The Philly Pigeon

A poetry slam is a competition between poets performing original work judged by members of the audience. Wise and Jacob Winterstein

The first Friday of each month (October-May) at PhilaMoca at 12th and Spring Garden St. we will bring you an amazing out-of-town featured poet, a fantastic local spotlight poet and a three round elimination slam.


7:30 Poetry Workshop
8:30 Slam sign up
9:00 *sharp* show starts

$10. "The Pigeon has its wing on the pulse of everything that makes a good poetry show. Phenomenal hosting, dynamite environment, and they're putting in leg work to build a community around expert craft and performance. If I lived in The Illadelph, I'd be there first Friday each month. No brainer."
- Jon Sands, Author of The New Clean

"I was a part of the inaugural The Pigeon Presents: The Philadelphia Poetry Slam and expected that like all new slam venues I might be patting the organizers on the back at the end of the night saying, "There, there. Next time it will be better." But the Pigeon came out of the gate roaring. Or cooing with vigor. The massively energetic crowd showed me so much love and left me with the feeling that the Philadelphia Poetry Slam is going to be more than just a poetry venue but a place for the Philly community to check in, express their joys and support phenomenal voices of all kinds."
- Eboni Hogan, 2010 Women of the World Poetry Slam Champion

"Um, who told this Philly Pigeon that it should be so fresh? That the poets should be so 110% alive? That the organizers should so elegantly raise the bar a few skyscrapers on what it means to put on a show? That I'd rub a statue of a Pigeon like it was a Buddha belly and feel healed by the whole shebang? Packed to the gills and laughing and hungry and snapping and the opposite of zombie? I'm feeling about as grateful as can be. Thank you Jacob Winterstein, Ms. Wise, The Pigeon and the Philadelphia Poetry Slam community. You shine."
- Shira Erlichman, Poet, Musician and Pushcart Nominee


"Performing at The Pigeon is a delight – one of the most generous, spirited, and attentive audiences I’ve ever seen. A vibrant community; I congratulate Jacob and Ms. Wise for what they have built and was honored to be a part of it."
- Jeanann Verlee , Sandy Crimmins National Prize for Poetry