Floyd’s Spoken Word Wakes Up!
Two stand-up comics, two children, one poet performing to the Indigo Girls singing Bob Dylan on a boom box, and another reading while standing on a chair made for a wild night at the Café Del Sol’s Spoken Word Open Mic. A total of twelve performed to a full house. At one point Sally, the café owner had to borrow chairs from the Winter Sun Hall to accommodate the overflowing numbers.
Sally, the master of ceremonies, opened the evening with a humorous re-write of the Beatles song “A Day in the Life.” After explaining how she read in the Floyd Press that the spoken word night was rescheduled because the café was closed for a week’s vacation, when they actually had been closed to work on the place, she sang, “ I cleaned the floors today…oh boy … see how the shiiiiine…”
Regular readers Greg, Rosemary, Mara, Colleen, and Brigitte were joined by Bekah who came from Radford and performed her signature poem “Rebelution,” and Lezlie who was in town visiting from Louisa County and performed a spontaneous improvisational poem about Romeo and Juliet. Brigitte’s daughter sang and then recited her poem about frost. Mara’s daughter Kyla sang a beautiful song that she had worked on with her music teacher, Kari, who was in the audience.
Ever since Bekah read a poem last summer while standing on a chair, I’ve wanted to do the same. I had just the poem that would work, but it was an old one that I initially couldn’t find … Everything’s going up … the prices … the stakes … the cancer rates …
I found it that very day, and when I saw that Bekah was back, I knew I had to do it. The ozone hole is growing … violent crime is rising … the greenhouse effect is warming … the temperature is climbing …
It’s called the Wake-up Call and was performed by Jayn, Katherine, and I back in the days of Women of the 7th Veil, a poetry improv troupe we started. Everything’s building up … the population … the pressure … the city skyscraper ...
I think maybe we performed it standing on chairs back then, but I can’t remember for sure. Cholesterol … traffic … the arms race … the pace!
I started out sitting, followed by standing, and ended up on top of a nearby chair. We better get up too … wake up …stand up … speak up …and grow up …
Before it all goes up in smoke … “And I am on a chair!” I concluded and later wondered if I should have invited the audience to stand on theirs.
If the crowd wasn’t standing on their chairs for my reading, they were falling out of them laughing while Mrs. Pickle, our last performer, did her stand-up comedy routine.
After a short intermission, giving some of the most innocent ones in the room the option to leave early, Mrs. Pickle, an elderly church going character who recently lost her husband, took to the mic. What began as a little Mrs. Pickle chat led to a hilarious uproar, as she related her latest adventures in the never-too-late world of sex experimentation.
All blushing aside, the comedian behind the purveyor of passion paraphernalia, known as Mrs. Pickle, delivered a top notch performance with well written jokes, good timing and an ability to ad-lib and interact with the expressive audience.
Next month, the third Saturday Spoken Word night falls on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. I think everyone should put on some green and come out to share pint with the neighborhood poets and bards.
Photos: 1. Brigitte reads poetry to her daughters. 2. Leslie serenades. 3. Colleen stands up. 4. Mrs. Pickle tickles our funny bone. 5. The crowd responds. Read more about Floyd’s Spoken Word night HERE. Scroll down.
February 25th, 2007 8:15 pm
Sounds like a great night out! And great to hear that you got up and had a go!
Michele sent me.
February 25th, 2007 10:51 pm
Michele sent me to see you again, COlleen.
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen live comedy, Colleen. In a way I guess I’m seeing it here though it’s not quite the same. LOL You look quite tall standing in that picture, Colleen. I can’t quite tell in the small picture but I figure you must be standing on a chair.
February 26th, 2007 9:06 am
Fun to open your post and see Brigitte reading poetry. (My daughters play with her daughters.) It looks like you had a terrific evening.
February 26th, 2007 9:11 am
Brigitte read two of my favoirte poems for her daughters. Her daughter sang and read her poem that is in the Museletter this month. Do you get the Museletter, Neil? You should come on out some night for the spoken word. It’s a blast!
February 26th, 2007 9:29 am
It looks like another fun night at open mike.
You actually look like a little kid standing on the furniture and misbehaving.
February 26th, 2007 9:31 am
Look at you standing in that chair! Good for you….you must be getting over your fear of performing in public.
February 26th, 2007 10:12 am
One of these days, I’m going to show up at the Cafe to hear you read poetry and laugh at Mrs. Pickle and take in the good atmosphere of Floyd!!
Susan
February 26th, 2007 6:01 pm
I would just love that! I’m picking out my green outfit for the next one!
February 26th, 2007 10:27 pm
looks like a good time! How are you doing?
February 27th, 2007 7:59 am
Sounds like such a fun night out! How lucky to have a place like this to go to in your town – and to be able to take part in the performing? Great great great!
February 27th, 2007 8:51 am
Y’all just have toooo much fun in Floyd!
Great birdie pictures, I know you are missing your vacation already.
Congrats to Josh! Owning land is a good feeling. Looking forward to seeing the studio going up. I know you are proud of him!
~susan
~patchwork reflections
~memories in a jar