Posted 9:53 AM by Bonnie

Open Mic Night at Drew's Blues Cafe! I am trying to find the words to describe the event last night! I knew when I asked Colette Jones to be our guest poet it was going to be something different, something special, and something very exciting... and Colette didn't let us down! Her poems are powerful, moving, enriching and after the kids went home..well, let's just say the erotic side heated things up a bit. Oh yeah, she was spectacular!

We were honored and pleased to have contingency from Morris College and Bates School! The Morris College students came more to observe, but some have promised to bring poems next month. This time only one young woman, Shekelia Baccus, shared some of her poems.

Lindsey Castle, Madeline Lawson and Patrick Nelson, part of the creative writing club from Bates school, joined us and read some of their poems. I am more and more impressed with the young people and the courage they have to get up and read their poems to a room full of mostly adult strangers, and at the depth of their poetry. Hopefully, they will continue to grace us with their presence. I hope they see this because no sooner did I walk in the door last night than my phone rang. On the other end of the line was someone who had been there and just wanted to let me know how impressed they were with these young kids and to comment on the courage it took for them to do what they did.

Michele Reese, and English professor and author joined us last night. She didn't read but came up to chat with me after the event. She was very gracious and commented on how impressed she was with what we were doing and has promised to join us again. Although she said next time she would get there early enough to get a better seat! She ended up by the door which isn't the best viewing spot.

In the end, we had a total of 12 poets, which included me, and a packed house! We laughed, we hooted, we applauded like crazy, we oohed and aahhed and felt the pain of some, the quixotic of others, and just enjoyed the night and each other. Yeah, it was quite a night!


Colette Jones Elizabeth Platts Shekelia Baccus Eric aka "Jerzey" Maria Crady

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Joyce Williams Ms. S. York Morris Students



Ms L. Castle Ms M. Lawson Mr. P. Nelson