Poetry Society ends season of fellowship

The Poetry Society of Jamaica had its final fellowship for 2010 on Tuesday at the Edna Manley College Amphitheatre.

Distinguished from prior gatherings by its fairly new host, Yashika Graham, and trio of featured poets, Jamel Hall, Kai Falconer and M'bala, the evening carried with it, fresh and inspiring voices. Getting under way, Graham highlighted the legacy given to the Society's members by founding group, Poets in Unity, encouraging the gathering to realise and act on the sacredness of the space.

Flowing from the historic reminder, the open-mic segment unleashed a series of thought-provoking expressions from both new and seasoned acts and on varying topics.

The featured-poet segment opened with an inspiring Dream by Graham, and Hall, the first of three featured poets.

Unveiling literary surprises, Hall let loose a series of short poems, written over a few years and which, he said, resulted in a story. Though transmitted with a quiet demeanour, there was clear evidence of craft and dedicated skill in his works, which were all coated in heavy lyrical content.

Falconer, the next featured guest, a familiar face from Manifesto Jamaica's festival earlier this year, and the Society's September gathering, reintroduced her intensity. Layered in sincerity, she was bare and explicit in her expressions of truth. Hers was a gripping set with close-to-heart topics.

Musician and poet M'bala closed the evening with vivid imagery of the reality cultivated by poems. Announcing his instruments were only decoration, but soon treating the gathering to rhythmic 'decorations' between and during poems, his was truly a captivating performance.

The evening's gathering was larger than what has been usual in recent months and the energy shared through poetic expressions, words and music made the night one to remember.

The Poetry Society's fellowship event is to restart on the last Tuesday of January 2011 and continues every last Tuesday until November.