by Sam Pierstorff
Poetry Lives Here: April at Queen Bean Celebrates National Poetry Month
The Modesto Artists Movement is proud to present two standout opportunities this April (National Poetry Month!) for poets and spoken word enthusiasts!
On the second Wednesday of the month (4/8), Queen Bean Coffee & Social House will once again transform into a hub of rhythm, language, and a whole lot of chaos in the best way. Our Poetry Night and Haiku Battle features live poetry performances, musical accompaniment, handmade trophies, and a ruckus crowd. There’s also $100 on the line for the best poem of the night.
And then there’s the Haiku Battle. This month’s theme: “Shaiku,” a hybrid, shade-based twist on the traditional form only sharper, more clever, and a little but ruthless. Haiku is basically a poetic roast battle in 5-7-5. Come for the poetry and stay for the antics.
Then, on Wednesday, April 29, the energy builds toward one of the most anticipated events of the season: SLaM on Rye! April’s High Stakes Poetry Slam!
This is not just another open mic poetry night. This is the competitive art of poetry performance! Poets get 3 minutes to read one original poem. The audience judges and the highest scoring poets move on to compete in a second round.
The winner will take home $200 and, more importantly, earn an automatic bid to compete at The ILL LIST Poetry Slam this December at the State Theatre, one of the country’s most prestigious spoken word stages!
SLaM on RyE will also feature a special performance by the Stockton Youth Poet Slam Team, showcasing the next generation of voices already shaping the future of poetry in the Central Valley.
As City of Modesto Poet Laureate Angela Drew reminds us, “poetry lives here.”
April is your invitation to find out. Whether you’re stepping up to the mic for the first time, or hooting and hollering for your favorite piece, or just sitting back to soak up the incredible spoken word, poetry absolutely lives in Modesto and we are going to be quiet about it!
