Mudpuppy Gallery hosts seventh Beat Night

By Hailey Trealout

­Local poets, musicians and story tellers gathered at the Downtown Expresso Cafe in Amherstburg Nov. 10 to contribute to the Mudpuppy Gallery’s seventh Beat Night.

Professionals and amateurs stood at the podium in front of 50 listeners to perform original pieces.

The host of Beat Night, Rob Tymec said he remembers his first time in front of an audience and could relate to the new locals that came to perform.

“We’ve all been there, and we love watching that terrified demeanor the first couple times, then slowly but surely you get a little bit more comfortable with it. Whether you go spoken word or just straight poetry, it’s a gorgeous process and it’s a growth experience,” said Tymec. “So much of what we see is artificial these days, so when you do something sincere like (Beat Night) it sort of shines. That’s what is drawing more and more people to this place. It’s just packed to the gills for the last couple times because people talk about this experience. How different and unique it is. It’s almost like we’re a beacon.”

Michelle Wilson, 58, has been writing since she was 14 and starting participating in Beat Night last year. She said writing is a way of describing a memory with personal meaning.

“It is an expression of what you’re feeling,” said Wilson. “I think that’s basically what writing is to most of the people who write. They may express it in different ways, sort of just like the things that fall out of your head.”

Some of the writers have been published for their poems and short stories.

Judy Ouelette Bezaire has been writing for 20 years and is working on a fictional novel based on local history. She said Beat Night is a great experience for aspiring writers.

“It’s an amazing form for writers to be able to read their work. It’s very warm, supportive and a lot of fun. It’s a great place to hear your own voice in your writing,” said Bezaire. “That’s really important. Writing is such a solitary art form, you do it on your own all the time, lots of times you’re in your own head. It’s a great way to hear your voice and to see how people respond to your work so that’s really important.”

The next Beat Night will be Jan. 26 at the Downtown Expresso Cafe.