On Wednesday, December 9th, 2015 a few STJ Undergraduates attended a Poetry Night Slam at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe on East 3rd Street in Alphabet City, Manhattan.
The Nuyorican Poets Cafe hosts Wednesday Night Slams every Wednesday, except the first Wednesday of the Month.
No age requirement to perform, Nuyorican Poets Cafe welcomes all college and university students who wish to perform their best epigraphs and poetry, in order to compete for an opportunity to be welcomed back for the Friday Night Poetry Slam! Judges are randomly selected from the audience, and the winner of the slam is also awarded a small cash prize. Doors open at 9pm. Tickets are $8 at the door.
Last night, Dustin Luke Miller, of
St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, an aspiring English major, stole the audience with his sweet verse, called “Jealous”. Dustin, a 19 year old undergraduate of STJ, took a chance and charmed the crowd with his saccharine words … in just a “few fleeting seconds”.
Dustin was supported by fellow STJ peers, as well as Danielle M. Bacigalupo and Raquel Corona, both PhD Grad Fellows and ENG 1000C & ENG 1100c GTA’s, who welcomed and encouraged undergraduate students to attend the open mic to showcase their developing talents, as a closer to the semester.
Although Dustin was not a winner, this opportunity instilled confidence in him as both a writer and performing poet.
He looks forward to participating in more open mic events with some of his newer work!
Open mic poetry slams are a great way to network, meet other writers and poets in the area, and learn about local writing communities. Plus, open mic nights help us, literary and rhetoric folk, celebrate poetry all year long!
The Nuyorican Poets Cafe continues to give voice to diverse, rising young poets. It serves as both a “safe haven” and “social empowerment” for their work. Nuyorican Poets Cafe attends to NYC’s diverse population, as “the most integrated place on the planet” (Allen Ginsberg).
Performance poetry allows individuals to manifest in their performance philosophies and talents. The like, it creates a sense of community and spreads an appreciation for performers and supportive audiences.
That is so cool! Congratulations Dustin!