Al Black - Poet (photo courtesy of the artist)
Traditionally, Columbia-based poet Al Black’s Poetry Church events are not limited by the constraints of expectations surrounding either poetry or church, and the Poetry Church gathering coming up this Saturday, August 29th to the historic Ensor Keenan House is no different. Packed with performers and participants that include visual artist Lucas Sams*, who will be live painting, Al Black’s Poetry Church offers readings from singer-songwriters, jazz artists, the president of the Columbia Writers’ Alliance, Jerlean Noble, and more.
But you don’t have to be a church-goer to go to this church.
“For several years I have organized and hosted Poetry Church with churches and art galleries in South Carolina,” Black says. “This coming Saturday, starting at 10 am we will be hosting another Poetry Church in Columbia. I have no restrictions on how you express your relationship with the Divine or Creation. What and how you believe is sacred to you and is important.”
Participants include Bentz Kirby, Lang Owen, and Alyssa Stewart, all of whom are Columbia-based cross-over artists who both write poetry and lyrics (similar, but not quite the same) as singer-songwriters.
Cassie Premo-Steele, author of more than a dozen books of poetry and prose, will be participating. Premo-Steele’s novel Beaver Girl (Anxiety and Outcast Press, 2023) was selected by the Jasper Project for the One Book reading challenge in 2024.
Additional participants include Seitu Amenwahsu, Afrofuturist professor Len Lawson, Moses Freedman, Spanish poet Loli Munoz, Chrisso, and Teeb Al-Rubaiawi.
Ensor Keenan House is located at 801 Wildwood Avenue in Columbia at the corner of Wildwood Avenue and Monticello Road.
*Lucas Sams will also conduct a silent auction of the piece he creates during Poetry Church with proceeds benefitting the SC Progressive Network.
