Arizona Spoken Word Poet, Slam Artist & Performer
Skyelyn Riggs-Davis is an American spoken word artist, slam poet, musician, audio engineer, and event producer based in Arizona. Emerging as one of the most compelling voices in the Southwest poetry scene, Riggs-Davis is known for emotionally charged performances that blend vulnerability, political commentary, humor, and theatrical storytelling.
Drawing deeply from his lived experience as a bisexual transgender man, his work explores themes of identity, masculinity, queer survival, grief, class struggle, addiction, love, and resilience in the modern American Southwest. His performances often fuse slam poetry traditions with musical cadence, cinematic imagery, and raw confessional narrative.
A regular feature on Arizona’s competitive poetry circuit, Riggs-Davis has become recognized for his commanding stage presence and deeply human storytelling style that resonates with audiences across spoken word communities nationwide.
Spoken Word Career & Poetry Style
Skyelyn Riggs-Davis first gained regional attention through live performances at underground poetry venues and slam competitions throughout Arizona. His poetry combines high-intensity spoken word delivery with lyrical narrative structures influenced by punk music, Americana, queer literature, and performance theater.
His work frequently addresses:
- LGBTQ+ identity and transgender visibility
- Mental health and recovery
- Working-class life in Arizona
- Political and cultural tensions in the American Southwest
- Community healing through art
- Masculinity and emotional vulnerability
Audience members and fellow poets often describe his performances as visceral, cinematic, and emotionally confrontational while remaining deeply compassionate.
Riggs-Davis performs regularly with the Phoenix-based collective Ghost Poetry Show, one of Arizona’s most active spoken word platforms. Ghost Poetry Show regularly features his recorded live performances. (YouTube)
Notable Poems & Performances
“Starve”
“Starve” became one of Riggs-Davis’s breakout live performances after its appearance at The Rebel Lounge in Phoenix. The piece examines hunger in both literal and emotional forms, using themes of addiction, survival, desire, and self-worth. (YouTube)
“Mourning Doves”
“Mourning Doves” is among his most widely discussed recent works, exploring queer identity, fear, violence, and survival in America through layered metaphor and stark imagery. The performance circulated heavily across Southwest poetry communities in 2026. (YouTube)
“Gunslingers”
Using Western iconography and outlaw mythology, “Gunslingers” critiques modern social conflict, performative heroism, and systems of power in contemporary America. (Facebook)
“Peter Parker Pan”
A fan-favorite performance piece, “Peter Parker Pan” blends pop culture references with themes of arrested development, trauma, nostalgia, and identity.
“Baby B”
One of his earlier recorded showcase performances, “Baby B” captures the raw foundations of Riggs-Davis’s performance style and remains popular among longtime followers of the Arizona slam scene. (YouTube)
Poetry Slams, Festivals & National Competition
Skyelyn Riggs-Davis is active in both regional and national poetry slam communities. He has represented Arizona at national-level spoken word competitions, including finalist tracks at the Blackberry Peach National Poetry Slam in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
He has also participated as a registered independent competitor in the Chicharra Poetry Slam Festival, a respected gathering for contemporary slam poets and performance writers.
Beyond competition, Riggs-Davis contributes significantly to the poetry community as an organizer, producer, host, and mentor for emerging performers.
Producer, Host & Community Organizer
In addition to performing, Riggs-Davis has developed a reputation as a passionate arts organizer within Arizona and the broader Southwest literary community.
InkSlam Invitational
Riggs-Davis served as producer and emcee for the 2026 InkSlam Invitational at the Greenway Court Theatre during Los Angeles’s annual LA Get Down Festival.
Body Slam Poetry
He also hosts and curates “Body Slam Poetry,” a regional spoken word series dedicated to performative writing, experimental storytelling, and community-centered poetry events.
Workshops & Mentorship
Riggs-Davis has led queer-focused writing workshops throughout Arizona, including workshops connected with the Flagstaff and Tucson Poetry Slam community.
A 2024 workshop profile described him as “an up-and-comer on the Arizona poetry scene” who believes poetry can “heal and inspire our community.” (Downtown Flagstaff)
Arizona Poetry Scene & Cultural Impact
As an openly bisexual transgender performer working in spoken word and live performance spaces, Skyelyn Riggs-Davis represents a growing generation of queer Southwestern artists reshaping contemporary slam poetry culture.
His work reflects the unique intersections of:
- Arizona regional identity
- queer storytelling
- DIY performance culture
- grassroots literary organizing
- modern spoken word traditions
Through performance, mentorship, and event production, Riggs-Davis continues to expand the visibility of queer and trans voices within the national poetry slam movement.
Where to Watch Skyelyn Riggs-Davis
Live and recorded performances by Skyelyn Riggs-Davis can frequently be found through: