RASP: Our Open Mic

What's an Open Mic?

It's your opportunity to share your work with a receptive audience.

Each month, we open up the podium to everyone to share poetry and prose with a receptive audience. You can also participate by relaxing and listening to the words of others.

If you have written something you would like to read, show up early and sign up for a time slot. Time slots are scheduled before and after the featured reader at each month's Reading Series. You do not need to register in advance—we want you just as you are.

What time do you meet?

The evening's program begins at 7:00 PM (Pacific Time).

Where do you meet?

Starting with the May 26 featured reading and open mic, RASP is moving to the Mi Casa gallery and meeting space, part of Centro Cultural Mexicano. The address is 7945 Gilman St. This is the same space we used to use, next to what was McDonald Books, now part of Mi Casa.

For more information about upcoming exhibits and Centro Cultural Mexicano, visit the gallery's website.

What else happens?

Several times each year, RASP schedules an Island Style Slam, in which short poems are created and then judged for originality. Peggy Barnett's award-winning poem The Longest Word, published in the RASP Poetry Anthology, was written at the 2009 holiday party Island Style Slam.

Sometimes featured artists choose to perform in others ways; examples include readers who were accompanied by harp, guitar, or drum, and readers who used presentations. RASP has also hosted spoken works with more than one person reading.

In addition, RASP authors have read from their work at other venues throughout the Eastside. RASP encourages our members to participate in as many open mics and events as possible.

Occasionally, RASP experiments with different types of open mics. An example was our Big Reading, where readers had up to 10 minutes to read extended versions of their work.

What else has been read at the RASP Open Mic?

Here are a few samples to entertain you:

• Grace by Von Thompson
• Grandpa by John Tripp
• Gullible Girl Dance by Wendelle Peoples
• Creation by Winifred Jaeger
• Untitled by Dawn-Marie Oliver
• The Ballad of RASP by Allison Ohlinger
• Lying on my side in grass at dusk reflecting that pink is white by Michael Heavener
• On Punctuation by Elizabeth Austin
• Unattended Celestial Splinter by David Goss-Grubbs

What are the guidelines for the Open Mic?

• The Reading Series and Open Mic are open to all ages.
• Be open to new experiences.
• Bold work is encouraged but please respect public sensibilities—families with children will be present due to other activities and may peek in to see what RASP is.

• Please limit your reading to about three (3) minutes. That's approximately 1-1/3rd pages single spaced (see sample at right). The MC may stop you if your piece is excessively long.
• Please stay through the entire evening. Be supportive of and show respect for the other readers.

Other nearby events and open mics

RASP members support a variety of other open mics in East King County. We encourage you to attend and participate. Here are a sampling:

• SoulFood Poetry Night, SoulFood Coffee House, Redmond — 3rd Thursday of month, starting at 7:00 PM (Pacific Time)
• Duvall Reading Series, Duvall Library, Meeting Room, Duvall — 1st Wednesday of month, starting at 7:00 PM (Pacific Time)
• Haiku Northwest, Third Place Commons, Lake Forrest Park — 4th Thursday of month, starting at 7 PM (Pacific Time)
• Other open mics, readings, and events
  
  
• Also, check out the calendar of events at Kirkland's home-grown bookstore, BookTree.
• In Redmond, Brick and Mortar Books has a full calendar of events as well.
• And finally, our host Centro Cultural Mexicano has events for arts and literary minded people.