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By LIZZIE BOWEN | Staff Writer

PELHAM – The Pelham Public Library will host its first ever open mic poetry event on Monday, Oct. 6 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Poet Jamil Glenn is the author of “I am Birmingham: The People’s Poet” and will be hosting the event.

“It is basically creating a space for poets in the area,” Glenn said. “I just want poets to come here, be themselves, share their craft and give opportunity for people to share their art.”

He said it is exciting to bring more poetry and art into the Shelby County area as opposed to it solely occurring in the Jefferson and the downtown area.

“I think it will be good to bring Jefferson and Shelby County together,” Glenn said. “We can educate each other.”

Glenn currently resides in Alabaster and hopes to see success in the Shelby County area for the arts.

“I know so many people in Birmingham,” Glenn said. “Just living in Alabaster right now I am thinking we have to have an opportunity out here. There has to be people out here that enjoy the arts. I am pretty excited about connecting with people and bringing something great to the area.”

Glenn said art is the ultimate reflection of oneself.

“I always tell people that your art is a beautiful reflection of you,” Glenn said. “It is a gift that God has given you to share with the world.”

Glenn draws inspiration from a variety of places.

“As I got older, I really got back into writing,” He` said. “The older I got, the better I got. Two inspirations are my mother and my sister. When I was younger, my mother would write poetry and she would write plays and dramas for our church. I got inspired from that.”

Glenn follows the mantra of the late Birmingham based poet Voice Porter called S.O.A.P. This acronym stands for “Support our artists please.”

“In Birmingham we have so many artists,” Glenn said. “A lot of times an artist might not feel support in their own town. So, they will go to places like Atlanta or California, somewhere they will feel supported.”

Glenn hopes others will recognize the power and importance of poetry.

“It’s a crazy world, poets are heroes without capes,” Glenn said. “The arts save the day. I believe that poets are like superheroes with the things we have been through, we have been given a superpower to go and save other people from that. Our words are so powerful that they touch the heart of humanity.”

For more information about the event, visitPelhamlibraryal.gov.