Archive of the Spoken Word Poetry Movement
in Trinidad and Tobago
Journal Special Issues
Paula Morgan and Amílcar Sanatan. 2021. Creating a Caribbean Sense of Place: Calypso, Spoken Word and the Oral Tradition. Tout Moun: Caribbean Journal of Cultural Studies (1)
Journal Articles
Delaney, Kelsi and Gabrielle Jamela Hosein. 2024. “Spoken Word and Gender-based Violence Education among Adolescent Girls in Trinidad and Tobago.” Caribbean Quarterly 70 (3-4): 350-370
Evans, Lucy and Gabrielle Hosein. 2025. “Using Spoken Word and Theatre in Gender-based Violence Education with Adolescents in Trinidad and Tobago.” Research in Drama Education: The Journal of Applied Theatre and Performance: 1-18
Kerrigan, Dylan. 2019. “She Look for It: Young Men, Community Violence, and Gender in Urban Trinidad.” Caribbean Journal of Criminology 1 (4): 29-59
Miranda, Katherine C. 2012. “Spread the Word: Synergia and Trinidad and Tobago’s Re-versed Poetics.” Anthurium 9 (1): 1-6
Neigh, Janet. 2016. “Digitizing the ‘Sound Explosions’ of Caribbean Performance Poetry.” sx archipelagos: 1-20
Sanatan, Amílcar. 2021. “High Time to Break Up the Boys’ Club: The Gendered Politics of Spoken Word and Open Mic Spaces in Trinidad and Tobago.” Caribbean Journal of Education 43 (1): 109-128. 2021
Essays and Commentaries
Lamsee, Akilah. 2024. “Gender-based Violence and Activism in Spoken Word Spaces.” Caribbean Quarterly 70 (3-4): 411-428
sanatan, amílcar. 2026. “Big Speech, Small Island: Tobago’s Speech Band in Spoken Word and Oral Traditions.” IYARIC Journal 3: 78-86
sanatan, amílcar peter with Fayth Seaton, Sean Singh, Deneka Thomas and Zariel Thomas. 2026. “Anthro-poets from East Port-of-Spain’s Yards: Spoken Word as Arts-based Methodology for Ethnography in Urban Trinidad and Tobago.” IYARIC Journal 3: 17-28
sanatan, amílcar. 2025. “Errata of Memory: A Tribute to Anson Gonzales and the Power of Spoken Word.” Magma Poetry 93: 30-32
Interviews
Adisa, Opal Palmer. 2019. “Interview with Amilcar Peter Sanatan.” Interviewing the Caribbean 4 (2): 112-117
Postgraduate and Undergraduate Student Research Projects
Lamsee, Akilah. 2021. “The Spoken Word Movement in Trinidad: In this Community, Everyone has a Voice?” Master of Arts in Cultural Studies Research Project, Faculty of Humanities and Education, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus
Weekes, Kwame. 2015. “The History and Evolution of Spoken Word Poetry in Trinidad and Tobago.” Undergraduate Research Project, Faculty of Humanities and Education, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus
Curated Blogs, Magazine Articles and Features
Allen-Agostini, Lisa. 2006. “Words from underground: Trinidad’s open-mike performance circuit thrives outside the limelight.” Caribbean Beat 81 (September/October 2006)
Herbert, Ariana. 2017. “Poetry grand slam | Word of mouth.” Caribbean Beat 144 (March/April 2017)
Muller, Nazma. 2015. “Say It Loud.” Caribbean Beat 132 (March/April 2015)
Muller, Nazma. 2015. “2 Cents for Change.” Commonwealth Foundation (Blog). April 29, 2015
Websites of Spoken Word Poets and Researchers
Alexandra C Stewart: alexandracstewart.com
Derron Sandy – Performance Poet: derronsandy.com
Freetown Collective – We are Freetown: wearefreetown.love
Gabrielle Jamela Hosein – Grrl Scene: grrlscene.wordpress.com
Lisa Allen-Agostini: lisaallen-agostini.com