Poetry News:
Guerilla Poets mix medium with message
JENNA-LEY HARRISON
Staff Writer
For the Guerilla Poets, the power of the word has become a way to inspire others and change lives.
Each of the 10 members who comprise the pack, which branched off from local poetry group Poetry Lincolnton just last year, possesses multiple artistic talents, working on individual side projects.
“We all kind of bring something different to the table,” member J. Christopher Bartley said.
Writing poetry is a fairly new hobby for the 33-year-old Cherryville resident, starting the craft between seven and eight years ago.
While he grew up composing short stories, he said, he later opted to try his hand at poetry, finding out he had quite a knack for it.
After frequenting Poetry Lincolnton, which meets monthly for poetry readings and open mic sessions at the Lincoln Cultural Center, he learned about Guerilla Poets and their active community presence.
The name stems from the idea of guerilla marketing, member Shane Manier said.
She and her fellow poets believed the group could have a higher purpose than self-promotion.
“We are separating ourselves,” she said, “and making it known that pride or selfish gain is not the reason (for what we do). We want to give back.”
From elderly nursing home patients to strangers on the street, members of Guerilla Poets often engage with population segments most others tend to shy away from or neglect.
“We can lift their spirits,” Bartley said. “If there’s a need, you fulfill it. People have lost their jobs and homes.”
Manier also believes poetry can be a “powerful tool” capable of revolutionizing lost souls.
She will never forget the young man who approached her after she concluded a poetry reading in Lincolnton.
Inspired by her words, he decided that night he would get immediate help for his drug addiction.
“He said, ‘I know that (poem) wasn’t about me, but I wanted you to know that I’m going into rehab tomorrow,’” Manier said.
The group also gathers coats and blankets each winter for the homeless.
Bartley said he often uses his own funds to obtain the items.
“I would rather spend some money to keep people from freezing to death,” he said.
People’s responses consistently reflect sincere appreciation, Bartley noted, adding that most of the poor people he encounters are not drug addicts and alcoholics.
He also knows firsthand what it’s like to live life hovering near the poverty line, discouraged and struggling to take the next step.
“It took someone reaching out to me,” he said, “and finding out I had something to say (through poetry) that really brought me out of it. I’ve really turned my life around.”
Each of the group’s poets goes by a unique nickname.
“We all get something indicative of our personalities,” Bartley said. “It kind of makes it more fun, like if you ever wanted to be a secret agent.”
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Starting Dec. 15, Guerilla Poets will hold monthly open mic sessions in Charlotte.
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