Morray named Iowa City’s SlamoVision champion
Cornell College senior Henry Morray has been named Iowa City’s SlamoVision champion for 2022 following a competition on Saturday, Oct. 15.
Morray, who is pursuing an individual major in product development and marketing, was the winning poet after three rounds. Morray is the President of Lyrically Inclined, the spoken word poetry club on campus.
The video of his slam poetry performance will be entered into the international SlamoVision competition, held in November.
What pieces did you perform?
The three pieces I was fortunate enough to perform were called “Perpendicular Universe,” “4 You and 4 Me,” and “Deadlines.” In “Perpendicular Universe,” I essentially set myself in a scenario where I meet my ideal self in an alternate universe. The poem is a look in the proverbial mirror and is a self-reflection of my desire, but failure, to live up to my own high expectations.
“4 You and 4 Me” was written by me last year and I performed it at the Culture Show. It’s a four-part poem with a fifth part conclusion. At the SLAM I performed the first two parts. It is a roller coaster of emotions where I challenge the idea that something like the genie of an idea such as Love could be bottled up in four letters. I wrote this poem when a friend of mine was going through a lot of hurt. If you’ve ever felt another person’s pain who’s close to you, when they hurt–you hurt too. I thank God that if a positive situation can turn negative the reverse is also true. The poem was started on a moonlit night walk where many tears were shed, and inspired by a friend going through a hard time. In their struggle, I saw my own.
“Deadlines” is about my love-hate relationship with time and perfectionism. It is a poem where I splurge on both dichotomy and play on words.
What does this win mean to you?
First and foremost I want to thank Associate Director of Intercultural Life Tiyah Western for bringing this opportunity to our attention. Director of Intercultural Life Hemie Collier and Associate Director of Student Life Rebecca Sullens, for helping me coordinate travel to the event. Associate Director of Student Success Brandi Shanata for being a supporter and believer of Lyrically Inclined as well as helping transport us to the event. Many thanks also to Professor of English and Creative Writing & Robert P. Dana Director of the Center for the Literary Arts Dr. Rebecca Entel for her continued support of Lyrically Inclined! Also, shout out and thanks to Dominiquinn Wilcoxen ’25 for getting fourth place at this event as well as being clutch with transportation! Shout out to fellow Lyrically Inclined poets who performed at the event: Abi Teklemariam, Isabella Strauss, and Emy Taylor!
Winning this competition meant and means the world to me. I’m really happy for what this does for both Cornell and Lyrically Inclined. My greatest desire was to get Lyrically Inclined out of the four walls and into the big world out there. The amount of love and good energy I felt from my competitors become friends, friends become better friends, and the community is overwhelming. It was a bonding and surreal shared experience that I, along with members of Lyrically Inclined who attended, were just beyond grateful to be a part of.
According to an announcement by the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature Organization, SlamoVision is a project of the international UNESCO Cities of Literature. Slam poets in 10 of the 42 Cities of Literature around the world compete in their home cities. One poet from each participating city moves on to an international competition to be judged by fans from the other cities. At the end of the process, one poet will be named the SlamoVision champion for 2022.
