What Teachers Make

“What Teachers Make” adds to the literary tradition of slam poetry. Slam poetry is defined as spoken word pieces that are usually around two minutes long, are easy to understand, and often incorporate literary devices such as rhyme and repetition. Additionally, slam poems tend to have a rhythmic, passionate climax. When performed, this climax tends to be quite moving, with the poet raising or speeding up their voice. Ultimately, what characterizes a slam poem is its theme and subject (which are usually relatable, such as relationships, politics, religion, or social issues), the clarity of its statement, and the element of performance.

Mali’s “What Teachers Make” incorporates all these elements. Mali, who worked as a teacher for many years, speaks about a topic that he’s passionate about: education. Addressing the social issue of the importance of educators, Mali’s poem also celebrates the literary tradition of slam poetry. The poem is rhythmic, passionate, rhyming at times, and there is a clear climactic rise toward the poem’s conclusion when Mali repeats the many things that teachers make students do to help them become better human beings: “I make kids wonder, / I make them question.