Saturday the 3rd annual Voices of the Middle West Literary Festival brought together writers and independent presses from all around the region. Among a book fair and various panels, the Festival also hosted an Open Mic event! The MC was Rachel Hurwitz, a Midwestern Gothic intern and RC student, both organizations which made the Festival possible.
It was a fun hour of sharing and listening to local, mostly student, artists read their own work. There were nine readers who signed up before the event and since there was extra time a handful of others also volunteered to read on the spot. This event showcased a variety of different styles, themes, and voices. We had everything from a structured ghazal poem to stream of consciousness spoken word poetry set to music. Themes and topics included rants about emojis, loss, fathers, brokenness, love (there were lots about love as one would expect), stars, and skunk ape- Which I learned is another name for bigfoot because in different regions he has different names. The Open Mic was informative, fun, humorous, thought provoking and created a sense of community and support that truly encapsulated the purpose behind the Festival.
