Home Is Where the Poetry Is

By Dakota Parks for Inweekly

Open mics are where a community finds its voice, bringing poets, writers, comedians, musicians and neighbors together under one roof. Pensacola Poetry, the city’s longest-running open mic, has done just that for nearly two decades, weathering venue closures, a pandemic and the passing of the torch from longtime hosts.

From End of the Line Cafe to Sluggo’s, Constant Coffee to Subculture and the Pensacola Liberation Center, Pensacola Poetry has called many venues home over the years.

When Constant Coffee closed on Scenic Highway at the end of 2022, the group found itself on the move, couch-surfing from space to space across town. For many regulars, Constant had become a second home. The group had spent five years meeting in the cozy gathering space.

Now, thanks to Craft Gourmet Bakery opening their new location in Constant’s old building, Pensacola Poetry has finally returned home.

“When we purchased this building, Pensacola Poetry was one of the first things on our mind when dreaming about the space we would build,” Craft co-owner Anna Hewes said. “I knew I wanted our new space to be community-oriented, and it felt so good that we were able to bring this community back full circle to the space. It was really special to hear so many people reminisce on the first Tuesday back here. We are really stoked to be a part of it and hope it continues to grow with us.”

Frequent host and poet Zakara Parker (@2sick2thick) has been coming to the open mic since they were a teenager, searching for an outlet to process the onslaught of racism they were grappling with at school and at home.

“Growing up I looked for people like me wherever I went—in commercials, toys and superhero movies. I will always remember reading Maya Angelou’s poetry for the first time in Mrs. Johnson’s fourth grade class,” Parker said. “Reading the words and still using my finger to follow along, knowing I’d never seen these words put together in this order, but they felt safe and familiar in a time where I was regularly in danger and everything was changing. Poetry meant a way to communicate how I felt even if no one else read it.”

Parker quickly became a pillar in the poetry community, finding family in the local scene and serving as a co-host alongside longtime legends Quincy “Q” Hull, X Alkebulan and Ericka Streeter Hodge.

“I got my hosting start under Q when I was 18. It was a huge honor to be trusted with that role in the community,” they said. “There’s a big difference between being on stage for two poems then sitting back down versus running the show. As host, you are essentially a DJ for poets. A good chunk of hosting is knowing when it’s time to pick the next poet, knowing who’s going to match the vibe of the last poet or who’s going to change the vibe in a way that switches the energy in just the way the room calls for.”

Since its inception, the group has relied on a main host—one poet committed to keeping the microphone on every Tuesday night. Earlier this year, that structure shifted to a volunteer-based model. Now, a rotating group of poets take turns hosting; new and experienced hosts often work together as co-hosts until newer members feel confident enough to run the mic on their own.

“There is so much beauty in the ways we have come together,” Parker said. “While there is someone different running the mic every week, there is never a lack of love or care from the community. I’m a firm believer in ‘to be loved is to be seen.’ Finding a group of people who truly see you is priceless. I hope everyone can find that kind of love, even if it isn’t at an open mic. Just somewhere you can be open and honestly, you.”

Outside of the open mic, Parker also competes with Pensacola’s slam poetry team, Burn Beautiful. Spearheaded and coached by Asia Samson, the team spends nearly a year training, writing, editing and practicing together in preparation for the Southern Fried Poetry Slam, scheduled for June in Orlando, Fla.

“Being heard is a deeply human need,” Parker said. “Poetry gives the people of our city a place to speak truth to power and to be met by a group of like-minded individuals who give them the love and energy they deserve. If the light outside that cafe calls to you like a lighthouse guiding a ship to shore, come pay us a visit. I promise you, there is nothing like bringing something new to that mic and hearing the crowd cheer out, ‘new shit.’”

For newcomer and now frequent host Doc Love (@docloveseverything), Pensacola Poetry became the community connection they had been seeking after living here for nearly three years.

“I’ve been going to the Pensacola Poetry open mic for a little over a year now and it really feels like I’ve been here longer,” Love said. “I had just gotten out of an engagement, and my bestie Margo wanted to take me out to get my mind off things, and we stumbled upon this very open mic. Needless to say, it was the best decision we both made. It feels like I’ve been a part of this community for years—like I joined a family that welcomed me with open arms.”

That sense of belonging is rooted in a lifelong appreciation for the art form. Love discovered poetry at a young age and has continued to grow with it.

“Listening to hip-hop opened my eyes to the ways I could use rhythm, rhyme and figurative language to not only express myself but explore how I felt about something,” they said. “Poetry to me is my therapy, my way to express myself and my way to articulate feelings in a way that I only know how. Poetry brings me peace in times of crisis or gives me the space to express love for people or things I care for.”

“Everyone has a different story to tell, but sometimes we have situations that may seem similar; and in that, poetry can show that people are not alone in [their] experiences,” Love added. “Poetry can create an accepting and welcoming environment in any space because it can say, ‘I see you,’ ‘I’m here for you’ and ‘you’re not alone.’ People can always find something they love in poetry—whether it be the intricate rhyme schemes or the overarching stories—and in that way, I believe we can all connect through poetry.”

Pensacola Poetry’s Weekly Open Mic Event

When: 6-8 p.m. Tuesdays

Where: Craft Gourmet Bakery, 615 Scenic Highway

Details: @pensacolapoetry, facebook.com/pensacolapoetry