Whisper & Shout

It is truly astounding what talented locally based poets that one will hear on any given night. Each night the open mic also features a popular regionally known poet. Poets from as far away as Maryland, Missouri and Florida have graced the stage. Regardless of a poet’s level of experience, everyone is welcome to share his or her work. Join us on the 2nd floor, in the Preston Jackson Gallery.

Audiences experience more than just someone reading from a page. Poets often memorize the piece and perform it as in a stage play. These are often soul-baring performances that might make you weep or laugh out loud. One thing is for certain, this is an entertaining and stimulating event.

Featured Poet: Cassius “Reality” McPherson
Reality of St. Louis was born Cassius McPherson and raised in Chicago. Early influences include watching his father perform in Mel & Tim, with a string of Stax record hits. After watching “Roots” in 1977, he was inspired to begin writing. In 1998, he was introduced to open mics and started performing his poetry. Until 2019, McPherson produced and hosted open mics “Wednesday Wine and Words”, and “Tuesday’s Up ‘N Smoke” and more recently the open mic, “Legendary Old School Poets”.

He spent 20 years in the US Army as an infantryman, rising to the rank of E5 Sargent, his career ending in 2004 with a torn ACL and shattered meniscus from a mortar attack while serving in Iraq. Writing “Mere Words” was a way to cope with his P.T.S.D. and the senseless loss of life. To deal with the pain from his injury, he briefly became addicted to cocaine. As his release valve, he wrote, “Thoughts from an Addicted Mind”. Published in 2015, the book was built on the struggles and tears needed to find his path to recovery with the hope of helping others also.