In two small rooms in Kennesaw, the smell of coffee filled the air around friends, family, romantic interests, and poetry enthusiasts alike after hours for a proximity experiment. The co-presidents of the Georgia Highlands Creative Writing Club, Troy DelFavero and Emily Sharp, organized a poetry reading at Independent Grounds Café for students who don’t live so close to Cartersville.  

The chatter died down as Troy took his place behind a mic stand rigged with a hair tie, a fine example of tone poetic creativity. He introduced the event and the club and began with some of his own poetry. “Are We Okay?”, a palindrome, “You’re Really Here”, and “Fire and Rage” about his father and guns. 

Lorenzo Caseivo took the hot seat next with his poems “Free Advertising,” a masterful poem in the voice of an advertiser for an admittedly mediocre product like the ones on the back of comic books; “The Binding”; and “Requiem for a Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man”, a fan favorite by language and sheer ridiculousness.  

Then, Troy filled Mr. Kozee’s usual role to read some poems from other members that have been published in Old Red Kimono, a book of poems, stories, and art published by GHC. In between each reader, he read “Welcome to the World of Anxiety” by Kelly Chapman, a frantic poem that gives insight into an anxious mind, “The Cross Somewhere Outside of Roswell, New Mexico” by Sam Boice, “Mojado” by Dee Fuentes, about his culture and personal tragedy, “Ecology” by Mrs. Professor Kozee, and “Next Question” by David Pulliam, syllabic verse about the meaning of life. 

Tori was next. She read “An Awkward Proclamation of Affection,” “Propagate,” and “Gingerbread”, a short poem about good coffee. 

Emily followed with her endearingly long titles, “This Is Literally about the Bookshelf in My Closet,” “The Thoughts that I Have at the Stop Sign Outside that Creepy Walmart in Cartersville,” “Punctuation Can Be the Difference between Let’s Eat Grandma and Let’s Eat, Grandma,” and “The Last Sour Cream and Cheddar Cheese Potato Chip in a Can.” The last was read at Troy’s request, thinking it was something deeper other than Emily’s self-proclaimed meaning—it’s literally about Pringles.  

David came next to read “Unnecessary Letter,” “Chase Your Camp Crystal Lake Bliss,” an untitled work, and “False Advertising,” a narrative poem about a late-night excursion for Vietnamese hipster noodles, pho.  

I put down my notebook to take up the stand, making some last-second decisions about my reading. In the theme of reading noted old favorites with a mix of humor and seriousness, I read “Ode to the Simile,” an ironically written poem about how similes are underrated, “People ask,” about my experience with disassociation, and “12:21,” an impulsive poem written in the face of disappointment while sitting on a kitchen counter.  

Troy ended the night with another classic, a palindrome called “Flight or Fight” about talking to a girl he had a crush on. 

The reading was a success. The atmosphere, as per usual in poetry environments, was warm and comfortable. It doesn’t matter if you’re reading traditional poetry with set rhyme scheme or a hastily written note on your phone. All subjects are worthy subjects. Knowing this, we would love to see more of you at these readings, whether at Southern Muggs or elsewhere. The next three readings are at Smuggs at 6:30 on next Thursday, February 21, March 21, and April 25. Come late, leave early, read, don’t read, it’s up to you. Everyone is welcome.  

For information about how to submit to the Old Red Kimono, go to https://sites.highlands.edu/old-red-kimono/submissions/ 

For information about how the club got started and what they do, see my article https://chschipper.com/2018/10/poetry-reading-ghc-writing-club/