Chamblee54

Last fall, PG read poems at a family gathering in Tennessee. There was a great response. PG decided to look for a performance outlet in Atlanta. On Oscar night, five months later, PG went to his first open mic. Pictures are from The Library of Congress.
Java Monkey is a coffee house. It is across the street from the Dickhater marta station. PG had been reluctant to go there, for a number of reasons. Dickhater is a long drive down skinny, four lane Clairmont Road. Red lights fester impatient drivers. Once you get to the end, there was the question of where to park.
Last week, PG got some good information about where to park. This week, when Sunday evening arrived, PG decided to take the plunge. The idea was to go one week, and see how this open mic thing works. Be an observer first, before participating. Before walking out the door, PG found some poems he had printed out, and put them in his back pocket.
The show was about to start when PG arrived. He got a cup of the basic house coffee, which is the reason this report is being written after midnight the same night. The performance room is an indoor space, with an open fourth wall leading outdoors. There was an empty seat. The mild late February night was just right, neither too hot nor too cold.
People who think poetry is boring should go see it performed. The readers were a mix of black and white. Everyone was supported, and got a healthy round of applause. Some people performed from memory, while others read. The stage was well lit, unlike some stages that PG has seen. While some people did read from telephones, it was not necessary.
After a while there was a break. The MC said that the sign up list would be closed after the break. PG decided to add his name to the list. Piers Gaveston was about to make his Atlanta debut. After the featured performer, and a few more open mic peeps, Piers Gaveston was the last person to perform. The MC pronounced Piers Gaveston correctly.
The audience applauded, and several people said they enjoyed it. PG did not feel the magic that he felt in Tennessee, but was pleased overall. Next week, a carefully selected piece can be rehearsed. There is no where to go but up, unless the parking lot is full.