On February 11, I went to see Aimee Lee feature at Real Talk Live, a monthly reading put on by Real Talk Avenue. Le read from her debut publication Feral Citizens, co-written with another young poet Fiona Chamness.
I attended this reading because Aimee Le is a friend of mine from back home, and she happened to be reading in Chicago that night. I knew that Le would give a great performance, as she is making a name for herself all over the country in the slam community.
The venue is sort of interesting. Real Talk Live is put on once a month in an apartment on the north side of the city that is shared by several poets involved in the show. While this takes some getting used to, the atmosphere is friendly and cozy, and I felt really connected to the show.
I like Le’s poetry because it’s usually quirky, and so raw and heartfelt. She has impeccable word choice, and a real talent for taking mundane words and making them seem new and important. Le’s readings always remind me to take risk with my own writing, and I think that is the big thing that I learned when I attended. I enjoyed the reading in general because it felt really audience-friendly, and half of the show is an open mic, so there is a lot of variety in the poetry being read. Real Talk Live felt like a really community-oriented show. I think that the reading could have been more enjoyable if there was more space. While a kitchen is an interesting and intimate venue, it does get cramped.
Real Talk Live's website:
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