Spent a relaxing two-and-a-half hours listening to local poets and writers recite their works at "Spoken Word Night" at Oddfellas in Floyd Sunday evening.
Spent a relaxing two-and-a-half hours listening to local poets and writers recite their works at "Spoken Word Night" at Oddfellas in Floyd Sunday evening.
Most belong to the Floyd Writer’s Group, a collection of published and unpublished writers and poets in the county.
Stories ranged from serious reflections on life to a belly-splitting tale about losing one’s virginity.
Most of the selections centered on personal experiences of the righters, which included Fragments from Floyd blogger Fred First, poet and potter Jayn Avery, acerbic political commentator-poet-novelist-writer Colleen Redman (right), who stayed away from politics, and several others.
Surprisingly, Fred managed to tear himself away from his new Nikon D70 digital SLR long enough to return to the printed word. Our gain. Photography’s loss (for the evening). 
I’ve been writing professionally for more than four decades now but don’t know if I’d ever have guts enough to get up in front of a group and actually read something I’ve written.
Generally always thought writing was something others were supposed to read.
Yet, watching this group of writers translate their words from paper to spoken word adds a dimension you may not get from seeing those words printed on processed wood pulp.
Most displayed varying degrees of emotion that added to the effect of their words. Many made me want to read more of their writings. As with so much else that has happened in Floyd County in recent years, the growth of writing talent is a pleasant surprise.