Black Mountain's Dark City Poets Society hosts monthly poetry nights
Karrigan Monk
When Clint Bowman moved to Black Mountain four years ago, he went looking for a poetry group.
“Poetry is my main outlet of expression or artistic expression,” Bowman said. “I think it’s the most approachable and accessible form of artistic expression in general.”
He said he wanted a group that was free and open to everyone, but did not find anything that fit this criteria.
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In January 2020, he teamed up with Melisa Pressley, Black Mountain Library branch manager, to create the Dark City Poets Society.
Bowman said the name comes from a nickname for Black Mountain, Dark City.
“We kind of barely kept it alive through COIVD,” Bowman said.
Once pandemic restrictions eased, the Dark City Poets Society moved into a more regular schedule.
“We’ve basically gotten a good routine now where we do a critique meeting every month and a poetry reading every month as well,” Bowman said.
On the first Tuesday of every month, the group hosts a monthly critique meeting. Bowman said this meeting is used as an opportunity for anyone who wants to learn about poetry or poets who want their work read can come and have the opportunity to hear constructive feedback and improve their work.
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On the third Tuesday of every month, Dark City Poets Society hosts a Poetry Night at the Black Mountain Library. Following this reading, there is a postlude second reading at BAD Craft. The first reading lasts from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. while the postlude is from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Bowman said there are no membership responsibilities and anyone who wants to participate can. Even if someone does not want to bring a poem, he said the are welcome to come and listen to others.
“The Dark City Poets Society is open to everybody,” Bowman said. “Anybody who’s interested in poetry at all is welcome to join. You don’t have to share necessarily, you can just sit in and listen.”