April 16 was B.Y.O.P. night at Coming to the Table-Historic Triangle’s monthly gathering. Everyone was invited to Bring Your Own Poem to observe National Poetry Month, which was established to encourage reading, teaching and writing poetry.
Our special guest was Lacroy Nixon, founder and director of Slam Connection, a relatively new spoken word poetry collective based in Williamsburg.
Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect. The major difference between poetry and spoken word poetry is that spoken word poetry, or “slam poetry,” is meant to be performed, Nixon explained as he began his presentation.
I thought about Amanda Gorman, the young poet laureate who captured the hearts of millions of people when she recited her poem “The Hill We Climb” during President Joe Biden’s 2021 inauguration. Weeks later, her poem would be published in a book titled “The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country,” followed by a best-selling collection of her poems.
Gorman’s success caused people to look at poetry differently. Spoken word poetry has gained popularity nationwide, particularly in Virginia. Nixon attributes this to several factors, including the coronavirus pandemic. “The pandemic hits and we can’t go to open mics. Everything came to a standstill. So now people are looking for avenues to come together again. Slam poetry is empowering because it provides a creative way to think and express thoughts and frustrations in a positive way,” said Nixon, who goes by the stage name “Atlas.”
Like Gorman, Nixon is 26 years old and a force to be reckoned with. His poetry is reflective and powerfully delivered. A 2015 graduate of Warhill High School, he also graduated from Liberty University with a degree in graphic design in 2020. He had planned to join a creative consulting firm to design logos and brands for major companies. Slam poetry was an accidental profession.
“We started a year ago,” he said. “My team and I were looking for a way to change the community by using spoken word poetry and different forms of verbal art as a means for community action.”
In addition to competing in spoken word competitions, Nixon teaches young people about poetry writing and performance. Through Slam Connection, he has developed a curriculum certified by Writers Guild of Virginia, offers a spoken word poetry program at Warhill High School and hosts workshops and a quarterly open mic series at the Williamsburg Regional Library.
At the Coming to the Table meeting, Nixon was joined by Breanna Dobson, a fellow poet. They treated us to two poems. Nixon’s poem, titled “Spooky Stuff,” had a civil rights theme, while Dobson’s poem, “Barbie,” dealt with perceptions of women’s bodies and role expectations.
After a brief Q&A period, it was time for Coming to the Table leaders and members to share their favorite poems.
I chose a poem by renowned Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes. In his famous poem “Mother to Son,” Hughes compares the challenges of life to trudging up a flight of stairs. Written in African American dialect, it depicts a mother describing her journey to overcome life’s obstacles and encouraging her son to persevere.
Well, son, I’ll tell you:Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.It’s had tacks in it,And splinters,And boards torn up,And places with no carpet on the floor —Bare.But all the timeI’se been a-climbin’ on,And reachin’ landin’s,And turnin’ corners,And sometimes goin’ in the darkWhere there ain’t been no light.So, boy, don’t you turn back.Don’t you set down on the steps.’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.Don’t you fall now —For I’se still goin’, honey,I’se still climbin’,And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was noted for referencing themes of “Mother to Son” in his speeches as he inspired our nation to advance forward, rather than backward. Still a timeless message for today.
When we come together to build a more welcoming and inclusive community, we all win!
Laura D. Hill is the executive director of the Virginia Racial Healing Institute, which manages Coming to the Table-Historic Triangle. Learn more about her work at varacialhealinginstitute.org.
