Rowan McCabe’s positive piece about the power of poems (I toured UK council estates and learned this: all our lives are poems just waiting to be written, 17 September) might inspire readers to check out their local spoken-word poetry open-mic events. At these, anyone can perform their work to highly enthusiastic, supportive and multi-generational audiences, and, of course, listen to other poets’ work.
This form of poetry gives everyone a voice, is 100% inclusive, and a million kilometres away from the common assumption that poetry is an outdated, inaccessible literary form written by dead white men. The open mic is truly democratic – you can be the poet laureate or a first-timer, you still get five minutes. An online search for “spoken-word poetry open mic” will provide local listings. Please try it – it changed my life!
Max Terry Fishel
Bromley, London
