Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer

Poet Sage. - file

Last Wednesday's 'Evening of Contemporary Literature' at RedBones the Blues Café, New Kingston, was a departure from the normal format for the month-end poetry event.

Held every last Wednesday, usually the guest poets are named beforehand. This time around, though, it was a catch-all of sorts and the person who was the night's focal point did not deliver lines.

Still, when she took a trip to the microphone she received the most enthusiastic applause.

A number of poets gathered to say goodbye in verse to Melissa Gordon, who will be leaving RedBones after eight years and has been key to the literature evenings. Among those paying tribute with their work were Fabian Thomas, Dubmaster Lynch, Fewzion, Sage and Clement Hamilton, who doubled as host.

The RedBones literature evenings culminate in an annual awards event, where writers who have participated throughout the year read from their work before a panel of judges and an overall winner and a 'Poem of the Year' are chosen.

Among the past standouts in the climactic event have been Ann-Margaret Lim and Anna Brown, while the RedBones stage has hosted a vast number of aspiring poets over the years.

In a brief reply, Gordon, who Hamilton dubbed 'The Stewardess of Poetry', said that it had been a pleasure working with the poets over the years. "If I am the stewardess of poetry then you are the steward," Gordon told Hamilton.