Coming soon to Wylie High School is an open mic poetry night. With the hustle and bustle of the school’s activity, the Creative Writing class will be offering not just creative writing students, but all of Wylie’s student body to band together in a night of spoken word.

Poetry and spoken word open mics often feature a host, who is normally a poet or spoken word artist, in this case, Molly Hunt, the creative writing instructor. A sign-up is done before the show begins so that the host has a list of names to call from. Some spoken word artists use pseudonyms or stage names when they perform. Poetry and spoken word open mics range from laid back, serene settings to lively sessions where readers and/or performers compete for audience applause. They are usually held in libraries, coffeehouses, cafes, bookstores, and bars, but will be held this time in this school courtyard with festive decorations.

Each poet or spoken word artist is often asked to keep their performances to a minimum or specified time slot, giving each performer enough time to share some of their work with the audience. The host acts as a “gatekeeper”, determining which performers are suitable for the event. Mrs. Hunt will decide this by hearing the poem or what it’s about before allowing it to be performed for the school audience. If a performer goes over their time limit, the host diplomatically thanks the performer for their contribution and asks them to yield the stage for the next performer.

The open mic poetry night will be hosted later this April at a to be determined date that will be officially announced shortly. The creative writing class is anxious to display the writing skills Mrs. Hunt has helped develop this school year and encourages those outside of the class to participate as well in this fun event.

Later details as to exact dates of the event and costs will be released when known alongside food and drinks provided. For further inquiry, ask Mrs. Hunt about ways you can help and participate.