Community and Passion from Poets and Writers’ Open Mic
Micah Bessette
He/Him
Staff Writer
10/3/24
On Thursday, September 26th, the PSU Poets and Writers club invited creatives around campus to get on stage and share their work at the Groovy Noodle. With a full house, each performer got the opportunity to express themselves through their writing and music.
I’ve performed at many open mics throughout my life, and the positive and welcoming environment I was shown on Thursday stood out to me. Often when I perform at events like this, I feel like background noise. After performing at the Groovy Noodle, I felt like I was part of a community that cared about each of its members.
Throughout the night, regulars and newcomers shared their talents, with a wide array of genres, from love poems to nostalgic songs to poems angry about the state of the world. The audience’s support and the range of taste made it a successful night. “This was probably one of the best, most energetic first open mics of the semester,” said Dylan Tulk.
There were several acts throughout the night that caught my attention, like Adam Watson’s original song, “Concrete Memories,” where he sang about the nostalgia of being at a skatepark with his friends during the summer. Watson was the first performer of the night, and his thoughtful lyricism and passionate guitar playing are what drew my ear.
The three poems that stuck out to me were Tulk’s “Everything in a Poem is Furniture,” Paul Rogalus’s poem about the good ol’ days of the punk scene, and Alison Kaiser’s poem about the state of politics.
“Everything in a Poem is Furniture” was a love poem that used furniture as a metaphor for the aspects of poetry, how all the parts can be arranged and displayed to create the most impactful poem. Tulk was excited to share his work and was glad to see the large turnout. “A lot of first-time readers, which is always amazing,” he said.
Both Kaiser and Rogalus’ poems invoked deeper emotions through visuals and stories that struck a chord for me. Rogalus’s poem used humor and sarcasm to compare today’s punk scene to what it used to be. His words brought you into his memories, and his jokes received many laughs throughout the audience.
Kaiser’s poem spoke about how easy we have it as US citizens and sympathized with the many war-torn countries around the world, specifically Palestine. She also spoke about election stress, and her powerful language created a performance that silenced the whole room.
As a songwriter I may be a little biased, but I was glad to see how many musicians showed up. One musical performance I really enjoyed was Quinn Sabia’s melancholy acoustic guitar cover of “The Funeral Portrait,” by Opeth. Sabia, who has been playing guitar for around ten years, had a soothing effect on the entire room as he was playing.
Throughout the open mic I could sense the talent in the room, and each performer added their own unique taste to the night. If you’re interested in performing your work or a cover, make sure to check out the next open mic night in late October. Like many, Watson has appreciated the chance to express himself through this event. “I think it’s great that there’s an opportunity in Plymouth for creative minds to come together and share what they’re working on.”