Feeling trapped and alone, senior Tina Skinner slowly rose to the microphone. Around her, she could hear the espresso machine hissing and the coffee grinder whirring. Her throat felt like sandpaper and her hand shook as she tried to look at the poem on her paper. “How in the world,” she thought, “will I get though this reading?” Sound rough? It’s not. This is Nancy Rose’s second-period poetry class, where each Friday they head to Montana Coffee Traders to read and share poems with the class — and with Kalispell’s caffeine freaks. “When I first got up there I felt quite uncomfortable, because I was sharing a part of me that I don’t usually share,” said Skinner. “Then, as I started to read my poem it was easy, because people were actually listening to me.” Rose has been taking her students to readings around the valley for two or three years. The first year, the class traveled from place to place, such as to Woodland Park and Norm’s News. This year, the class began reading regularly at Coffee Traders at the request of the owners. “I think it is cool that they let the students come out of school. They seem more motivated when they are here,” said Timi Stark of Coffee Traders. “They make the coffee house have a ‘coffee house’ feeling.” Rose first intended that the class would only go to the Coffee Traders once of twice a month, but when the class was invited to keep returning, it became a weekly venture. Every student goes to Coffee Traders and is encouraged — but never forced — to read. Rose also reads her poems, and says she challenges students to write as much as possible and to explore their feelings whenever they write. “Writing the five-beat line makes you sweat, but brings you gifts and causes you to reach for words, thoughts and feelings that you would otherwise not reach for,” said Rose. “You’ve got to trust yourself and let go.” “I really like it,” said senior Stacy Amundson. “It’s free expression … there are no limits.” |
