Jaime Myers and Ruqayyah Boyer will become one at upscale on Tuesday September 6 at Upscale restaurant and bar. No they will not be joined in holy matrimony but rather be the featured poets on that night to spew poetic gold under that theme.
The talented young poets will join a long line of distinguished persons to grace the stage at Upscale, fondly referred to as the Apollo of local poetry. Both Myers and Boyer have proven their worth by first appearing during the open mic segments of the monthly event then to being put on the list to perform regularly. Both have edgy poems to which patrons can relate to but with a youthful exhuberance that grabs and keeps the attention of the listener.
The poetry night is the longest running poetry production in the Caribbean with this being the 9th year. It is so well known that persons from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada and even the United States have graced the Upscale stage.
Sponsorship for the event has been forthcoming from a small but dedicated pool of sponsors over the years. Corporate Guyana is however urged to put more resources into this uniquely special artform.
Though modest, the organizers are reluctant to admit that Upscale has contributed in no small measure to the maintenance and development of poetry locally. Open mic is just that and persons have spoken controversial and vulgar poems at the venue but since all poetry has a message encouragement is always forthcoming.
There is a seriously high level of secrecy surrounding the 10th anniversary celebrations. What I did find out however is that it will be special.
This month’s poetry night will be jointly sponsored by Digicel and Demerara Distillers Limited.
By – Andrew Ross