Spoken Word's talent shows the prism of poetry in our area

Poet Jott PilgramPhoto by Kim McKinney

Thursday night's Spoken Word, sponsored by the Iredell Arts Council, was an evening that celebrated the many sides of poetry. From the traditional to the contemporary, area poets put their personal stamp on the use of words to convey emotion.

Poet Amy FreezePhoto by Kim McKinney

This month's lineup was made up of poets Natalie James, Kristie Darling, Amy Freeze, Tevin Carr, Jordan Darty, D-Rob Robinson, Elaine Hill, Jott Pilgram, and Shane Manier. Even Iredell Arts Council Executive Director John Kopplemeyer got into the action with a poet he wrote for wife Xochitl for Valentine's Day.

Poet Elaine HillPhoto by Kim McKinney

Valentine's Day was not the only topic covered for the night, though it did inspire some words. With live also brought words of broken relationships, struggles for love, confidence and lack thereof. National disasters, death, suicide, and the failure of school programs and social programs to acknowledge the needs of those with greatest needs. The forgotten. The remembered.

Poet Natalie JamesPhoto by Kim McKinney

Performances reigned from the subtle to the emotional to the full blown showpeople. Still the true stars were the words they had written. The words of their soul.

There was enthusiasm from the audience and an appreciation of the poets for each other, even those with very different styles.

If you missed these performances, and would like to check them out, they are available on the Arts Council's YouTube page.

Poet D-Rob RobinsonPhoto by Kim McKinney

This free event is just one of the many sponsored by the Iredell Arts Council. Keep an eye in their Calendar of Events and the council's home page for upcoming events sponsored by the council.

Next up is the musical version of the Spoken Word, the Artist Spotlight. It features six local musicians playing their original work. This event will take place Thursday, February 17, 2022, at 7:30 p.m., at the Old Jail performance venue, 203 S. Meeting St. Once again these performances are free to the public.

Also this month at the Old Jail is an exhibit by the Iredell County Photography Club. To view the exhibit, call or text 704.880.2101 to schedule a viewing time.