World Class Poetry Blog

Open Mic Poetry Readings: My Invitation And Acceptance
21 January 2008, the poet @ 7:56 pm

In the area where I live, York and Adams counties, Pennsylvania, there are quite a few poetry readings. On almost any given night I can go to Gettysburg, York, Hanover, or Harrisburg for a poetry reading. I could probably find one or two in Carlisle as well, but I haven’t looked. It’s quite rewarding.

Because of this, I have a lot of opportunities to read. An independent bookstore in Hanover, Pa. offers a reading once a month and a critique group once a month. Another group in York offers readings twice a month and a critique group once a month. Another York poetry group reads every Wednesday night and another one reads once a month as well. A group in Harrisburg reads every Thursday night. The Gettysburg group meets once a month. There is a lot of getting around.

I’ve recently been asked to offer an open mic poetry reading at my church in Enola. I have not run many groups of this nature, but I obliged. The problem - and it’s only a problem if you see it that way - the challenge with running an open mic poetry reading at a church is you have to balance the poet’s freedom of speech with the propriety of the atmosphere. I suppose you have to do the same thing in certain other public venues, though some open mic readings are bit more edgy (I happen to like those!).

Our first such reading is schedule for third or fourth Sunday evening in February. We have yet to nail down the exact date. But I’d be interested in hearing from anyone out there with experience in running an open mic poetry group and share with me your wisdom in how to get it going and keep it going.

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