Poetry ‘builds soul’

For people with an appreciation for freshly ground and brewed coffee, cozy spaces and poetry, the Runcible Spoon is the place to be this Friday night.\nThe Runcible Spoon, located at 412 E. 6th St., will be hosting “Beginnings” at 7 p.m. as part of the Runcible Spoon Poetry Series. The evening will feature the poetry of Denise Yoder and geography professor Charles Greer, story telling by Patty Callison and music by Cullen Strawn & Tom Yeiser with Beth Brown. An open mic session will immediately follow the program.\nThe Spoon has been a staple in the Bloomington arts culture since 1976. It’s the kind of nook especially suited to poetry reading because of its unique and cozy atmosphere. Shelves of books line the walls in the second-story dining area, fresh plants bask in the sun from the windows and the comfortably-worn-in tables and chairs seem to invite patrons to share their most intimate thoughts.\nOwner Matt O’Neil realized that his restaurant was conducive to poetry because of this environment and has been hosting monthly events here for almost four years. His own interest in literature and poetry, as well as the Spoon’s local reputation in the arts community, sparked the beginning of this series.\n“They choose to come here, and I’m really happy to have them,” O’Neil said. “Poetry builds on the soul.” \nLocal artist Patricia Coleman is responsible for organizing the monthly series and finding poets to share their work at each reading.\n“I try to have new faces each month,” Coleman said.\nRecommendations from IU faculty members, local organizations such as Women Writing for a Change and other Bloomington poets are often sources Coleman uses to find new faces for each month.\n“I invite folks I have been in programs with and listen for the possibility of connecting with new voices,” Coleman said. \nThe open mic portion of the reading only happens once or twice a year in the series. She added that new attendees should come with an “open mind and a relaxed attitude.” \nO’Neil added that the value of poetry to one’s mind is important to all who choose to attend, calling it a “currency of the spirit.” He also emphasized the atmosphere the Spoon offers for the art.\n“Old buildings have a better reception for poetry,” he said. “I think the actual building becomes enriched by poetry. It gives it more character and more living sense.”\nThe reading may not start right at 7 p.m., depending on how crowded the restaurant is with patrons, but Coleman emphasizes to be patient if this is the case. \n“It all works out nicely, so don’t go away if you arrive and cannot imagine how poetry is going to happen,” she said. “It does!”\nAdmission to the reading is free.