Poet Palooza: A Rain-Soaked Review
Part of the Afterimages NaPoMo series
Though the storm nearly washed us away, the poetry never stopped. Thirty West was proud to participate in Poet Palooza during National Poetry Month. Offering over twenty different poets and publishers, the four-hour event filled Barnes and Noble’s café with words. Hosted by poet and long-term showrunner Mike Hoff, this was one of the most memorable community literary events I’ve attended.
The afternoon started off with Celtic storyteller, Brin Moody. She shared musical poetry about a personified Ireland calling out for liberation, and an ode to all those who lost their lives in pursuit of it. After her reading, Brin was kind enough to show me the bodhrán she usually performs with. Read her work in The Comenian Newspaper.
Brin wasn’t the only poet to invoke foreign shores. Sabrina Marzaro spends her days split between New York City and Paris, France. She came all the way to Easton to share pieces from her new book, Brushstrokes. Her final piece, “Thunder,” was complimented nicely by the raging storm as it shook the building. She spoke about the fear that we will never be able to replicate lost love, and how growth comes from that insecurity.
Damian Rucci made the trek in from New Jersey, though he’s used to driving as a touring poet. His booming voice projected across the aisles as he shared his set. His dark Americana style is humorous, soulful, and honest. I was personally partial to his first piece, “And if I did, so what?”, a solid and funny poem that spits in the face of the judgmental onlookers who disapprove of Rucci’s style. Read it in his chapbook, The Shape of Poetry To Come.
The New Jersey poetry scene was well represented. Sam Rubinstein, Chris Dorian, and R. Sen The Poet brought incredible work to share. Sam’s piece about a boy who fell victim to the call of the Sharks was whimsical and heavy hitting while still being humorous and engaging. Chris Dorian’s poem about policies was music to my admin-hating ears. Reflective of his experience with bureaucracy, it’s based on his discovery of “The Official Policy on Policies”. R. Sen worked with ideas of empowerment and heartbreak, masterfully and humorously. Their poetry collection, Introspection, was released in 2021.
Mike Hoff was joined by two co-hosts, Magnus and Alix. Both gifted poets connected to the scene through The Nobel Quills Open Mic and Workshop, they are talented, funny, and full of adoration. Many of the small moments between performer introductions were filled with declarations of love, support, and comradery. The sense of welcome and community they bring into a room is noticeable and deeply appreciated.
There was a slew of audience engagement and endearing moments throughout the afternoon. Robert Martin and his charming jokes come to mind. He asked the crowd if anyone identified as a caveperson. Our daring co-host, Alix, spoke up and Mr. Martin proceeded into his piece, detailing a list of items every caveperson needs to survive. He would periodically ask Alix if they were taking notes after particularly cutting lines that poked fun at violence and consumerism. His book, Secret of the Wind, is on sale now.
Both parts of Poetry as Promised performed for us, promoting their Poetry Anthology Blog. Florence-Susanne Reppert’s set was mournful and moving. They spoke about their experiences with grief and loss as well as the intergenerational joy they find in poetry. Daulton Reppert’s reflective set explored themes of growth, poverty, and strength. Florence-Susanne’s debut chapbook, Trigger Warning, is available now.
As the event approached its end, performers and audience members alike stayed consistent and impressive. Joseph Reuben was expressive and enthusiastic, sharing a poem about his childhood, and the places he has gone since. With colorful imagery depicting his grandmother, the local playground, and a need to move forward, it was hard not to be enamored by his work. Poet Cleveland Wall entertained us all with her acrostic poetry printed small and centered on comically large paper—and a pantomimed story of her friend bopping her cat with it before the event.
Poet Palooza hosted publishers as well as independent poets. E. Lynn Alexander took the stage as the east-coast representation for Collapse Press. She closed us out for the evening, speaking about and talking to the girl she used to be. In the era of healing your inner child, and protecting your inner teen, Alexander’s poem was a soothing introspection on the complicated layers of growth.
Events like Poet Palooza, Nobel Quills, Popcorn Poetry, and other community art events are the fuel on the fire of indie publishing. It is the communities we foster, the work we read aloud, and the connections we make through art that make the literary community worthwhile. I was honored to represent Thirty West at this event and excited to see what else comes from local poetry scenes, this April and every other month of the year.
Maddy Brozusky is a poet born and raised in NEPA coal country. After a brief stint in the US Army, they are graduating from Kutztown University, majoring in English with a minor in professional writing. They are a Co-Host of the Popcorn Poetry Open Mic; their work can be heard at any #nomorepoems event. They’re a long-time reader, writer, activist, and adventure enthusiast. They are the spring 2023 intern for Thirty West.
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Thank you so much for capturing your thoughts on this event, which really turned out to be a great afternoon of community.