What Happened When 50 Poets Walked into a Bojangles …

Poet Shane Manier Shares the Story of a Powerful Day in Charlotte Poetry

At Charlotte Is Creative, we enjoy sharing current stories about the creative ecosystem at work in the Queen City. But, it’s equally important to us to share the stories of how the creative movement has developed over the years. Today, we are excited to share this excerpt of a story by local artist and writer, Shane Manier, about an unlikely and important gathering of poets in 2018 that changed the completion of their community.

Here is her story …

Picture this: It’s a cold January day. You’ve had a hard day at the job. Finally, your lunch break hits. You know exactly what you want for lunch – one of those lip-smacking, buttery, Cajun filet biscuits. So you get in your car and head right on over to the nearest Bojangles.

Walking in, you see that there are only two other people in the whole joint. You’re glad. You can eat in peace.

All of a sudden, the door bursts open.

Hordes of people try to squeeze their way into the fast food restaurant. Ten of them are at the counter trying to order at once. Fifteen are claiming seats and trying to take their comrades’ orders. The rest are trying to file in and find a place to sit.

It’s utter chaos until a man with a booming voice yells, “I’m getting coffee and biscuits for everyone! Naw, don’t argue with me.”

I know what I thought. I was there.

PHOTO CREDIT ABOVE: James Nix

CALM AMDIST THE CHOAS

That’s when I noticed the man with the confused expression. He was just trying to enjoy his lunch. I was one of many poets there that day – Jan. 6, 2018 – at the Bojangles at 3129 Monroe Rd.

The guy with the booming voice was poet Ed Mabrey, and he did, in fact, buy us all coffee and biscuits as we proceeded to take over the Bojangles for the next two hours.

That said, the question remains: What were that many poets doing at a Bojangles?

We were having a meeting – a serious one about the future of Charlotte’s poetry scene.

Even though Charlotte has always been a hot spot for poetry and some heavy hitters have come from this city, it hasn’t always been supportive or as organized as it is today. One of the things I love most about the Charlotte poetry community is how supportive it is now.

When poets come here from out of town, they’re always amazed at how we root for each other (even in slam competitions) and try to connect each other with opportunities and resources.

Even if a poet doesn’t necessarily rock with another poet, that poet will still clap them up.

But it wasn’t always like that. And the poets in the city were frustrated at how divided and unfocused everything was.

FINDING A WAY FORWARD

Poets didn’t know what to charge for their services, so they were undercharging. The more seasoned poets were getting upset. And, young poets coming up in the scene didn’t have much support.

For those new poets, it could be intimidating to approach the already established groups.

With the barrier between the new generation and the old, the contract fee to pay poets was unstable. There was an unorganized mess of not knowing who’s doing what and whose toes are being stepped on.

It was time to do something.

That’s when Charlotte’s future inaugural Poet Laureate of Charlotte, Jay Ward, sent the call out for a meeting called “Charlotte Poetry Community Roundtable.”

BUILDING THE ROUND TABLE

It was originally supposed to be held at a lounge up the street on Monroe Road, but when the owner of the club didn’t show up, poet Ed Mabrey walked down the street to the Bojangles and asked the manager if it was okay if we held the impromptu meeting there. Thankfully, the manager said “yes.”

I was there representing our nonprofit Guerilla Poets. I came in the hopes that Charlotte poets would get over the pettiness and get our booties back into communities for outreach.

At the time, my frustrations were rooted in how overworked activist poets were. That included my group. The need for poetry programs was great and so few poets were stepping up to do the work in shelters and schools.

I’ve learned a lot in the few years between 2018 and 2022. One lesson is: Not every poet needs to be in the classroom.

Another is: Just because you don’t see the work don’t mean it ain’t getting done.

There is more to the story above. Click the button below to keep reading and see a video of Shane Manier in action at TedX Charlotte.

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