This was my first poetic stop outside of the Philadelphia scene. Philadelphia is an extreme example of a melting pot of verse and experience. So, I was eager to try on this small town open mic night to see what it would offer to an out of towner.

My apprehensions perked a bit when the first poet stood and delivered an attempt at a poem, but fell short by simply sketching a verbal outline around some thoughts. Yet, every single poet that followed offered something compelling and provocative. The gem of that night stood out when I digested the greatest meditation on life in the college town (Texas A&M resides in the next town over.). She offered beautiful word portrait to the effect of: ‘In this town we bleed maroon and paint our houses white.’ Though you may never live in a college town in the deep south, I’d bet the themes of fear of mediocrity and conformity are not lost on you. Thus, the message transcends.

This single truth resonates for me: poetry is a microcosmic expression of the culture and environment it finds itself in. However, It is always a reflection of the human condition: struggle,growth, regression, life, death, love,etc. So, no matter where you go, the struggle may be greater or lesser or it may be a different kind of struggle, or love or death, but the same, essential components are always there.

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