In the cozy coffee lounge in the basement of Mary Hobbs Hall, The Greenleaf, students sprawl on couches and chairs, ready for a night of poetry, prose and music. At 6:45 p.m., there are only six or so names on the sign-up list – by 7:05, every spot is filled.
The Greenleaf Review, Guilford’s literary magazine, sponsored an open-mic held on Sept. 22 for a packed house. The theme appropriately was “The Last Night of Summer”, since Sept. 22 was the official last day of summer. There were 25 acts in total, varying from poems, short stories, songs, narratives and even interpretive dance.
“I thought it was really fun, and it was cool to hear everybody’s voices,” said first-year and first-time performer Halley Kunen. “I had a lot of fun playing (guitar) and felt really comfortable. It’s definitely more open-minded than my high school.”
Anastasia Smith, Chelsea Simpson and Lauren Henninger, officers of The Greenleaf Review and the hostesses of the occasion, welcomed everyone and kick-started the show. Simpson was the first performer reading two of her favorite poems, “Dog Fish” and “Wild Beast” by Mary Oliver.
As the night carried on, the acts varied. Some read excerpts from their own short stories. Andrea “Diesel” Robertson, a senior, shared her work-in-progress about the small town she grew up in where the local lore says that townspeople always die in threes. First-year Casey Thomas told her of experience of living in America for the first time.
“My best memories were of summer,” Thomas began as she explored the balance of growing up as an African American child in a predominantly white suburb.
Students exhibited their musical expertise as well. A bluegrass trio named Evan the Smelly performed a feel-good tune entitled “Travel On.” Alexander Barnett, a sophomore, showcased his talent for beat-boxing and churned out rhythms that had the audience bouncing their heads along. Joshua Shelton, a senior, played guitar and sang by request a playful song called “Canned Goods” about eating the home-canned fruits and vegetables his grandma made, capturing summer in jars.
Aside from the usual works of fiction and songs, some truly unique performances occurred. The second to last act of the night consisted of senior Daniel Katzman performing interpretive dance. Katzman swayed and dipped to the violinist accompanying him, his outstretched hands grazing unsuspecting audience members.
However, the most inspired act came from first-year Kevin Muhanji. He started off by whistling.
“It is the only real talent I have,” Muhanji said.
Next he began an African narrative, for which he donned a hat and hunched over, impersonating an old man. In Kenya, where he is from, old men tell elaborate stories that are often allegories for a serious issue.
Muhanji’s story, which he told as an old man, was the tale of a very old but prosperous man who ends up eating his own grandchildren and driving his children apart. The meaning of the story was about AIDS and the incestuous way it affects whole communities in Africa.
“It was a stupendous display of Guilford’s unseen talent!” exclaimed senior Ted Wilkinson.
As the night came to an end and everyone had filled up on coffee and homemade baked goods, the final performance summed up the last night of summer perfectly.
Jessica “Ashia” Moultrie read her original poem dealing with the struggles of college called “Do What I Gotta Do.”
As fall approaches and it really starts to feel like school time again, Moultrie’s words hung true: “I gotta do what I gotta do/Even though I didn’t do it/so/I stretch out my arms/Expose my eyes to the new day plotted out for me/I get the f— out of bed!”
Everyone left in high spirits, eager to move on to their next social event, while the hostesses cleaned up.
“It went extremely well,” Simpson said. “Everyone had great things to share – all in all, an excellent last night of summer.