Dalan, one of the performers of the night, going through a recital. Photo: Ron Henry/VINO

Sharie "The Watchman" deCastro doing her bit at last night's Open Mic. Photo: Ron Henry/VINO

There was an unmistakeable sense of joy and exhilaration as poets and other performers graced the stage, enrapturing each other’s minds with the sounds of their voices and the refreshing tones of their accompanying instruments. The mood was excellent; the messages were uplifting.

Powerful words were spoken, almost appearing in every utterance that was made; latent power, the kind that says knowledge will be dropped continuously at will. At other times there was poignancy, flair and flamboyance as performers took each other through the art of conversation and expression. 

There was no sense of competition, but special performances emanated from just about every corner of the room. Some of the performers that graced the stage included Jason, Declou, Dalan, Kamau, Maria, Nicky, Sharie, Sowande, Justin and Giovanni who did pieces such as “In the Still of the Night”, “I am”, “Home or a house” and “We Shall Overcome”. 

Many of the performers fondly refer to themselves as belonging to a group called the Callaloo Poets, a melting pot of expressive minds who congregate to entertain in poetry and spoken word. 

Dominant themes of the night included love, justice, truth, pride and culture. 

One of the newcomers to the event, Stephanie, said she thought the evening “was very relaxing”. She felt it was a great opportunity for artists to “express themselves”. “You hear the cries, you hear concerns, you hear life coming out of poetry... I enjoyed the people and the atmosphere, it made me feel like family,” she added. 

Speaking with Virgin Islands News Online, owner of Mellow Moods Cafe, Art Christopher, said Open Mic Night has been “going on for about four or five years,” “there was a period of time when we didn’t meet, perhaps for the whole of  last year, but now we’re trying to get back into the flow again.” 

There are also plans to have the popular annual “Microphone Messenjahs” returned in October of this year as well; this would showcase poets from around the Caribbean, including the world famous Jamaican dub poet MutaBaruka. 

Open Mic Night is scheduled for the third Saturday of each month at the Mellow Moods Cafe and there are hopes for it to be returned as a regular feature as it once was before.