Poetry interest grows as Lincoln hosts multitude of readings, performances

There is no better time to be a poetry fan in Lincoln. Local businesses, like Indigo Bridge Books and Crescent Moon Coffee, offer regular readings with dedicated community support. Even the Bourbon Theatre, known mostly as a large music venue, is recognizing the poetry love and hosting an impressive show of local and nationally recognized writers on Aug. 3.

The "Poet Show It" event will feature a dozen writers and two musical performances — Lincoln's Birds and Kansas City's No Nigerian Scammers. The featured poets, Ben Clark from Nebraska and Colin Winnette from Texas, are currently embarked on the "Tarantulas in the Haystack Tour," a 15-stop tour of the Midwest in promotion of their new and forthcoming books.

Clark spent most of his teen years in Aurora, Neb., before receiving his bachelor's degree in English education and master's degree in teaching, both from Hastings College. He is currently finishing his MFA in writing at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

He found significant success since moving to Chicago, but said touring on this scale is a completely new experience. Venues like the 750-person capacity Bourbon Theatre, in particular, require a new approach to reading in front of an audience.

"In a smaller setting, eye contact and subtlety come into play more often, whereas the larger setting calls for a more dramatic, defined, almost theatrical experience," Clark said. "Both Colin and I are performers — we've been in bands before, theater, and Colin has a performance-based practice in Chicago. We're comfortable altering our performance and text for audience size."

Clark gained experience with the public aspect of writing previously through regular attendance of the Vox Ferus writing workshops in Chicago, which he said dramatically improved his writing skills and introduced him to a number of other touring poets. Now that he's on the road, he said he has learned a lot from tourmate Winnette's audience rapport and the fine-tuning that comes from continual performance.

"We discuss each show in detail after performing and take into account which poems succeeded, which poems need work, etc," he said. "We both have tightened as performers."

Performance may not be everyone's first thought when hearing the word "poetry," but just minutes from the Bourbon Theatre, writers and art fans gather every Tuesday at Indigo Bridge Books in the Haymarket for a similar, though perhaps somewhat less theatrical, event.

Since April, Indigo Bridge's Open Mic Night has grown into a stable and beloved community of talent. Host and facilitator Amy Keller is a singer-songwriter from Lincoln. She expressed great satisfaction in being able to see performers overcome nervousness and uncertainty about reading in front of an audience.

"We specifically wanted our open mic to be a place where people listen intently and are interested in what's being said," she said. "I've been to events where the open mic is like an afterthought, and you get the feeling no one's really listening to you. That's so frustrating for someone who is pouring out their innermost thoughts or sharing the work they've so painstakingly created, and then feeling ignored."

Keller has also been able to witness the vast range of themes and subject matter that come out when six to 10 people from the public share 15 minutes of their work, which can be either musical or literary. She described fiction from military service to zombie-fighting with Oz characters, and poetry ranging from Allen Ginsberg-inspired performances to poetry with "more of a rap cadence to it" dealing with censorship, family members' life stories and "love for mandolins."

"There's serious and there's light, as well," Keller said. "The amount of talent you can hear on a Tuesday night in Lincoln, Neb., really is inspiring."

Keller highlighted the openness of the group, as well, saying those interested in performing can simply come in when the show starts every Tuesday at 7 p.m. and sign up then.

Downtown Lincoln has become a hotspot for poetry fans and participants alike. Bourbon Theatre's "Poet Show It" brings poetry to the mainstage in a well-orchestrated big event, and Indigo Bridge proves that a thriving community can entertain poetry fans on a weekly basis. It's a welcome and refreshing sign that poetry is alive and well in the city of Lincoln.

cameronmount@dailynebraskan.com

Upcoming and Ongoing Lincoln Poetry Events