Living in the moment: Poetry attracts young listeners

Will Patton

Contributing Writer

The top floor room of Chop Suey, a Carytown used bookstore, was filled to capacity Saturday afternoon as eager poetry fans peeked through the doorway to hear Tara Bray, an instructor in the English department, read her poetry as part of the Von Gribley reading series.

The series, organized by women’s studies instructor Liz Canfield, featured Bray and her husband, William Notter, and a surprise opener: Robert Gibson, a sophomore communications arts major. One of several of Bray’s students who attended the reading, Gibson provided an impromptu performance of one of his slam poetry pieces.

“(Gibson) works really well with sounds, so the sounds were really awesome,” Bray said. “I was totally impressed.”

Gibson said reading in such an intimate setting resulted in a much more personal performance.

“You see people’s eyes; you make connections,” Gibson said. “It was empowering. It was an unexpected honor.”

After Gibson opened, Bray began her reading. She read approximately 10 poems, covering a variety of topics from birds to Elvis.

Bray said she included two more serious poems about the death of her mother as “a tribute to her.”

Bray’s husband, William Notter, followed her reading. The author of two books of poetry, “More Space Than Anyone Can Stand” and the more recently published “Holding Everything Down,” winner of the 2008 Crab Orchard Series in Poetry First Book Award. Notter’s poems dealt with Mississippi and the Deep South, and the plight of the blue-collar worker.

Bray, a newcomer to VCU and the Richmond poetry scene, said the audience was “was very welcoming and warm and friendly.”

Gibson said attending the reading “was a learning experience.”

The last poem Bray read was “The First Sighting of the Belted Kingfisher.” Bray said she likes to end with that poem because of the last line: “We are here now full up and singing,” which Bray said captures the mood of the audience.

“We’re in the moment,” Bray said. “We’re filled with life and we should be happy.”