Poetic Night Out

I went to a poetry reading last night. It was at a small coffee shop/bar/restaurant in a nearby suburb. The atmosphere was very welcoming and relaxed. All the people there for the poetry reading (about thirty people) crowded into what looked like the parlor of the old Victorian house-turned-restaurant.

The first half of the evening featured a woman from South Africa who shared poems she had written since she was sixteen. She told a little about her progression as a writer, about the four years she had spent working in America, and about the stage of her life she's in now. Her poems were incredible, some were really powerfully political, some showed teenage angst, some showed the disillusionment of nearing middle-age, several were feminist, and a few were light and funny. She had one that blasted American media and attitudes and the mixed messages they cause, which was particularly interesting because it showed the perspective of a South African woman in America to me, an American woman in South Africa.

After a short break, there was an open-microphone session, when anyone who wished could perform poems. It was amazing the diversity of poets and poems shared. A blind man shared a poem about his grandfather's death. An Asian woman read about the miscommunications between women and men. A black woman who studies at UCT did some freestyle poetry that had such amazing rhythm that it bordered on rap music. An older gentleman shared a poem about a stained suit jacket and the stories it told. A young woman spoke about her desire for love and acceptance. An older woman presented poetry about the beauty she sees in nature. All of the poets were recieved with enthusiasm and warmth by the audience, which was clearly a community of friends. It was an incredible experience to see such diverse people sharing their talents and emotions. I felt privileged to be present in such a place.