Outspoken Poets Open Mic night

“I don’t sit down and think ‘oh I’m going to write a poem.’ I sit down and the poem writes me.”

That is a line from my interview with the Chairman of OutSpoken Poets, John Coops that has stuck with me.

OutSpoken Poets is a group of people brought together by their love and passion for the art of writing. With the aim of creating a poetry scene in Lincoln, they organise regular nights such as the Open Mic night at the Jolly Brewer pub that myself and Bex attended on Thursday 30th November. We went with the aim of providing social media content for our client but I think it’s safe to say that we were pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed the event.

The night was filled with a variety of people standing up on stage reading out and sharing their work with the audience. The array of poems meant that if you didn’t enjoy one then it was more than likely that the next one would be up your street.

Fluctuating from religion to stand-up comedy, to trauma back to humour, the Jolly Brewer Open Mic night offers a chance for writers both established and rising, to share their spoken word with everyone.

The best part? Anyone is welcome. On the night we attended, three newcomers had arrived on a cold November night just to share their work. The pub was filled with 30-40 people made up of the poets themselves but also individuals that had come purely to listen and enjoy.

The organisers are genuinely friendly, inviting and interested in what you have to offer. Even though Bex and I attended for professional reasons, we were rounded in for welcoming hugs and approached by regulars introducing themselves to make us feel more comfortable.

I left the venue finding myself writing in a memo for the next event in my phone calendar. Maybe next time I’ll bring a piece with me.

Below is the link to a promotional video that was made on the night by Cygnet team.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaaqV_yzYks&feature=youtu.be

Written by Sylwia Kaczmarska