By Jacy Nails
This past June, I was able to attend an event unlike any that I had ever been to before…a spoken-word event! Held at the Victory Black Box Theater located in the L.A. Lee YMCA/Mizell Community Center, Katrina Jo Sapp-Holder, also known as “Poettis,” held a spectacular show entitled “A Sistrunk Tale’’ with amazing guest performances by Ja’Nia Harden and Allen C. Paul, and a beautifully composed soundtrack by Poettis’ musically gifted daughter, Jae Kerenza Holder. When I thought to myself how I should write about this outstanding event, it only felt right to go along with the theme of spoken word and write a poem of the experience.
On the evening of Saturday June 29, history took place; it was an evening filled with deep history and richly worded grace.
A solo performance of poetic display,
Where the queen of verse held center stage that day.
The ambience was set as soon as you walked into the room,
From the mood-setting lights to the jazzy tunes
As the music faded, ears perked, and eyes scanned the perimeter
Following the sounds of the footsteps beginning to enter
Those footsteps were from non-other than Poettis herself,
What a masterpiece she is, like a freshly polished trophy on a shelf
Dazzling the audience with her red and black
A powerful presence, not a single step back,
She began to tell the informative tale
of the vibrant city of “Sistrunk” that we know so well,
Her voice was a melody, like a symphony of sound,
She captured the hearts and souls of the audience not one person was drowned
In a sea of history, she expounded upon deep emotions and art,
She painted pictures with words that came straight from her heart.
Sistrunk’s essence flowed through every line,
Like a woven tapestry, so timeless and divine.
From its struggles to its triumphs, everything was laid bare
Poettis’ words painted a portrait so vivid and rare.
The spirit of Sistrunk was in the room and all through the air,
I learned from Poettis’ words that Sistrunk is a cherished legacy an
