By Laura McCarthy.
October Books’ open mic poetry evening is a monthly event, hosted by the Southampton bookshop on the third Friday of every month, with the next being on Friday 18th October. I went along to the September event. So, what can you expect?
Initially, I had no idea. I’d never attended an open mic poetry night before and had visions of lengthy, pretentious evenings which would either bore me to death or induce an immense sensation of pure, painful cringe. I was wrong.
I’d arrived a little early, before the doors were open. There was a small crowd of people already waiting. Instantly, they were welcoming. Warm smiles. Calming conversation. From our casual chat outside, I gathered that most people who attend do write but not everyone shares, or that they may share one month but not necessarily every month. Several regulars also attend other open mic poetry events, such as Write a Note which is hosted at the MAST.
Inside, there was a good crowd of attendees, not quiet nor was it too overwhelming. Some come in pairs but a lot of guests arrived alone – like me. The atmosphere was comfortable: low stakes and little pressure. I saw a man with a backpack full of paper clipped books. I saw poets flick through pages in notebooks.
Whilst waiting, I spoke to a woman who regularly attends the event.
I asked her if she wrote a lot of poetry and always had poems to share.
She said that she writes a lot.
“When inspiration strikes,” she added. “Sometimes it doesn’t. Funnily enough, one time I thought “oh, I can’t go – I haven’t got anything new” but then the next morning I had a fully formed idea for a poem called Something New.”
We discussed her work and when she mentioned that she was going to read a riskier poem today I asked: ‘why do you do this? Is it a good opportunity to try stuff out?
“I try to go in as though I’m not looking for validation but that’s easier said than done. It’s good to share.”
The event was hosted by Amelia, who works at October Books. She gave us free reign to share whichever poems we liked, regardless of theme, but we had a ten minute time limit for sharing. Next time they host the event, ghostly and ghoulish poems are to be shared – fitting for an October event in a bookshop which shares the same name as the month.
To break the ice and ease us in, Amelia shared a light-hearted poem about a pond, before selecting a name from her list to follow up. I was immediately impressed by the first poet, who set the tone with his use of beautiful imagery and mythical poetry which played with perspective. He was followed by my new friend. It was a joy to hear her read after listening to her explain her process; she shared the poem she had labelled as quite ‘risky’ for its steamy nature but I found it to be quite charming, capturing an intimate moment in her unique voice.
Each poet who came after offered something different, varying from the pensive to the witty to the sublime. The variety of reading styles was equally enthralling. It strikes me as a key part of these events, as you don’t get the same experience when reading from a poetry book in your head. I found a bearded gentleman to have the most dramatic, audiobook-ready reading voice: a perfect accompaniment to his humorous yet mysterious poem inspired by Welcome to Nightvale. Another poet was expressive and energetic – a true joy to watch.
When it came to reading my own poems, I had felt somewhat uncertain but also comfortable enough to try this new thing due to the welcoming and supportive environment. It was emotional. Surprisingly emotional. Especially when I shared a very personal poem called The Queen Is Dying which was about when my mother was in hospital at the same time the UK public heard reports of Queen Elizabeth’s death.
Amelia did a great job of tying up the event, levelling out the tone again with a final poem. Afterwards, I was warmed by the caring and encouraging comments offered by the other poets. Many attendees did linger for a little while to discuss what was shared as well as to catch up or introduce themselves. A good opportunity for socialisation. I could see this being a great place to make new friends with like-minded people, particularly important as an adult where there are fewer chances to do this. In fact, on my way out, I overheard someone who’d recently moved to the area introduce themselves to Emily.
I found it to be a really worthwhile experience. I certainly would recommend for others to go, especially writers or those looking to make meaningful connections with others in their community.
For more information, visit the October Books events page.
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