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Literary Weekend Recap - March 14, 2026 - Between Pies, Poems, and Pantoums

  • Writer: Theresa Davis
    Theresa Davis
  • Mar 14
  • 2 min read

Updated: Mar 24

What a whirlwind this weekend was! Between Friday the 13th, Pi Day, the Ides of March, and the approach of St. Patrick’s Day, we were surrounded by every bit of literary energy imaginable. The ArtsXchange was buzzing with words, rhythm, and creativity — a true celebration of the written and spoken word arts.



Friday the 13th: Slam, Speak, and Shine

We kicked off the weekend with our first Open Mic Slam of the year, and the night was charged with poetry, song, and inspiration. Guest host Mr. Funn, former slam manager of the Java Speaks Slam Team, kept the mic moving — and the audience laughing — with his trademark haiku wit and irresistible energy. Our sacrificial poet, Mata, opened the night with a moving meditation on peace before the competition began.


For those new to the format, a poetry slam is a spirited, performance-based poetry competition where poets present original work to a panel of judges (or the audience) who score them based on content, delivery, and overall impact. It’s as much about the performance as it is about the poetry — a perfect fusion of art and emotion.

This round featured six bold voices taking the stage: Sophia Monet, Mike B, Sea, Ming Joi, Yasir Shakur, and Kamal Speaks. Most were first-time slammers, and that fresh energy filled the room. Our winner, Sophia Monet, stunned everyone with her debut performance, earning a perfect 30 on her first poem!


Our slam is cumulative, and the night’s top three poets were:

  • 3rd Place: Mike B – 86.3

  • 2nd Place: Kamal Speaks – 86.7

  • 1st Place: Sophia Monet – 87.8



Saturday: Irrational Circles and Delicious-ness

Saturday’s Writers Workshop turned into a delicious celebration of Pi Day — complete with cherry pie, key lime pie, pizza pie, and cheesecake (yes, I maintain it’s more pie than cake, and that’s my hill to die on).


Our theme, Irrational Circles, guided participants through a creative exploration of Catalogue and Ritual Poetry, along with prose and microfiction. Each workshop includes a “pre-write,” a poem, a prose piece, and a flash or micro story, a full-bodied creative experience that pushes writers to stretch, risk, and grow. This group of daring writers continues to amaze with their commitment to experimentation and artistic courage.


What’s Next?

The next workshop (Saturday, March 28th at noon in the Charles Riley Memorial Library at the ArtsXchange) is still simmering. It will be either SIN EATERS & GOLDEN SHOVELS — a wild mashup of the seven deadly sins and song lyrics — or Myth, Memory, and the Pantoum, an exploration of poetic structure and collective storytelling. Whichever we choose, it’s bound to be another feast for mind and spirit.



What a time to be alive — and to write.


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