Local Poets Provide a Place to Connect and More Than One Reason to Listen
Sarah E. Isbell
Mad River Union
HUMBOLDT – In the aptly-named Siren’s Song Tavern, poets snap their fingers in ’60s beatnik style to moments of poignant expression, encouraging each other and sharing their work and artistic performances. It’s the monthly Humboldt Poetry Slam, the labor of love of two local poets, Therese FitzMaurice and Vanessa Pike-Vrtiak.
FitzMaurice came up with the idea for the Accident Lab, now Humboldt Poetry Slam, over a dozen years ago while attending poetry classes at College of the Redwoods. On the first Thursday of every month at the Siren’s Song Tavern in Old Town Eureka, local poets now have the opportunity to perform or read their poetry to an accepting audience. Over time, FitzMaurice’s idea grew into so much more, so she enlisted the help of fellow poet Pike-Vrtiak. With a music DJ and live painters, the monthly slam has become its own well-attended scene, but it wasn’t always so.
“We struggled with attendance for a long time,” said Pike-Vrtiak. “People would show up late. I don’t think they thought we were credible. And even on the national scene, we’ve struggled with that. And I don’t know if it’s because we come from a cannabis community. But it’s taken a long time for us to become credible and I think we still struggle with that in our local community with the open mic scene.”
What turned the tide was becoming part of the National Poetry Slam, a performance poetry competition that attracts poets from around the world. “What has made us credible is doing these national competitions,” Pike-Vrtiak said. “We really encourage poets to push themselves. And to break the intimidation.”
Pike-Vrtiak sees live music and live art as “key pieces to the success of the local scene.” She said, “I think what’s special about this scene is it’s very interactive between the audience and the poet.”
FitzMaurice added her favorite thing about the Humboldt poetry scene is that it nurtures poets and gives them confidence, by providing them a safe place to perform their poetry, perfect their craft, and grow as writers – sentiments she’s heard often from local poets. To young writers and aspiring poets, FitzMaurice offers this simple advice: “sit down and write. And find other writers and let them read what you wrote.”
Both poets are avid readers of other local poets. Pike-Vrtiak recommends the works of Jeremiah Anderson and Emily Adams while FitzMaurice’s favorite local poets are Jerry Martin, Jim Dodge, Dave Holper, Ian McDonald, Erin Davis, Jeremiah Anderson and all of her mentors and writing professors.
“I’ve come to believe that it’s important to share it,” FitzMaurice said. “I really believe that the muses know when you pass the gift along. And if you’ve received a gift, and you’ve captured it on paper, that the act of sharing it opens up space for the muses to come back.”
To that end, the pair launched A Reason To Listen, a poetry collective site that not only maintains Humboldt County’s connection to the annual National Poetry Slam (in which both poets performed last year) but also conducts poetry workshops and training for local community groups, schools, seniors, and disadvantaged or “at-risk” youth.
Pike-Vrtiak describes the mission of the collective as “to bring poetry to the North Coast, to the schools, to youth, to old people, to anybody that wants to listen.” They offer writing groups, consulting and professional development services to local businesses and community organizations.
Last year, Pike-Vrtiak released her third published poetry collection, The Compass In Her Blood, available at Poetry Slam events.
FitzMaurice is in the midst of releasing her third poetry book, How To Love This Woman. Her poetry is inspired by nature and the Mad River, which she describes as two of her favorite and most fruitful poetic muses. Her official book release event will be Saturday, Feb. 6 at The Jam, 915 H St. in downtown Arcata, and will feature poetry performances by FitzMaurice and others, and music and dance performances by a very talented cast of friends. Tickets for the event are $10.
You can read and hear some of their poems and public performances at areasontolisten.com.
“There are communities in vibrant valleys with desert landscapes
and prairies that whisper in the wind.
They dream of the milk and honey that drains from the soft folds
of mountains that undress themselves for us.
We know in all our imperfections that we are incredibly lucky
to live in one of the few cities left to really see the stars.
They still speak to us here. When you look them in the eyes
they waltz on our freckles
they kiss our skin like they remember
we were once one of them.”
-Vanessa Pike-Vrtiak
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