abstract
This article is the result of recent observations of the marginal literary scene of São Paulo. Interesting political, ethical and aesthetic issues arise from the study of literary salons and poetry slams organized and attended especially by economically underprivileged young people in peripheral, poor areas of the city. I argue that these events, in which poetry is performed, are potentially revolutionary not only because of the messages of social revolt and political menace conveyed by texts which are greatly influenced by hip-hop culture, but also for the way they are performed as well as the alternative social networks these events help to establish. Linked to the broader process of empowering subaltern voices in Brazilian society, slams and literary salons in poor areas are contributing to the creation of counter-hegemonic discourses that may deconstruct crystallized social representations. At the same time, they may challenge widely accepted ideas about what literature is, and how it is produced and delivered.
Keywords:
marginal literature; literary salons; slam poetry; literary circulation