# Spokenword — Your poems. Performance-ready.

> Performance timer and analysis tool for spoken word artists. (iPhone/iPad app by Vinod Ralh.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spokenword/id6761039992 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Vinod Ralh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1133752226)
- Category: Productivity, Music
- Price: $4.99
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 6 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2026-04-07
- Data updated: 2026-07-16
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spokenword/id6761039992/reviews.md

## What is Spokenword?

I'm a slam poet. Spokenword is the app I needed and couldn't find.

That sounds small. It isn't. Every slam poet knows the moment when you've lost track of the clock and you can feel the penalty ticking. This app was built from that single, simple concept. The timer doesn't just count down — it shifts through colour zones as your window closes, fires progressive haptic cues so you feel the pressure without looking at the screen, and gives you a grace period so you know exactly how deep into penalty you've gone.

The version problem came next. I perform the same poem in different contexts: three minutes for a slam, two minutes for rapid-fire, with stanzas removed or added depending on the emotional arc I want to share that night. Each version needs its own identity, its own rehearsal history, its own notes. And after a performance, you have maybe five minutes before the memory starts fading. What landed, what didn't, what you changed in the moment without thinking. I needed to capture that before it was gone.

That got me thinking: could I bring data analytics to rehearsal? I wanted to record runs, play them back, and actually compare them. Not just listen, but understand: am I saying this the same way each time, or differently? Where do I rush? Where do I drift?

That whole feature set — the pause maps, the consistency scores, the transcript diff — all of it runs entirely on-device. No data leaves your device. Ever.

The annotation system came from the same place. Sheet music tells a musician where to breathe, where to swell, where to pull back.

I wanted that for spoken word. Add a line comment mid-rehearsal to capture a thought in the moment. And when you record a run, you want to know: did you actually execute those marks, or did you perform a different poem to the one you planned?

The learning aspect is the one I feel most strongly about. I was never taught rhetoric at school. I still couldn't have named most of the techniques I was using. But I was using them, instinctively, every time I performed: anaphora, tricolon, volta. What this app can do is name them, show you where they live in your own work, and give you the language to deploy them deliberately. You layer the techniques, you see what you're building, and you get better at doing it on purpose.

The AI Coach takes that further. It reads the poem you've written and offers two lenses on it: one that finds the rhetorical techniques you're already using (and the ones you might be reaching for), and one that writes a short editorial critique in the voice of a thoughtful peer reader — what's landing, one open question, an optional gentle suggestion. It will not write a fix for you. It will not rank your poem. It will not tell you whether your poem is good. It reads it, sits with it, and writes back. AI Coach is a new, experimental feature — included free for your first 10 uses across both lenses, with no in-app purchase and no subscription. Because it's experimental, it may change or be removed in a future update.

There's also the question of scale. Imagine a prolific poet with hundreds of poems across years of work — organised into collections, importable from any text file, exportable and backed up on your own terms. Your work is yours. Nothing gets lost.

Built for slam poets, spoken word artists, performance poets, and storytellers.

One-time purchase. No account. No subscription. No in-app purchase. Your work stays on your device — the only thing that ever leaves it is the poem text you choose to send to the optional AI Coach.

"Spokenword is a vehicle for learning. I hope it supports your journey the way building it has supported mine."

## Key features

- Performance timer with color zones and haptic cues
- Manage multiple versions of poems
- Record and analyze performance runs
- Identify and annotate rhetorical techniques
- AI Coach for feedback on writing and technique
- On-device data processing for privacy

## Recent user reviews (1 of 1)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spokenword/id6761039992/reviews.md

### 5/5 — A lifesaver for spoken word poets!

*2026-05-01*

I loved this app. The black background makes the text very easy to read during performances or rehearsals.
One of the best features is the ability to store different versions of the same poem in one place. It is practical and keeps everything organised. The option to have an annotated version is great too, especially for adding notes or bits of banter during live readings.
The most useful feature for me, though, is the timer with warning alerts. No more second-guessing whether a poem fits within a time limit or stressing about when the 3-minute mark is approaching.
Highly recommend this for any spoken word artist

## Frequently asked questions about Spokenword

### What is Spokenword's core function?

Spokenword is designed to help spoken word artists prepare for performances. It offers a specialized timer with visual and haptic cues, tools to manage different versions of poems, and features to record and analyze practice runs.

### How does Spokenword help with performance timing?

The app features a timer that shifts through color zones as your performance window closes. It also provides progressive haptic cues, allowing you to feel time pressure without constantly looking at the screen, and includes a grace period indicator.

### Can Spokenword help me improve my writing?

Yes, Spokenword can identify rhetorical techniques within your work, such as anaphora and tricolon, and allows you to annotate them. The AI Coach can also offer feedback on your writing and suggest potential techniques.

### Is my data safe with Spokenword?

All data processing, including performance analysis and AI coaching, runs entirely on-device. Spokenword ensures that no data leaves your device, prioritizing user privacy.

### What is the AI Coach feature in Spokenword?

The AI Coach is an experimental feature that analyzes your written poems. It identifies existing rhetorical techniques, suggests potential ones, and provides editorial critique in the voice of a peer reader, focusing on what's landing and offering gentle suggestions.

### How much does Spokenword cost?

Spokenword is a paid application, available for $4.99. There are no in-app purchases or subscriptions required for its core functionality.

### Does Spokenword have ads?

No, Spokenword does not contain advertisements. It is a paid application designed to provide an uninterrupted user experience.

### What devices is Spokenword compatible with?

Spokenword is available for iPhone and iPad devices, running on iOS.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.6 — 2026-06-25

AI Coach — two new optional lenses on any poem:

Rhetoric — finds rhetorical techniques in your work (anaphora, antithesis, volta and six more), with line references, a confidence rating, and a short explanation for each. You decide what to keep.

Critique — a 150 to 250 word editorial response in the voice of a thoughtful peer reader. Validates what's landing, asks one open question, and offers an optional gentle suggestion. Anchored to a real phrase from your poem.

10 free AI Coach uses are included — try both lenses with no purchase and no subscription. AI Coach is experimental and may change or be removed in a future update.

Privacy: the AI Coach is the only place where your poem text ever leaves your phone, and only when you choose to tap Analyse or Generate Critique. Library, recordings, manual annotations, journal entries — all still stay on your device. No name, email, or Apple ID is stored.

Other improvements:

Light or dark stage — the Perform and Rehearse screens now follow your system Light/Dark appearance, so the stage matches the rest of your device. Prefer it always dark for the spotlight feel? Turn on "Always Dark Stage" in Settings.

Bug fixes and stability improvements across all stage and editor views.

### 1.3 — 2026-04-22

iPad Stage Columns:

Multi-column stage view on iPad — display poems across 1 to 4 columns in Perform and Rehearsal modes
Accurate column packing with annotation-aware measurement — no overflow, no wasted space
Column count selector in the stage top bar with smooth layout transitions

Editor Improvements:

Refined top bar layout with tighter icon spacing for a cleaner look across all screen sizes
Improved page navigation in single-column paged mode
Hide column button when not applicable

Bug Fixes:

Fixed editor content shifting left when switching to annotation or scansion mode on iPhone
Fixed layout overflow in the annotation toolbar on narrow screens
Stability improvements across all stage and editor views

### 1.2 — 2026-04-20

iPad Support:

Full native iPad experience — not just a scaled-up iPhone app
Split-view navigation for Library, Setlists, Journal, and Help — sidebar and detail side by side
Side-by-side Perform and Rehearsal mode on iPad — poem text on the left, timer and controls on the right
Adaptive layout — works in full screen, Split View, Slide Over, and windowed mode on iPadOS 26
Grouped form styling for Settings and editors on larger screens
All existing iPhone functionality unchanged

### 1.1 — 2026-04-08

New Features:

Home Screen Quick Actions — long-press the app icon to perform your pinned poem instantly, no navigation needed
Pin a poem to Quick Launch from the library (long-press) or a specific version from poem detail
Add poems to setlists directly from the library context menu
Batch export selected poems — select multiple, export as one combined file or separate files
Setlist poem picker now has search bar and ready/favourite filters
6 new share card templates (9 total): Spotlight, Broadside, Setlist, Ember, Chalk, Dusk
Backup reminder system with monthly prompt

Bug Fixes:

Audience vibe buttons now all respond to taps (not just the heart)
Vibe icon in journal list shows correct colour per vibe
Find & replace changes now persist immediately
Rhetoric marks no longer lost when returning to annotation editor
Line comments display immediately after save in rehearsal
Compare view uses correct selected versions instead of defaulting to v1.0
Collection list refreshes after add/remove

### 1.0 — 2026-03-31

No release notes.

## More apps by Vinod Ralh

- [Shade Shift!](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shade-shift/id6758073110)
- [Minesweeper Zen](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minesweeper-zen/id6758257945)
- [Signal Zen](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/signal-zen/id6758562654)
- [Fledgling](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fledgling/id6759079053)

All apps by Vinod Ralh: https://appshunter.io/developer/1133752226

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-07-16.*
