetry Slam emailings, or go to poetrymenu.com for other info.

Those interested in information on featuring, contact Zedeka Poindexter at

the Poetry Menu
Omaha Healing Arts Center
PoetrySlam.com
PoetrySlam.net		 SlamNation on DVD

Links: MidVerse.com: Matt Mason and Sarah McKinstry-Brown

Last update: June 14, 2009