About Open Mics

Here in the U.S., this is Labor Day weekend, many schools opened on the 3rd (before Labor Day this year) and, despite the heat and humidity where I live, there's just a hint of autumn in the air. The summer blog "reruns" have run their course. In this corner of Poetryland, readings begin to pick up again after the semi-lull of summer, and I thought a post about poetry readings might be interesting.

When I posted the above video here on the blog, a few years ago, I thought it was one of the funniest reading-related videos I’ve seen. If you’ve been to readings, especially where there are open mics, you’ve probably heard a wide range of reading styles. Revisiting the video got me to thinking about open mics and what makes a good open mic experience for both the readers and the audience members.

We’ve all been to poetry readings that include open mics. Sadly, some of these become agonizingly drawn-out events. Some time ago, I read in a venue in which the open readers after the feature were allowed to read as many poems as they liked.  I read for about 20 minutes; the open reading went on for more than two hours. Enough said!

Assuming that you read in opens or attend readings in which there are open mics, it occurred to me that letting people know what isn’t appealing might be a good way to approach the subject.

The goal, of course, isn’t to be negative but, rather, to point out things that sometimes occur at open readings—things that leave audience members wishing they’d left right after the feature.

Having directed the Carriage House Poetry Series for seventeen years, I can say with complete sincerity that being a series director isn't easy. We all hope to create venues in which poets and poetry lovers can share in a welcoming and non-judgmental environment. To do that effectively, readers (both featured and open) need guidelines, and it's helpful to know what doesn't work.

Accordingly, I invited five reading series directors (who are also distinguished poets) and asked them to make a few comments in answer to this question:

What can ruin an open mic poetry reading?

 With my thanks to the poets below, I hope you find the following comments helpful. 

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Bernadette McBride 
Director of the Farley’s Book Store Reading Series, New Hope, PA

If you are a poet who likes to read at open mics, a tip or two: realize you are not the featured poet—that status has been earned in some way and is given the bulk of time; remember that others want to read too and attendees have just listened to one or two featured readers—they're becoming “poetry-ed out” for the night.  Respect this. If you notice people shifting in their seats and rolling their eyes, sit down.  

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Deborah LaVeglia 
Director of Poetswednesday at Barron Arts Center, Woodbridge, NJ

• If it's too long
• If it's vulgar/inappropriate/sexist/racist
• When those reading in the open, don't come to the feature portion of the program. 

It's the host's responsibility to lay down the rules and make sure they are followed. However, even though you make an announcement, newcomers may not adhere to your rules/suggestions. It's difficult to cut a person off mid-poem. I try not to, but have had to do it once or twice. Usually, I approach the person afterward, privately, and explain things. That always works for me. 

I don't like when hosts make blanket statements about rude open readers at the beginning of an open. It turns me off. After all, everyone shouldn't have to feel uncomfortable because of one or two people. Everyone can work things out with a little bit of patience, direction, and kindness. It's a difficult position for the host. I am very grateful that it is rare at the BAC [Barron Arts Center]. 

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Diane Lockward
Founding Director of Girl Talk and The West Caldwell Poetry Festival, West Caldwell, NJ

1. If you haven't been there to hear the featured poet read, do not sign up to read in the Open.

2. While the featured poet is reading, please do not sit in the audience and work on your own poems.

3. Regardless of how many poems you are permitted to read, do not ever read more than two, each of modest length.

4. Do not approach the featured poet after the reading and suggest a book trade.

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Laura Boss
Co-director of the Montclair Library Reading Series 
and Co-director of the Poetry Weekend Intensive Retreats

Here's what not to say at opens when you are limited to one or two poems:

"Could I just read one more poem?"

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Sander Zulauf
Former director of the Great Swamp Poetry Series and former Director of the Distinguished American Poets Series and Bicentennial Poetry Readings at County College of Morris, Randolph, NJ

For starters, poet wannabes with more ego than poetry in them.  Those who read too long are definitely an open mic buzz kill. Everybody deserves a chance at the open, but in order for everybody to have a chance, the leaders of the reading should specify the number of poems or the time for each reader depending on how many have signed up.  And should warn the poets that they will be stopped if they cross the line.  Leaders have a responsibility as well as the participants.  I was once chastised while leading the open mic at the Gazebo in one Waterloo Village Dodge Festival by stopping a guy with his notebook who was reading a ten or twelve page hand-written Iliad when some young whip stood in my face and quoted Frost at me about "nobody should stop a song" or something, and I had to stand up to him by defending the rest of the people who wanted to read and who were being eaten alive and denied a time by the talentless quack.   People who write poems while the featured reader is reading and then stand up and read their tripe in the open.  I am no longer a fan of open mics—I believe they are gimmicks to build an audience for the featured poets, and they can quickly poison the poetry well. 

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