MARTINSBURG, W.Va. (AP) - Earl Hairston has been writing most of his life, but has gotten involved in performance poetry for only the past year.
“Performance poetry is almost like rapping,” the 63 year-old Martinsburg resident said in a recent interview. “It combines traditional poetry and slam. It’s revolutionary.”
Poetry slam is a competition wherein poets recite or read their work and are ranked by a group of judges.
A new addition to the Book Faire and Chocolate Fest activities, the performance poetry program will feature Hairston and about five other poets presenting their work during two 90-minute performances at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., April 25, on the square in downtown Martinsburg. But, there will be no competition among the poets at this event.
Hairston was exposed to performance poetry at readings in Shepherdstown, such as the First Sunday Poetry Group at Shaharazade’s, which is led by Ed Zahniser and Tim Ross and the tea room’s owner, Lisa Olney.
Encouraged by friends and supporters, Hairston tried his luck at Busboys and Poets in Washington, D.C., a restaurant, bookstore, lounge and theater founded in 2005 by Andy Shallal, where poetry slams are held.
“We mixed it up and I held my own,” Hairston said.
Because of the exposure, he was invited to read his poetry at the 14th annual DC Poetry Festival at the Carter Barron Amphitheater in Rock Creek Park. The festival honored Gil Scott-Heron.
Scott-Heron, who died in 2011, was renown in the 1970s and 1980s for his soul and jazz spoken-word performances.
Hairston was introduced as a poet from West Virginia and performed three pieces, which were very well received.
He was born in Morgantown, but his family moved to Cleveland shortly thereafter.
“I would escape to a big park in our neighborhood and go to the Cleveland museums of Art and Natural History,” Hairston explained. “They were my window into the world. And my mother transferred her fire for literature into me.”
The family moved to Martinsburg when he was 11 years old. He attended Martinsburg High School and starred in track and other sports.
Hairston joined the U.S. Air Force and served for about 5 years.
“I was a ne’er do well part of my life,” he said. “I got into drugs, but art helped save me and I want to give back.”
Hairston and a friend, Don Ramirez, wanted to put on a slam in Martinsburg, which is when they approached Main Street Martinsburg about participating in the Book Faire and Chocolate Fest.
In addition to the poetry recitals, University of Virginia professors Deborah and Miles Lee will sweep the area with sage, Hairston said. Sage smudging is an ancient cleansing ritual used by Native American and shamanic cultures to remove negative energy from a space.
This will be followed by an invocation delivered by a women’s prayer and Bible study group, he said.
And Tracy Seffers will bring her Shenandoah Rhythm Jam for a drum circle, Hairston said.
Featured performers will include John Stamen, John Holly, Meribeth Miller, Andy Moran and Ben Chavez as well as Hairston. Ramirez will be the master of ceremonies.
For more information about the Book Faire and Chocolate Fest, contact Main Street Martinsburg at rlewis@mainstreetmartinsburg.com, 304-262-4200 or go to the Main Street Martinsburg website at www.mainstreetmartinsburg.com.
“We want to bring art into the community,” Hairston said. “Poets are coming to Martinsburg to release art into the community.”
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Information from: The Journal, https://journal-news.net/
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