PoetryView
By Chris Murphy
Good things are happening in downtown. Blocks are coming to life, new restaurants are opening and the music is ringing in the air. This holiday season, it is even going to be more special with the lights and snow of Rockin’ Holiday and Modesto On Ice. One more reason to explore is the magical corner of 13th and J.
There is so much new energy on this entire block.
Think about it, we have the amazing walk of the neon lit-up 10th Street Brenden Theatre, from the Doubletree to the Gallo Center, the creativity coming from the Prospect Theatre Project and now the brightly-lit J Street from the Intermission at 13th the Jewel, the State and up to the new blue lighting of LoFi Labs and Diner at 14th. Block by block, Modesto becomes more walkable and people are coming out. Soon, there will be new exiting downtown lighting idea plan and hopefully the entire length of J will be bright and welcoming.
But more is happening here. The State Theatre is home to Modesto’s independent film community and the Ill List, the sold-out National poetry slam competition on December 9. Current State board president Sam Pierstorff, MJC English Professor by day, Ninja Poet at night has been elevating the spoken and written word and adding events like the Crush Congregation Beat Battle. Recently MoSt Poetry hosted their readings at the new Intermission. There are new poetry nights and “Write Night” workshops and soon, ModestoView is teaming up with Burn & Rave/Ninja on a new Haiku anthology, taking submissions now through February.
This month do not miss “The Illiterists” Burn & Rave Poetry Night and Haiku Battle at the LoFi Lab & Diner on December 13th . This is Modesto’s beatnik experience, piano backed poetry reading complete with snaps and feels like you could be in the early 60s NYC Village. Check it out. There are just a few seats left. Lo fi also features Trivia nights on Tuesdays. In the mornings, Lo Fi diner is open for breakfast.
On December 10, across the street, Modesto Stanislaus Poetry (MoSt) is having their member reading at the DragonFly at 1210 J at 6 pm. Learn more and become a MoSt member at mostpoetry.org
“Something’s happening here, and what it is ain’t exactly clear”, but it is very exciting. Spoken word makes people think and there is much of that needed right now. This counterculture section of Modesto is something you should experience and see how creative you can get. Grab a cocktail at Intermission, settle in to a velvet chair and pick up your pen and join in on the scene.
Find new events in town www.modestoview.com
Learn more at www.facebook.com/sampierstorff<Learn%20more%20at%20www.facebook.com/sampierstorff>
Haiku
Our home Modesto
Water, Wealth, Contentment, Health
All of us are Nuts
-Ryan Dailey
More than nuts and cows
We’re poetry, car culture,
and community
-Crush Congregation
