September 18, 2002
Writers appreciate open mic musings
Area poets gather at Horzion Cafe
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Poets from around the region gathered Monday evening in the Horizon Shine Caf‚ to celebrate their art.
With 14 people reading poems original and classic, the evening spanned the spectrum from insightful to humorous, biting to forgiving. Styles of the original poetry read, which comprised the bulk of the material, ranged from free verse to rhyme to rap. The topics were varied, including everything from machines, shopping and love to comets, war and butchers.
For the poetry junkies from around the region who came to read and listen, it was a home run night.
"I just enjoy sharing my poetry and hearing different styles," said Paul Couturier of Traverse City. "There were a lot of different variations here tonight, all of them valid."
Couturier, a student at Northwestern Michigan College, loves writing poetry because it gives him a chance to convey a vision in words, give something abstract flesh. A fast writer, Couturier often completes most of a poem within in 30 minutes.
"People have told me my work evokes visions, not necessarily of specific things but ideas," said Couturier, who terms his style 'bizarre.'
Four of the readers at the event had never read their work in public before, but bravely soldiered up to the microphone. And even veteran readers say they get the jitters upon occasion, that reading their cherished and intimate work can be scary.
"When you write something, a place like this is kind of like bringing you baby out in public for the first time," said Jim Ribby of Rapid City, who recited two classic poems.
Ribby believes that poetry readings are invaluable to the artists, who often toil in isolation and obscurity.
"They give you a chance to experience and experiment other writing styles," he said. "I've known people who almost all the time write in rhyme who will come to something like this and hear free verse for the first time and go home and write some."
Mike McManus of Suttons Bay and Todd Mercer of Bellaire organized the poetry reading group. The veteran poets met at an open mic event during this summer's jazz festival and decided to work together to create an ongoing forum for poetry readings.
McManus, a retired opthamologist and head of ethics at Munson Medical Center, got the idea for the group after attending a poetry workshop this summer in Idlewild, Calif. He was pleased when 25 people turned out Monday night, more than half of whom read.
"There were a lot of new people, people who said they had never read in public or who had only written a bit," said McManus, who wryly acknowledged that poetry has gradually taken over his life. "That was nice to see."
Mercer, a veteran poet who has been seriously writing since he was 15, said poets are generally supportive of each other at readings.
"Anyone who has been up there once has that terror of the moment and can understand what it is like," said Mercer, who is self-publishing a chapbook of his poems. "No one person's style will appeal to everyone no matter how good they are."
However, Paul Stebleton of Interlochen noted that the event's politely attentive audience is a stark contrast to rollicking poetry slams he has attended in the past in other areas. These free-for-alls include extensive audience input and are not for faint-hearted poets.
"A poetry slam is much more interactive, you shout at the people reading," he said.
Stebleton said that poetry readings, interactive or otherwise, are important to a poet, both for feedback and to express themselves.
"Poets don't have a great deal of outlets for their work," he said. "This gives them a chance to express their muse to other people."
The poetry reading group will meet the third Monday of every month at 7 p.m. in the Horizon Shine Caf‚ in downtown Traverse City.