THERE'S TALENT IN THIS CITY >>>

Sometimes I leave poetry readings feeling like I just attended a grade-school piano recital. That wasn't the case last night at the "Mouths & Mics: Poetry in the 253" that featured seven Tacoma poets hand picked by outgoing Tacoma Poet Laureate Antonio Edwards, which took place inside the Washington State History Museum. Poets Emilie Rommel Shimkus, Josh Rizeberg, Ariel Zimmer, Korama Williams, Zeek Green, Elliot Trotter and 15-year-old Kiah Lee - literati gliterati, if you will ­- presented the emotional equivalent of a victory lap for the artsy, literary-y, near capacity crowd. Even thought the seven poets knew they were not Urban Grace's next Soul of the City Tacoma Poet Laureate, each performed as if they would carry the torch for the next year.

But maybe "reading" is too loose of a term, so if you're envisioning a bunch of gray-haired professors sitting in an auditorium reading Dickinson and Shakespeare in low, expressionless tones, you've got it wrong. The majority of the work at this reading were backed by visuals, performance art and music. The crowd could feel the exhilarating rush of emotions right along with each performer.

All seven poets - eight including Poet Laureate Edwards - gave strong, emotional performances that took listeners from soft whisper to enraged yelling in less than 10 seconds. Their poems were enhanced by the people in the audience, who clapped, encouraged and shouted out affirmations. The poetry covered the gritty (sex, relationships, drugs) - which never reached depressing levels due to the poets' upbeat deliveries - as well as humor, especially from the clever Rizeberg. Edwards gave the performers poet carte blanche; the only similarity was the sharing of flutist Donnel White who stood on the stage many times.

"Mouths & Mics: Poetry in the 253" was an impressive, amazing night of poetry.

Talk about burying the lead

After the Magnificent Seven, Urban Grace Director of Worship Arts Kali Kucera took the stage to announce the 2010 Urban Grace Soul of the City Tacoma Poet Laureate. The five judges - Edwards, 2008 Tacoma Poet Laureate William Kupinse, UW-Tacoma Prof. Emily Noelle Ignacio, PLU librarian and artist Holly Senn, and UPS Prof. Grace Livingston - chose Tammy Robacker as the new poet laureate for Tacoma.

"We finally have a poet laureate who wears panty hose," Robacker said as she approached the podium, referring to the preceding two male poet laureates.

Robacker thanked those she believed helped her reach the level worthy of being poet laureate, especially Kupinse. She read several poetry pieces from her new book, The Vicissitudes - including a hilarious piece about wanting to sleep with the sheriff from Mayberry - and announced her poetic plans for the upcoming year, which will include poetry classes for those eager to learn the craft.

You may follow Robacker's poetic journey on her Web site. Click The Community button as she is all about community.