Poets
slam, beat, rock
By Vince Scott and
Casey Nichols
Contributing Writers
Online Forty-Niner
The second in a series of poetry open mic nights, known as Poets Lounge, combined
elements of jazz, painting and rap, entertaining an enthusiastic crowd at the
University Student Union Thursday.
“
That’s the direction I would like to see the event go, mixing all the arts
together,” said Christine Bryant, program council assistant and organizer
of the event.
The event was moved from the Soroptomist House because of electrical problems,
but still drew about 50 students.
Brian Caleb, described as “deep” by nursing major Melissa Assibey,
kicked things off with a piece titled “Welcome to the Ghetto” that
described the life of some individuals living in lower-class neighborhoods.
The four-piece jazz group, Scenic Root, provided mellow grooves for many of the
poets who engaged in a wide variety of subjects.
Mixed in among the music and spoken word art was Zizi Barhams, an art major who
did a canvas painting inspired by a text message she sent to a “million
friends” the previous day which said, “Is what you’re living
for the same thing that you would die for.” She said she got all types
of responses but said the idea was to get people to think and was reflected in
her painting — a hard-thinking woman with round balls of ideas coming from
her head.
Monterey Powell, who assisted in putting on the event, said April 21 would be
the last in the series for this semester. She hopes to bring in poets from other
schools for some friendly competition next semester.
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