By Mel Cooke, Freelance WriterWESTERN BUREAU:
POETRY COMES calling regularly at three different places and vastly varying settings in Montego Bay, St. James.
The welcome, however, is the same - very warm.
The crafty of verse makes its way to the Fairfield Theatre every first Sunday, where the Fairfield Poets host a gathering. From the hallowed boards, the stanzas make their way to the garden setting of Ellis Piece, Lethe, on the following Sundays. Rhyme and rhythm come calling more frequently at the snazzy Garage Sports Bar and Grill in the Centre Point plaza in the heart of the city - every Tuesday night, in fact.
The Fairfield Theatre gatherings begin at 5:00 p.m. and have been going on for about a year. They have developed to the point where there is a resident group, The Fairfield Poets, led by Jane Crichton and including Fabian Thomas, Sandra Campbell, Makeda Solomon, Vila Kameka, Marlon Johnson and Kerry-Jo Lyn.
PARTICIPATORY
Montego Bay Little Theatre Movement (MLTM) chairman Douglas Prout noted that Gina Rey Forrest is one of the alumni of the readings. "It is catching on," Mr. Prout said, saying that attendance has grown from five or six persons to near 30. The gatherings are participatory, with anyone who wishes to given space to read three or four poems of their own or written by someone else.
The Fairfield Poets have developed to the point where they are planning to do a recording. And there have been guests, including Rass Rod of Dub Traffickers.
Merle Dixon runs 'Second Sunday Poetry' at Ellis Piece, Lethe, which has been going on for two years, although some months may have been skipped in the early going. The genesis was somewhat a matter of from the tree to the page, as the impetus was a reading by an American writer who lives in Negril, Westmoreland at the Coconut Festival, also held on the property, which is called Elysium.
Ms. Dixon described the gatherings, which begin at 2:00 p.m.,as "very loose" in structure. "People come from all over," she said, with the core being the Fairfield Poets. In addition, Rass Rod has made the trek to Lethe as well. "We sometimes have them," Ms. Dixon said, but it is largely a matter of bringing the poems and letting them flow.
"We have a good group. Sometimes we have just 15 and we have gone up to 50," Ms. Dixon said.
SECOND SUNDAYS
'Second Sundays Poetry' has gone a step further than readings, as there is a Caribbean Bookshop on the property. It came about from Ms. Dixon's visit to the Calabash International Literary Festival, held in Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth, annually for the past three years. "I saw so many West Indian authors," Ms. Dixon said, and she wanted to spread the word - literally and figuratively.
There is a reading room, containing not only books for sale, but also Caribbean books from her personal collection. And, seeing that it is a farm, there are books on flowers and agriculture, as well as tomes on geography and politics. Plus literature books, naturally.
It is on the verandah of this reading room that the readings currently take place, although there are thoughts of taking it even closer to the Barnett River, which runs through the property. There is a tree house nearby, but rain - which is rather regular at Lethe - is a factor.
Ms. Dixon has taken the literature even further, with a workshop for children from places of safety and the Lethe Primary School, which is a neighbour to the 'Second Sunday Poetry' location, held in November. The book Scribbles was used as the text.
"I am optimist... We are trying to get a schedule for next year," Ms. Dixon said.
There is no admission fee to the poetry readings and all are welcome to share a poem.
The Garage's poetry nights have been running for all of four weeks, to the delight of Donnie Chung, who runs the thematically decorated spot. The Tuesday night word feasts start at 8:00 p.m. and there is no cover charge. "Open and casual" is how Mr. Chung described the gatherings, where there is poetry on a wide slate of issues. "It is kind of an avenue for freedom of speech," Mr. Chung said.
The audiences have been getting larger, he said, what with Gina Rey Forest making a stop there two weeks ago and a full house last time out.
TRUE CITY
"One of the things we believe strongly in is that if we are to be considered a true city we need literature, we need art. MoBay has a lot of people with talent, but they need exposure," Mr. Chung said.
The age range which has been pulled in by the poetry has been satisfying, with from 18 to mature persons turning out. "It is a joy to watch the different generations gel," he said.
Working closely with the Fairfield Poets, Tuesday night was chosen as a recharge point to get ready for the long haul to the weekend.
There is an open microphone section and then a guest poet. In addition, to expand the creative expression, plays will be run on the same evenings as well.
"We are working on some now, with the staff. We will take it from there and get some professionals," Mr. Chung said.
