Nearly three years ago, a mutual friend encouraged Aurora residents Yvonne Boose and Karen Christensen to meet because they shared an interest in writing poetry.
At their first meeting over coffee, the two decided to form A-Town Poetics to give people who like to write the opportunity to meet regularly and support each other.
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Moving between coffee shops and restaurants, the group now meets regularly at the West Branch of the Aurora Public Library.
“The purpose of the group is to have a cohort of people who are going to be supportive of your work,” Christensen said,
Meeting twice a month, the group alternates between meetings and participating in the Aurora Public Library’s open mic nights.
About seven months ago, the West Branch of the Aurora Public Library decided to start an open mic night — one that was open to all ages and not in a bar environment, Steven Carmody, senior manager of the West Branch said.
Each month, members of A-Town Poetics as well as other singers, songwriters and poets in the community attend the open mic nights creating a “really supportive environment,” he added.
A-Town Poetics is comprised of poets, but its members also include those who write prose including short stories and books.
Each month, Christensen posts a writing prompt for the group on its Facebook page.
Not required to write something based on the prompt, it is helpful for those floundering over what to write about, member Sondra Sula said.
The group ranges from writers like Sula who is a professional copywriter and also has written several books to members who never have written a poem before, but always wanted to do it.
One of Sula’s poems was chosen as one of a number of poems that were printed on posters and placed around Aurora for “Celebration of Poetry in Public Spaces.”
There is something about the group that is positive and non-judgmental, Sula said.
“They are about encouraging each other and not about tearing down each other’s work,” she said.
It is a forum to share what you write and it also helps motivating you to write, Sula added.
Leo Zarko, a lifelong Aurora resident, who initially joined the group because he writes children’s books, admits before joining the group he never thought much about poetry.
Soon he found poetry to be a “great outlet” and has even written a poetry book.
“Most people don’t think they are poets, but they probably are,” he added.
Zarko especially finds the open mic nights beneficial. Hearing an author speak their own story or poems in their own words, he said “their inflections, their emotions come out.”
For most of his life, Zarko considered himself more “a mechanical guy,” rather than a writer. But he always told his kids bedtime stories and one day he decided to put his stories on paper.
“I realized I could do something I never thought I could do,” he said. “It brings great joy, it is great creativity.”
Over time, this group has continued to grow and will be celebrating its third anniversary in July, Christensen said.
“We have a diverse group of members who range in age from 30s and 70s and also have had high school and college students in the group,” she added. “The group’s one similarity is that we like to write.
“Sometimes getting out a sheet of paper or turning on the computer is agonizing, but if you know that other people are expecting you to come up with something, it is motivation,” Christensen said.
Poetry group
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Who: A-Town Poetics group for writers
When: Meets every other Tuesday
Where: West Branch of the Aurora Public Library, 233 W. Constitution Drive
Upcoming: Tuesday, March 8, 6. to 9 p.m., Open Mic Night, West Branch Living Room
Tuesday, March 22, 7 to 8 p.m., general meeting, West Branch Conference Room