Vashon’s poetry scene is expanding and becoming richer; performance poets who revel in the Slam Poetry scene have claimed a night of their own. Slam Poetry will be performed First Thursday evenings at Café Luna, beginning this summer, and will debut at 7 p.m. tomorrow night, Thursday, May 15.

Julian Park, 2007 Vashon High School graduate and interim director of Vashon Youth Council, and Devon Atkins, the 8-Word, 8-Day Poetry Open Mic originator and host, will coordinate the events.

The monthly Slam Poetry events will celebrate performance poetry and encourage participation by all segments of the community. Slam poetry, which draws on the range of vocal inflection and the power of voice, has become popular as a form of self-expression among young adults across the United States.

The 8-Word, 8-Day Poetry Open Mic, already a staple at Café Luna, has drawn crowds for more than a year with a monthly (Third Thursdays) mix of folks who love to entertain and be entertained.

Each month, eight words are posted for those who enjoy the challenge of creating an original poem with those words. This month the words celebrate the double-Oh: aloof, woo, groove, loon, kazoo, proof, shoot and bassoon. No changes in tense or spelling are allowed. Poets of all ages are encouraged to write poems or to bring any favorite poem to share at the Poetry Open Mic. Poets are asked to bring a copy of their poems for the Open Mic archives.

This month’s Poetry Open Mic will be even more exciting because Park and his fellow slammers will fill the café with an intermission of out-loud poetry. In June and following months, First Thursdays will be devoted solely to Slam Poetry.

Natalie Sheard, owner of Café Luna, said she wants the café to be a place where exciting and meaningful entertainment is offered at the lowest cost. So it was no surprise that she didn’t hesitate to open the café to Park and his friends, just as she did for the Poetry Open Mic.

The sign-up sheet for the May 15 event is available at the café for anyone (slammer or poet) who wants to share an original poem (8-Word, 8-Day or not), or any poem. For more information, see Café Luna’s Web site, www.cafelunaonvashon.com, or contact Devon Atkins at 353-9227.

Vashon’s poetry scene is expanding and becoming richer; performance poets who revel in the Slam Poetry scene have claimed a night of their own. Slam Poetry will be performed First Thursday evenings at Café Luna, beginning this summer, and will debut at 7 p.m. tomorrow night, Thursday, May 15.

Julian Park, 2007 Vashon High School graduate and interim director of Vashon Youth Council, and Devon Atkins, the 8-Word, 8-Day Poetry Open Mic originator and host, will coordinate the events.

The monthly Slam Poetry events will celebrate performance poetry and encourage participation by all segments of the community. Slam poetry, which draws on the range of vocal inflection and the power of voice, has become popular as a form of self-expression among young adults across the United States.

The 8-Word, 8-Day Poetry Open Mic, already a staple at Café Luna, has drawn crowds for more than a year with a monthly (Third Thursdays) mix of folks who love to entertain and be entertained.

Each month, eight words are posted for those who enjoy the challenge of creating an original poem with those words. This month the words celebrate the double-Oh: aloof, woo, groove, loon, kazoo, proof, shoot and bassoon. No changes in tense or spelling are allowed. Poets of all ages are encouraged to write poems or to bring any favorite poem to share at the Poetry Open Mic. Poets are asked to bring a copy of their poems for the Open Mic archives.

This month’s Poetry Open Mic will be even more exciting because Park and his fellow slammers will fill the café with an intermission of out-loud poetry. In June and following months, First Thursdays will be devoted solely to Slam Poetry.

Natalie Sheard, owner of Café Luna, said she wants the café to be a place where exciting and meaningful entertainment is offered at the lowest cost. So it was no surprise that she didn’t hesitate to open the café to Park and his friends, just as she did for the Poetry Open Mic.

The sign-up sheet for the May 15 event is available at the café for anyone (slammer or poet) who wants to share an original poem (8-Word, 8-Day or not), or any poem. For more information, see Café Luna’s Web site, www.cafelunaonvashon.com, or contact Devon Atkins at 353-9227.