Back to The Gnu’s Room for a preview of The Original Poetry Night (and a quick poem) with Kolayah KeeVan. Just click on the button below to listen or check us out on iTunes!
There are two lessons about poetry I have personally taken to heart. Once upon a time, I was an English undergrad. One of my favorite professors taught a class on Milton. I don’t recall the exact context, but I do remember very clearly that he admonished the class that if we had never tried writing poetry of our own, we probably didn’t have any business being English majors. This came as a comfort to me because I’d written some pretty bad poetry, so I figured that counted. Not so long after that, I was working in pubic radio, which used to be friendlier home for poetry than it is today. The host of a weekly program on poetry pointed out to me that radio is a natural setting for poetry because it really should be heard, not read from the page.
Kolayah KeeVan clearly learned and internalized the lessons that poetry is for everybody and that it wants to be experienced aloud. This multi-faceted artist and performer has already brought one night of poetry to Ardistry in downtown Auburn. Now, he’s teaming up with Amy from Ardistry again for The Original Poetry Night. In keeping with Amy’s ongoing patronage of the visual arts, Carole Bandy Carson’s work will also be featured along with the poetry and spoken-word art of Nena Grace, Tiffany Taylor, Kolayah, and a special surprise artist.
The Original Poetry Night happens Saturday, May 1st, 8 p.m. at Ardistry, 114 Magnolia (upstairs from Moe’s). Donations are welcome and encouraged.
– Kelly Walker
