Balttle Mountain Creative Writers Throw Down

Nick Lerger takes the mic at the third annual Spilled Ink Poetry Jam.

The third annual Spilled ink Poetry Jam was held this past Friday the fifth at the newly remodeled Bookworm in Riverwalk. Creative writers young and old came togather to bear there souls through the art of poetry.
Read more after the jump.





Spilled Ink is Battle Mountain’s creative arts publication, featuring art, poems, essays, and much more all submitted entirely by the high school’s students and staff. English teacher Dana Zilliox spearheads this project and is responsible for putting on the spoken word event.

“I’m always amazed at spectacular work the young members of our community are able to produce. My main goal is to present this vast talent to the rest of the community.”

Poetic HospitalityThe quaint bookstore is set up like a small auditorium, a stage area with a microphone and stool facing several rows of chairs. The seats quickly filled up around six o’clock and many had to stand.

Margaret Wright, assistant manager of the Bookworm’s café organized the event. “I really wanted to put on something special for these kids,” she said. “Obviously we’re very interested in young up-and-coming writers here, so we wanted to give them the best venue we could offer.

The Bookworm was recently expanded and allows for much more sitting and performing room. A brand new sound system has been installed as well so the kids don’t have to hassle with large speakers and cables.

“It’s much nicer than last year,” said Wright. “We had to rearrange the bookshelves and everything was so cramped.”

The shop provided an impressive spread of free finger-food to accompany the art. Deviled eggs, bruschetta, spanakopita, just to name a few of the dishes attendees were very pleased with.

“I came for the reading, but I stayed for the food,” said local mother Patti Thornton. “It’s all quite exceptional.”

Inspiring Words
With everyone fed and situated, the readings began around seven o’clock. Zilliox began the ceremonies by welcoming everyone and sharing a few limericks about the joys and challenges of being a teacher. This received an overwhelming response from the crowd and Zilliox was “truly humbled.” She then handed off the mic to her student and aspiring art student Kelly Mews.
Mews took some time to set up several paintings from her portfolio. Canvases of trees, planets, grassy fields, and oceans along with her hippie skirt and flower power poncho set an appropriate backdrop for her environmentally and spiritually charged poems “Mother,” and “How Long?” Many audience members were struck by Mews’ words and praised her talent. She passionately discussed how nature will eventually reclaim the world from industrialized society. “It’s about how, in the end, despite what we’ve done to this planet, everything will come back to Mother Earth,” Mews said of her work.

“That was real deep,” gushed junior Nick Lerger. “It got me pretty emotional. I didn’t know a poem could do that to me.”

“Many students took to the stage with powerful and passionate works, promoting different causes, raising concerns for issues, or perhaps just blowing off stream from personal issues. Aubrey Temmel read her essay “Only At Home,” commenting on the struggles of foster care and pregnant siblings, half the audience was in tears by the end and there were hugs all around.

Comic Relief
It wasn’t an entirely solemn, nor serious occasion though. Freshman Michael LeMette provided some comic relief, clearly a seasoned performer, he was very comfortable in front of the crowd. He read a sonnet about how he loves a good apple, appreciating when it’s not too mealy and has a natural color or shine. After this nutritionally motivated performance there was extensive conversation over the possible controversial connotations of the poem. Many believed LeMette was making sexual innuendos with his oral fixation references, others thinking there were some complex political points at play. However, after speaking with the author himself, he revealed it was simply just about how much he enjoyed a quality piece of fruit. LeMette finished his set with an impromptu ditty for “the ladies” and why they should give this nerd a chance, all off the top of his head, throughout which the audience was in hysterics.

This prompted a few other students to scribble out their own poems. Senior Cooper Barter and sophomore James Trujillo went up together to recite “Pow, Now, Wow,” a piece on the thrills of skiing backcountry written minutes beforehand.

“I think we’ve witnessed the creation of a few Frost Award winners right here tonight,” said Zilliox while wrapping up the event. “I’m very pleased with what we did tonight and I’m so proud of all of you. So please stay tuned for our next event, and please keep writing!”