It’s time for another Poetry Open Mic in Essex!
January’s poetry gathering at the Belden Noble Library celebrated local poetry ranging from poignant to amusing and formally structured to visual collage. Fish around in your bureau (or your hard drive) for your favorite wordsmithing artifacts and dust them off for “show and tell” next Wednesday evening. Poetry of all stripes and persuasions is welcome and warmly received. No fuss. No pretense. Just honest-to-goodness, local, organic, free-range poems written and read by your neighbors.
Poetry Open Mic Information
Who: Poets and poetry fans
What: Poetry Open Mic
Where: Belden Noble Library
When: Wednesday, February 27 at 7:00 pm
Why: Life is good, but poetry makes it better!
If you’d rather listen than read, that’s fine too. Poets love an audience! So don’t feel like you have to read (or recite) your poetry to attend. The poetry open mic is an informal and friendly event to celebrate compelling word clumps. Beautiful word clumps. Sad word clumps. Funny word clumps. Rhythmic word clumps. Wise word clumps. Goofy word clumps. Musical word clumps. You get the picture.
For those who’ve logged more hours at the Old Dock, Delevan’s Tavern or the Essex Cafe than the Essex library, the Belden Noble Library is located in Essex, New York, directly across from the Essex Ferry dock (Map and more information here). The address is 2759 Essex Road, Essex, New York, 12936 and the telephone number is (518) 963-8079.
Bring a poem, an appreciation for poetry and a friend. You won’t be disappointed.
Poetry Open Mic FAQ
Q: Is it really an open mic?
A: Yes. And no. Next Wednesday’s community poetry reading is wide open to the public. But you’ll find no microphone. The space is intimate. And the acoustics are groovy. No microphone is needed. So, strictly speaking the Poetry Open Mic is not really an “open mic”.
Q: Is it actually a poetry slam?
A: No. While last summer’s poetry events were billed as poetry slams, they were actually just informal, public public readings in which everyone was invited to share their own poetry aloud with a friendly and supportive audience. Poetry slams are competitive. “Simply put, poetry slam is the competitive art of performance poetry. It puts a dual emphasis on writing and performance, encouraging poets to focus on what they’re saying and how they’re saying it. A poetry slam is a competitive event in which poets perform their work and are judged by members of the audience.” (Poetry Slam – General FAQ) Next Wednesday you’ll witness no competition, only encouraging and admiring peers.
Q: Is it child friendly?
A: Although poets are invited to decide for themselves whether or not their material is appropriate for the audience, there are sometimes children in attendance and even reading or reciting their own poems. I attended all of the poetry last summer summer and never once did I witness poetry that was inappropriate for children.
Q: Is there a fee to attend? To read?
A: Although similar events elsewhere often require payment for attendance, it is totally free to attend and/or read at the Poetry Open Mics.
Q: Do I have to be a published poet to read?
A: Certainly not. Most of the poets reading write poetry for fun rather than profit. (Excuse the cheeky aside to all writers who’ve grown rich publishing poetry!)
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