Rob Anthony started the evening off with an assortment of poems that skillfully bridged the gap between acting and the written word. His poem “I, Poet” and his seasonal cycle on “winter” and “the summer fling” produced the most audible gasps from the audience.
During a collaborative piece about no two bodies being able to occupy the same place which featured both poets standing back to back and alternating recitations, Anthony’s and Chochezi’s eyes lock.
VS Chochezi performed her mix of political poems and personal statements of faith. She even let a love poem sneak in there (though she let everyone know that usually such poems are not meant for sharing). She left the stage with the audience considering the nature of the godhead from the tripartite God of the Christian faith to the orixas of the Yoruba tradition. As she left the stage, she let out a plea to “Free Mumia”.
