DATE: Friday, October 24, 1997              TAG: 9710220127

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 04   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:  125 lines

CHESAPEAKE IS GETTING POETIC - IN AND OUT OF TOWN

TONIGHT AND Wednesday, things will get verse in Chesapeake, much verse. And Chesapeake's very own very popular loud poet will make his Big Apple debut on Oct. 31.

The coffee house re-opens for business - The Russell Memorial Library in Western Branch has a simple equation: ``Coffee + Night (EQ) Poetry!''

That's what the Chesapeake public library branch at 2808 Taylor Road calls its open-mike poetry, which begins tonight at 7:30.

This public place of books, materials and librarians will be transformed into a cool coffee house for this evening's celebration of meter, rhythms, rhymes, impressions and feelings.

Organizer Lori Boocks (that's appropriately pronounced books), information specialist at the Russell Library, said there'll be coffee, and poetry, a'plenty.

The first such event was held last May. Popularity for the event has grown, much to the surprise of library officials and volunteers.

``This is our fifth one,'' she said proudly. ``When we first started this we figured maybe 10 people or less would show up but we were greatly surprised. The last few poetry nights we've held have drawn about 65 to 70 people.''

And not just youngsters with a penchant for rhyming or hipsters in torn sweaters and berets, attend. The poetry evenings have attracted individuals of all ages, genders, ethnic groups and points of view.

``We were shocked at what we got,'' said William ``Bill'' Blake, Chesapeake resident who teaches English at a Portsmouth middle school and member in good standing with the Friends of the Chesapeake Public Library. ``We've been getting these wonderfully diverse crowds.''

``It's a great mix of people,'' Boocks said. ``We have poets as young as 10-years-old and as old as over 80.''

The open-mike poetry night began thanks to the success of the library-sponsored Poetry Festival, which brought in popular locally and nationally published poets for readings and creative workshops. The next Western Branch Poetry Festival is scheduled for Feb. 19-21 at the library and will feature poets T.R. Hummer and Alan Voigt.

Boocks said the festival spurred many in the audience to create their own verse.

``People wanted to read their own works,'' she said. ``They wanted something local to participate in. And Bill (Blake) said he and others wanted to hear the works of people in the audience. With this event it's nice to hear people give voice to their own works.''

Boocks said she expects about 20 people to get up and read. Each poet will be limited to three poems and given about 10 minutes or more to read.

The master of ceremonies will be Denise McNelly, a poet, a graduate student of English at Old Dominion University and a staunch supporter of the library's poetry nights.

``There will be all types of poetry,'' she said. ``Some humorous, some sentimental, some impressionistic, some will be free verse and some will rhyme. The poets use all types of meter. The evening will probably last until about 10:30.''

Although the poetry readings take place tonight, it's still not too late to sign up. Call the library today at 465-0949 or register right before the event begins.

``And we're ready for the crowds,'' Boocks said. ``We have a big coffeemaker and we bought a special blend of gourmet coffee called Winter Harvest.''

TCC debuts poetry night - The creation of poetry seems to go hand-in-hand with academic college life, and Wednesday the Chesapeake campus of Tidewater Community College presents its first evening of poetry readings.

``This is the first one I know of here on the campus,'' said Joe Antinarella , organizer of the event, assistant professor of English and assistant humanities division chairman at the Chesapeake campus.

Antinarella said the evening will be divided into two parts. The first half hour of the program will be open to students who want to read their own works. Then the bulk of the evening will feature Rick Alley reading from his recently published book of poems.

Antinarella said Alley, who is an adjunct English faculty member at the Chesapeake campus, will read selections from ``The Talking Book of July.''

``He's one of our best,'' he said. ``We're all happy and excited he had his book published, and we want to feature it Wednesday night.''

Alley's works capture images from the natural world, Antinarella said. He takes snippets of life, slices of life and infuses them with great meaning, he explained.

In a recent review of ``The Talking Book of July,'' Antinarella wrote ``Alley's words ring true. He describes a familiar, natural world and a human condition that touches us all. The beauty of his language sweeps us along, poem after poem, so that we, too, long to reminisce, to remember our own experiences in living. He focuses on the details of life that contain the meaning we crave. Rick Alley has managed to invite us into his neighborhood, which we feel is our own.''

And for those who feel most poetry is too complex, esoteric or high brow, he assures us that Alley's words will ring true in our own experiences.

``Open `The Talking Book of July' and prepare to laugh, to feel, to remember your own journey through life,'' he wrote.

Antinarella said he hopes Alley's words will inspire others to create their own poems and, if Wednesday's gathering is a success, spur them to read those creations at a future campus poetry reading.

The poetry reading will take place Wednesday from 7 until 8:30 p.m. in room 2057, Whitehurst Building. The event is free and open to the public. Call the campus at 822-5212 for more information.

Big Apple to get Louder - Chesapeake resident and well known poet/humorist/performer James Scott, a.k.a. The Loud Poetry Guy, will soon put New York City on its ear with his own brand of poetry and high-decibel laughs.

Scott is known for coming-of-age, child's-point-of-view humorous poetry - sort of a cross between poet/ songwriter Shel Silverstein and the late comedian John Belushi.

Appropriately enough, Scott will be in Gotham on Halloween Day, from 1 until 3 p.m. to sign copies of his popular book ``LOUDER!'' at the famed F.A.O. Schwarz located on Fifth Avenue.

Scott has entertained throughout Hampton Roads, the state and neighboring locales for the past 15 years. On average, Scott performs at about 150 schools, festivals and conferences throughout the country each year. In addition, Scott regularly performs in front of educators, facilitating workshops and training sessions on ``The Importance of Reading to Children.''

For the past two years, he has been the grand finale performer at the prestigious Festival of the Book, which is held annually in Charlottesville.

Before he became the loud ambassador of poetry and reading, Scott had already put in more than 20 years as a stand-up comic and was founder of The Funny Farm, an East Coast comedy repertory company.

Scott's popular book ``LOUDER!'' can be found at most area bookstores and is now available as a 43-minute audiotape.

For more information on James Scott's doings or his book or tape, call 1-800-A-LOUD-GUY. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by LORETTA WASHBURN

Chesapeake resident and well known poet/humorist James Scott, a.k.a.

The Loud Poetry Guy, will be performing in New York City.

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