With the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word behind us (and a nod to the Up From The Roots Slam Team, which won the national slam title in Saskatoon last month representing our fair city), the community begins to think about 2013, and looks to end 2012 with a bang. A number of spoken word showcase events highlight a busy month for performance poetry in the GTA.

HOT TICKETS

WORDSPELL SPOKEN WORD / NOVEMBER 7 / 7:30pm / FREE TIMES CAFE / $6-$10 SLIDING SCALE
The second instalment of Toronto's spoken word showcase of female voices features performances by the hilarious and talented Amanda Hiebert, and the up-and-coming Mo Ali, known as Child of Life. The show is hosted by 2012 national slam champion Lishai and will also have an open mic for female-identifying wordsmiths wishing to share their words.

SUFI POETS' SERIES: A NIGHT OF WOMEN'S POETRY / NOVEMBER 9 / 7PM / BEIT ZATOUN / $5
Ignite Poets brings together an all-star line-up of poets sharing their words as part of a celebration of Rabi'a of Basra. Poets on the bill include Mahlikah Awe:ri, Ayesha Chatterjee, Doyali Islam, Andrea Thompson, Jacqueline Valencia, Banoo Zan and host Sheniz Janmohamed.

WHEN BROTHERS SPEAK / NOVEMBER 10 / 8PM / ST. LAWRENCE CENTRE FOR THE ARTS / $38-$48
When Brothers Speak is North America's premiere showcase of Black male spoken word artists. This year, host and organizer Dwayne Morgan brings together JustJamaal from Ottawa and Marc Marcel from Baltimore, with past national champions PrufRock (Ottawa), Knowmadic (Edmonton) and Ritallin (Toronto).

2ND ANNUAL TORONTO HEAD-TO-HEAD HAIKU SHOWDOWN / NOVEMBER 13 / 8PM / SUPERMARKET / $5

Hosted by Cynthia Gould, the Toronto Poetry Project presents a showdown of epic 5-7-5 proportions. Haiku writers will share their work in a series of head-to-head showdowns. If you've never been to a haiku match before, it is a hilarious, rollicking affair with some of the funniest, dirtiest, profound, and enlightening messages in a mere 17 syllables! If you're interested in participating, send an email to info@torontopoetryslam.com to get more information.

BAM! THE YOUTH SLAM - FINALS / NOVEMBER 14 / 6PM SHARP / THE CENTRAL / $5

Toronto's newest slam team will be determined at this two-round event for youth aged 12-19. The team selected will represent the city at upcoming slam tournaments in Toronto and further afield. The show will also feature performances by two US-based poets--Princess Chan and Deonte Osayande.

ONTARIO SPOKEN WORD CIRCUIT PRESENTS MISSIE PETERS / NOVEMBER 15, 21, 26 & 28

The OSWC is a consortium of five spoken word groups that stage monthly spoken word events in London, Guelph, Hamilton, Burlington, Mississauga, Toronto and York Region. Thanks to the Canada Council for the Arts they will bring a high-profile artist each month to perform at the venues on the circuit. This month it's Victoria BC poet/improv superstar Missie Peters at Burlington Slam Project (November 15), Bill Brown's 1-2-3 Slam (November 21), Mississauga Poetry Slam's 1st Anniversary Show (November 26) and YorkSlam (November 28).

MEHDI CAYENNE CLUB & EMOTICON DAWN / NOVEMBER 20 / 9PM / CAMERON HOUSE / $8

According to the event write-up: "Emoticon Dawn is a Alberta raised, Toronto based duo comprised of pianist Arlen Yanch and [Canadian and world champion] poet Ian Keteku. The sound is an alchemy of genres and emotions; from neck breaking hip-hop to heart-thumping orchestral movements." Keteku's previous musical projects have been experiences, and I expect this will be no different. Opening act is a bilingual music/poetry ensemble led by Ottawa spoken word wizard Mehdi Hamdad.

Other Shows & Events

Livewords / November 1 / 7:30pm / Black Swan Tavern / PWYC

Britta B. & Majalyn Present: The Girls Next Door Show / November 3 / 8pm / The Magic Oven / free

Sunday Poetry / November 4, 11, 18 and 25 / 11:30am / Ellington's Music & Café / free

Love Jones Sundays hosted by Tomy Bewick / November 4 / 6pm / No One Writes to the Colonel / $10

R.I.S.E. Poetry Movement / November 5, 12, 19 and 26 / 6pm / Scarborough Youth Resource Centre / $2

The Art Bar Poetry Series / November 6, 13, 20 and 27 / 8pm / Pauper's Pub / PWYC

The Beautiful & The Damned hosted by David Bateman / November 8 / 7pm / Glad Day Bookshop / PWYC

Toronto Poetry Slam / November 11 (ft. Chris August) and November 24 (7th Anniversary ft. Missie Peters) / 8pm / The Drake Hotel / $5

Toronto WordStage / November 14 / 7:30pm / Q-Space / free

Hot-Sauced Words: Man-O Rhyme-O Show / November 15 / 8pm / Black Swan Tavern / PWYC

Roots Lounge Open Mic & Poetry Slam / November 18 / 8pm / Harlem Restaurant / $5

Plasticine Poetry hosted by Cathy Petch / November 18 / 6pm / Pauper's Pub / free

Spoke N' Heard: Evolution of Consciousness / November 18 / 6:30pm / House of Moments / $15adv-$20door

The Gong Show hosted by Dwayne Morgan / November 28 / 8pm / Harlem Restaurant / $10

For more listings, head on over to the events calendar or check out the Cytopoetics Events spoken word blog for local info updated weekly during the month.

Have a spoken word event coming up that you'd like us to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO events calendar.

Greg "Ritallin" Frankson is the creative director of Cytopoetics, as well as an arts educator and a spoken word artist himself. Photo of Ian Keteku by Visual Poetics in the blogTO Flickr pool