Top End slammer shows how it's done

How do your guts feel after eating five hotdogs, then going on one of those crazy show rides where you spin upside down for a few minutes (which seem to last a lifetime?).

It's this feeling of over indulgence - of sensual overload - that Jessie Watson captured perfectly in her entry to the Poetry Slam competition.

Performing in the Top End final - she faced tough competitors, including last year's NT champion 'Noodle'.

Combining song and poetry with a whole lot of satire, Watson took the audience straight to the dodgy side show stands, walking through the showbag halls, and that horrible feeling that can happen when you've eaten a little too much, or bought one too many tickets for the 'crazy mouse' ride.

Watson says her inspiration came from working in one of those "horrible" side shows.

"I've worked in Queensland before, and just this year did a few days at the Darwin show to make some extra money. It was a hard experience - but great inspiration for my writing!"

Watson has been writing poetry for many years, but has only recently started performing.

"I only started performing when I arrived in Darwin. I'd been hanging East Timor posters, and there were a few police around - not that it was really that criminal, but they used to tell us it was - so we ducked into Browns Mart. The Poetry Cup was on, and I had one, so I just wrote it out, performed it, and I won!"

She continued that winning streak by performing 'The Show' in the Top End finals of the poetry slam competition - and just scraping home for a win.

Now going to Sydney for the national final - Watson says she's got a lot to inspire her.

"I work as a relief teacher in schools, so there's always something going on ... I think the Sydney trip's going to be a lot of fun!"

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