The term "slam poem" is really an umbrella category for all poems meant to be performed for a
live audience in a competitive environment.
"Spoken word" refers to all poetry meant to be
performed aloud, including in noncompetitive environments like open mics. Therefore, all other
kinds of poems, from haiku to sonnets to love poems, can be considered slam or spoken word
poems. And slam and spoken word poems can be the exact same thing.
A word on emotional power: the most powerful poems often contain self-revelations and
personal secrets and fears, rather than just outrage turned outward at, say, political leaders.
If you can let your secrets and weaknesses and fears and joys out and alleviate the tension with
humor and not come across as self-pitying but as honest and wise-in-retrospect, you're a real
slam poet.