Finding shades of deeper meaning [poem: The Spotlight]

When Maya Angelou was young, she was advised to take her love of reading a step further and read aloud. “Words mean more than what is set down on paper,” Mrs. Bertha Flowers told her. “It takes the human voice to infuse them with the shades of deeper meaning.”

Mrs. Flowers expressed why I love spoken word performance. When I first moved to Montana and asked around about poetry readings and slams like those I experienced on the West Coast, everyone just shook their heads. Until I met Jay DiPaola. He also said there was nothing like that here. Then he invited me to take the stage at his weekly music open-mic. At first I thought he was joking, particularly when I listened to the talented musicians struggling to be heard over the bar’s din as the night aged and drinks flowed. It took a few weeks to get my nerve up and a few more to feel my performance belonged on that stage. And then it happened—I read, they listened. And I was convinced Jay had been right.

Jay recently hosted his 500th open-mic in the Flathead Valley. And it was his final one. He’s moving on to a new town and hopefully rich new experiences, and a pair of talented artists are carrying on the open-mic at the Craggy Range. I wrote this piece, with a little inspiration from Beth Orton, in an attempt to express what I saw and heard—and hope I continue to find—every Wednesday night. Thank you, Jay.

The Spotlight

One by one we climb
onto the stage; drawing us,
the warm glow at its center.
In the light: songs played,
words spoken, notes sung,
the rhythm drummed. But it’s not
the spotlight, the candlelight,
streetlight, the moonlight,
sunlight, but your light
at the center; the warm glow
drawing us. Onto the stage
we climb, one by one.

—Julie Laing

Thanks to Jingle for running the Thursday Poets’ Rally and to all of the fabulous poets who share their work online! I appreciate the nomination for and accept:

I nominate Malcolm McLachlan for this award.