Poetry and performance, flow and friends – the name can only be Floetry.
The monthly bash takes place on Wednesday, 18 January, at Books & Books as ever from 7pm, and Hylton Grace tells us that it is something close to his heart.
“Performing in front of my peers is a wonderful experience, as I am also a fan of poetry. It always helps to get a sense of the various styles, sounds and ways of performing from my peers. It is also a source of inspiration. When I am with my peers I get very excited about listening as well as performing. I can listen to a piece of poetry and later may recall and write something similar or opposite or I might just like the sound.
“I was present at the first instalment of Floetry and I continue to support it. The truth is wherever you have a movement of creative artiste wonderful things can happen. The poets/Floets and their styles are diverse and I believe that if we continue we can have an impact not just on each other but to the wider society. It is not just flowery poetry, there is also deep philosophically issues espoused at Floetry,” he tells us.
If you’ve never been before, it’s an open mic poetry event at which creative people can gather and get whatever they like from the experience.
“Floetry at Books and Books provides a wonderful atmosphere where lovers of poetry and literature can share material or just listen to other people,” says Hylton.
“The setting, where one is surrounded by books and pleasant people, can also be a source of inspiration and a place for wonderful friendship to blossom. Kudos to Book and Books on this initiative.”
A fire within
Hylton – who you can see performing on the Caymanian Compass website – has a real affinity with words; you might say it’s a fire within.
“I am inspired by my surroundings, whether that is physical space, political climate or my relationships. As a poet I observe not deliberately to find material but I keep an active mind on things generally.
“Most of all I am fascinated with words, a few lines from one of my poem sums it up: ‘I’m obsessed with words, simple words, complex words, the spoken words, heard words. I give life to words, wings to words, penetrate your skin with words.’”
He has had have poems published here and there in newspapers and so on, he tells us.
“I also have a children story book that was published about two years ago. I am in the process of coming out with my second book, which is a collection of five short stories. However I believe I may just put my book of poetry out first.
“Creatively, I want to add to the amalgam of Caribbean literature, especially children’s literature. But I also want to evolve into doing adult novels and continue my poetry, I am also flirting with the idea of recording with music, as my style poetry fits that format. I am Jamaican and believe that there are many stories to tell from my homeland. I wish to be one of those persons telling some aspect of our story.”
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