I am giddy with excitement. I just returned from my first hosted open mic poetry reading. The event was held at the Reformed Episcopal Church in Enola, Pa., which is where I attend regularly. At my pastor’s behest, I started the venue and it looks like it will be well attended. It was certainly well received by those who attended tonight.

Our church holds a monthly contemporary worship service on Sunday night and we decided that it would be a good night to add a poetry reading directly after that event. So we did just that.

I’ve never organized a poetry reading before. I’ve been to quite a few, of course. I’ve even been a featured reader at some of them. I’ve also been a member of several workshops and critique groups. But I’ve never organized a poetry event, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.

Typically, poetry readings are attended by poets, who show up to hear a featured reader then read their own poems. Some of them arrive expecting to read then leave. These types of events are usually held in coffee houses, book stores, or local pubs. We held ours at a church.

I had not planned to have the event, or to host it. I decided, last summer, to have a beer and poetry event in my back yard at home and invited my pastor, Father Don, to attend. He did. At the event he asked me why I don’t sponsor such an event at the church, without the beer. I thought, “Why not.” So that’s how we got started.

During the planning process I decided to invite my friend, former poet laureate of Hanover, Pa. Dana Larkin Sauers, to be the featured reader. She agreed and that was that. The deal was on. Dana brought her best friend, current Hanover Poet Laureate Mike Hoover, and a few other poets I know in this area showed up as well. We even had a poet from the area that I was not familiar with who had heard about the event from one of the poets in attendance. So we had a good turn out.

Besides the poets in attendance, several members of our congregation stuck around for some poetry and snacks. In all, the event was a big success and several of the poets in attendance said they would come back. I’m so glad they enjoyed themselves.

Since the event was held at a church, we decided to make it a “family friendly” event. That doesn’t mean all religious verse. It does mean no cussing, swearing, gratuitous sex or violence, or other material inappropriate for children and old people with pacemakers. Everyone followed the rules. I didn’t think they wouldn’t. But it’s nice to know that some people will respect boundaries.

I’m looking forward to future events. We plan to have the open mic reading monthly and I will be promoting it in the local papers. As I learn more about how to organize such events and get better at actually running one, I think it will turn into a grand occasion. I will, of course, be seeking featured poets in and around my area to come and share their works with the folks at St. Michael’s Reformed Episcopal Church. You know, it’s good to break new ground.

Look for a review of Dana’s book “Between the Space of Grace and Gray” soon.