Last Saturday, July 9th, that perhaps among the three (3) best days of my life (my wedding day and my son’s birth being the other two). For years , I have dreamed about performing at the Nuyorican Poet’s Café. On the night of July 9th, I finally worked up the courage to get on the stage.
The whole thing started several weeks before when my wife and I were discussing this dream of mine. I told her, “before I die, I will get the guts to perform at the Nuyorican.”
She said, “Ok, then that’s what we’re doing for our anniversary.”
I laughed at her suggestion. However, she insisted, booked the trip, and away we went. The trip itself was magical. New York is my second favorite city on the plant (Santa Fem NM is first) and there’s really no way that i can have a bad time there. But after a pastrami sandwich at Katz’s, we headed to the Lower East Side and found the Nuyorican. I just about threw up.
As luck and timing would have it, the Nuyorican was hosting their Hybrid Open Mic and we were there early enough to sign up for it. As AdvocateOfWordz (the host and Nuyorican legend) called people the the stage, fear swelled my soul. One by one, talented people shared their souls with words and phrases that I knew were way out of my league. I leaned over to my wife and begged her to leave.
She said no.
Before long, it was my turn and the rest is history. I can’t thank The Nuyorican Poet’s Café enough for their generous spirit and welcoming community. My wife and i hated to leave because we felt at home. I will never forget that night. Few things live up to they hype we create, but the Nuyorican Poet’s Café is everything i dreamed of and more. You can check out my time below…(also notice FS2SupplyCo outfitted me for the night….)
July 17, 2022 at 10:11 pm
That is so brilliant! I lived in that neck of the woods for 10 years and went past the Nuyorican Poetry Cafe and the place is legendary, wish I’d gone just to check it out. I love your performance and wish it was longer, and you should go back. Where have you written down the words that you read that night? Congratulations to you and your wife and happy anniversary.