MANCHESTER, NH – “It’s like an apocalypse out there,” said Damian Rucci, a New Jersey poet and founder of The Poetry Renaissance, as torrential rain poured down in Manchester on Monday night. Rucci, who launched the movement in 2021, has been working with Manchester native Jeremiah Walton to spread its reach nationwide.
Despite the storm, regional artists of all kinds gathered at The Alibi Aftermath on Wilson Street, a neighborhood bar under new ownership. Owner Trevor Hart aims to make The Alibi Aftermath a hub where artists and locals can come together. “I want this to be a place where blue-collar people, art, and culture meet,” Hart said, pointing out the updated menu and affordable drink prices.
On August 19, the bar became the perfect refuge for a group of traveling artists escaping the late-summer storm. The evening saw a convergence of poetry and comedy as poets from the New Jersey Renaissance teamed up with performers from Manchester’s Bards on the Rocks and The Laugh Attic for a lively and energetic show.
Rucci, a seasoned performance poet, kicked off the night with his trademark intensity. “F*** all those people who say we’re living wrong,” he declared, underscoring his commitment to The Poetry Renaissance. Manchester comic Kolbe Maloney followed with a blend of comedy and music, performing an original song humorously titled “My Mom Is Hot.”
New Jersey poet Slayer Joe brought an edge to the evening with a provocative act, appearing dressed as Jesus Christ and trailed by a woman wielding a bullwhip. His performance, complete with a sizable prop under his robe, left Manchester’s Catholic community clutching their rosaries.
Comedian Katy Coughlin responded to Slayer Joe’s act with sharp wit, proving that even the most controversial topics can be funny when approached from the right angle. New Jersey poet Alex Ragsdale then shifted the tone with heartfelt pieces that tackled mental illness, urging the audience to bring these often-taboo issues into the light.
Jeremiah Walton, who hosts the Bards on the Rocks series at the HopKnot in Manchester, captured the spirit of the evening, urging the crowd and society to “Let us be poets.” He emphasized the importance of creating a sense of belonging. “We want everyone to walk away feeling like you’re part of something larger than yourself,” Walton said. “That is a fundamental human need, and our society doesn’t provide a lot of avenues for that.”
The Poetry Renaissance, the subject of an upcoming PBS documentary, seeks to fill the void left by the slam poetry scene. The movement blends traditional verse with live performance and uses social media to spread its message. “The poem is living, and we are the poem. The lifestyle itself is the poem,” Rucci explained.
The movement has also caught the attention of established poets. Mark Lipman, an artist and activist who will soon be named the U.S. Beat Poet Laureate, expressed his admiration. “I’m impressed. They are people with the courage to live as poets, who are carrying the torch,” Lipman said. “They’re building a group, and their collective voices are being heard.”
Walton summed up the essence of The Poetry Renaissance, saying, “It’s your ability to connect with people and tell stories. It’s being able to touch a heart.”