On Oct. 30, I had the pleasure of attending Night Heron’s Poetry Open Mic Night, which Amaranth Publishing Company put on. The Night Heron houses a poetry night on the last Wednesday of every month.
This open mic night is put on for poetry lovers of all levels. Abel Ruiz, the founder of Amaranth Publishing Company, said “It’s just cool to have a space where like-minded people can come together and share their stuff with a lack of judgment. Everyone is going to be open, and openly accepted. People can feel free to experiment with things, and just put yourself out there.”
The CEO of Amaranth Publishing Company, Hallie Guidry, added on by saying, “Community is so very important. Writing can be very isolating. Having a community of people like you to lift you up and give you feedback is so special.”
This sense of community was very clear to me immediately when it started. Readers had brought their family and friends to showcase their poetry. It was a very safe space for people to share something as vulnerable as poetry. Ruiz said, “We are not here to judge, we are here to inspire.” It was moving to see beginning poets along with high-level poets being applauded for their work, no matter the experience.
There were 11 readers who read a mix of their own poetry and others. All the readers had a beautiful performance, filled with emotion. One reader in particular, who went by ‘Melody’, showcased her original poems. The first one, titled ‘Mammogram’ was filled with humor, and the last was a heartfelt poem dedicated to a friend who passed away, titled ‘Relative vs Ultimate’. The transition from bringing laughter to bringing tears was seamless.
Night Heron Books and Coffee was a perfect host for this. The Night Heron is a very kind and accepting environment, along with the people inside of it. Guests can get coffee, or drinks, and watch the poets perform their moving poetry. The smell of coffee, the warm lighting, and the sound of spoken-word literature are the perfect mix for a calm Wednesday night.
I would recommend attending Night Heron’s Poetry Open Mic Night to any literature lover, or poet of any level if they are looking for a unique environment to perform their poems.
