by Sam Pierstorff
February Brings Poetry, Love, and a Little Controlled Chaos to Downtown Modesto
Modesto is in the middle of a creative renaissance! We were recently crowned one of the state’s newest cultural districts, the Dos Rios Arts and Cultural District, by the California Arts Council, a crown that has historically been worn by bigger, more regal cities. Not anymore! Big city poets and comedians, DJs and musicians are coming to us to experience this radical cultural shift in the world of the arts. Big cities are saturated and isolating places. Modesto, in contrast, feels more like home. We collaborate and build communities around our art and that makes life so much more colorful. Art, especially poetry, brings people together to celebrate the human spirit and to connect over shared experiences.
This February 11th, 7:30-9:30pm, that energy and enthusiasm comes alive once again at the Queen Bean with our crowd favorite Valentine-themed Poetry Night and “Dirty” Haiku Battle, presented by the Modesto Artists Movement.
This signature MAM event is equal parts literary showcase and joyful mayhem. Poets of all experience levels are able to share their original work on any theme with improvised musical accompaniment by Dave Rogers (drums) and Marina John Hanna (piano/cello). One standout poet will be awarded $100 for Best Poem of the Night.
Alongside the open-mic poetry is the wildly popular Haiku Battle, where eight poets go head-to-head in fast-paced, three-line combat. In honor of Valentine’s Day, battlers will bring haikus inspired by love or hate. They can be clean or dirty, and the audience will decide who advances. The final poet standing earns the title of Haiku Champion and $100 prize.
What makes these nights special isn’t just the competition. It’s the community. First-time readers and seasoned performers share the same stage, and strangers become cheerleaders for one another. Laughter, snaps, silence, and surprise fill the room.
The Modesto Artists Movement believes that writing is an art anyone can practice, and when people tell their stories and share their art, cities grow stronger.
www.modestoartistsmovement.org
