Five years ago, most Calgarians would have associated the term “spoken word” with talk radio or Henry Rollins. Now, it conjures images of jazz music, slam poetry, fiery wordplay and dynamic performance. Spoken-word poets can be found at fundraisers, cabarets and festivals across the city, and audiences nod along to familiar rhythms and beats. The genre’s surge in popularity has many sources, but a huge chunk of credit goes to a certain five-year-old festival.

In 2004, acclaimed local poet Sheri-D Wilson started the Calgary International Spoken Word Festival with four events, a handful of artists and a shoestring budget. In theory, it was a humble, grassroots affair; in reality, the first-year festival featured Juno Award-winner Lillian Allen, Governor General’s Award-winner George Elliott Clarke, and renowned beat poet Diane di Prima. This was a gathering of talent that Calgary had never seen, and it was hungry for more.

Since then, the Calgary International Spoken Word Festival has been an April staple. The month not-so-coincidentally happens to be National Poetry Month. Audiences have been treated to world-renowned artists like bill bissett, George Bowering, Raine Maida, Bill Richardson and Anne Waldman, festival favourites like Ivan E. Coyote, D. Kimm, Dwayne Morgan and Billeh Nickerson, and dozens more. Now celebrating its fifth anniversary, the festival is larger than ever, spanning the entire month of April (and even peeking into the first week of May) with a wide variety of events.

“The festival is all about inclusion and integration,” says Wilson. “There’s a great range of age and culture all mixed together. You’ll see transgendered performance alongside a book launch — it’s a really nice balance of different things on a single stage.” In keeping with its theme of diversity, the festival kicks into full steam with a Cree rendition of “O Canada” by Asani (Earth-to-Earth Day Gala, April 22) and features an all-French evening of poetry (Francophonétique, April 23) and a celebration of women’s voices (Story Circle/Woman Song, April 27).

Each event, in turn, features wildly diverse artists. “When I heard Duke Redbird in Toronto, he was just unbelievable; he had me levitating,” says Wilson. “We have Patrick Lane, his amazing tales of recovery and healing. Ras Mo, Clifton Joseph, Sarah Murphy, Orunamamu — all people who are illuminated and authentic.” Other performers in this year’s festival include award-winning novelist Hiromi Goto; Bob Holman, of NYC’s Bowery Poetry Club; François Charron, author of over 40 francophone books; acclaimed television actor Karen Hines; and Michael McClure, a legend in the beat and hippie movements.

The festival’s success has inspired an explosive response in the artistic community, with spinoff events popping up in all corners of the city. In 2006, the festival began hosting the Calgary Poetry Slam, a series of competitions that culminates, every year, in the formation of a team to represent Calgary in national poetry competitions. The 2007 Slam Team competed in Halifax last fall, and its members have been keeping busy since: Kirk Ramdath hosts the Passion Pitch Poetry reading series; Shone Abet was a major force behind this year’s Femme Fatale Carnivale and production of The Vagina Monologues; Robey Stothart co-founded the popular Thought Express arts group; and Möe Clark recently completed her debut spoken-word CD with the help of local musical sensations Chris Dadge and Lorrie Matheson. Not to mention that, in November 2008, Calgary will be host to the National Slam Competition, bringing poets from across the country to compete for glory on our doorstep. The excitement has even spilled outside of city limits. This month, The Banff Centre hosts its inaugural Spoken Word Program, with 16 students and four faculty. Suddenly, our city and region are host to a blossoming community of spoken word.

“Who knew Calgary could be this exciting?” Wilson exclaims. “People are suddenly engaged by poetry. They don’t know what to do with it, they’re slightly confused by it, but they’re engaged. Spoken word speaks in the voice of the people, in a poetic language that can be understood and communicated. It makes you check in with your own humanity. Everyone can relate to it.”

The full festival lineup and details can be found at www.calgaryspokenwordfestival.com. In the cornucopia of artists, genres and themes, you’re sure to find a performance that turns your crank. This April, hop onto Calgary’s poetic bandwagon, and find out what spoken word can mean to you.