published December 9, 2010
As we cram for finals and rush to finish last minuet projects, the elusive dream of finally venturing home for the holidays drifts closer. Seeing old friends and family and spending what’s left of our paychecks on gifts that will possibly get returned will consume your winter break, therefore before you get to all that fun, I feel the need to leave you with a small news update from school and the surrounding area.
To kick off the second night of opening at the Red Ravens new venue, Lacey Scheelk and a group of 10 other poets got together on December 2 for the second GLTBQAI poetry night. The new location on Main Ave, Fargo ND is certainly a change from Red Raven’s former scene. A confined basement room has given way to the high lofted ceiling, salmon pink walls, hanging glass ball lights, and massive doors of an old firehouse. Parking is limited, but seeing as it’s just a bus ride and short walk away from MSUM campus, the commute is more than reasonable. Amidst the sounds of the coffee maker and the construction that accompanies the work in progress coffee house, the space accommodated a total of about 30 guests including myself and some university professors.
The order of the readers was decided by drawing names of a hat and the organizer of the even –quite appropriately- was the first up, delighting everyone with a short song tribute to Adam Lambert as well as a prose poem from class. Justine Breedon voiced her thoughts on the “mush left by Bush”, and Akshat Sharma left me particularly satisfied with his satirical poems, love letter with a twist, and the March Hare: a Gay Conduct Novel. The rest of the night included; Hidden Psalms, a 4th grade poem about rain being mother earth’s tears, Annual Resistance, songs and improvisation accompanied by drums reminding us to slow down and take our time in life, and even a brilliantly awkward piece about Green Spandex. The night ended with, get this: a knighting. Scheelk, leaving MSUM for MN State in Minneapolis, dubbed two poets Amy Schobinger; Lady of Words, and Danica Maloney; Dame of Pages as her successors who will continue with the tradition of poetry night in the future.
Not being a particularly adamant frequenter of the poetry scene, I was pleasantly surprised with the whole experience and I’m glad that I was able to go, even when being pulled around by the pinkies by the café owner’s young daughter. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a plug for poetry readings all over the world, but in a small community where one of the readers may very well be someone in your class, or even someone you know, it really is worth it to be involved in. As Amanda read from a poem she wrote on her phone, “it’s time to learn something new, every day.”
There will be more opportunities to get involved with the GSA scene and I hope to see you readers at the next event! You might enjoy it more than you think.
To wrap up this semester, I offer a heartfelt thanks to all the wonderful poets and guests who attended the second event at Red Raven. Have a wonderful and safe winter break and look forward to weekly sexuality columns from yours truly next semester! Stay curious.
