My First Real Poetry Reading!

Went to my first real poetry reading last week. I'm not talking about the Right Thoughts Poetry Group which meets at Rosenberg Library in Galveston, I'm talking about a group of people from all walks of life who meet in a coffee shop with jazz music in the background, low light, and so many people packing the place full that one has to stand up because all the seats are taken. It was great, no holds barred, real poetry like something out of a Jack Kerouac novel.
It was at the Y'a Bon Village coffee house in the really poor part of town in Galveston, we're talking just across the street from public housing projects, drug dealers and prostitutes on the corners, the part of Galveston one doesn't see most other locals and certainly no tourists. It was great, I didn't want to leave my truck parked out on the street for fear that someone was going to break into it. The coffee house is built into what was once a crack house before it was gutted and reborn into this great little island of beat and pure expression and everyone getting along. No drugs, no alcohol, no one acting out, just everyone meeting to share their poetry.
We each had three minutes at the mike and the lights were low and one felt the energy from the crowd radiating up toward the poet and their work. Fingers were snapped as certain passages met with approval and the applause came up like a wave when the croud really was pleased. Each of us reciting was introduced to a hearty " bring him up, bring him up!" chanted from the crowd. Tha a/c was overworked with so many people in such a small space and the sweat poured from me. I didn't want it to end.
I stepped up to the mike and read three of mine. The first one I read was "Before I was Born" followed by "Now", which was well received. I wrapped up with "Poetry In Motion", which received the best response. I must admit I was initially nervous, but once up there, old training took over and I feel I did well. Somethings one doesn't forget and public speaking with Mr. Martin in high school just flooded back. I'm sure to improve as I go to more of these.
One woman from Houston sang her poems and has two cd's out. Another young lady, with some obvious theatre training behind her, stepped up to the mike and literally acted out her poem. Hers was full of passion and power and she only recited one. Most of the young black men read their work to a hip hop beat. I don't care much for hip hop, but their message and work was amazing, many of these youngsters could rival any high paying popular act and their poetry was certainly better quality than what I've heard of modern hip hop on the radio.
At the end of the two hours or so I left with a new sense of life in me instilled by these poets and their poetry. I certainly have a new hunger for poetry as I havn't felt before. I can't wait to go back for the next one. Open mic poetry, it's great.