On a rainy Wednesday night I joined 50 or so people at one of the newest poetry events to hit the city of Richmond.  Say Word Wednesday at the Tea Company on 902 West Broad Street.  Yes - I wrote the name and address twice - and for good reason.  This event was incredible!

If you've never been to the Tea Co., you're missing out on a great spot.  In a world where coffee spots have become more common that brger joints, it refreshing to find a place where you can get a REAL cup of chai cream tea.  With great variety and service, this is definitely a place to visit - even if there's no poetry going on.

That being said - there was some great poetry going on!  Roscoe kicked the night of with a great selection from his CD - just to get the crow warmed up.  The poets that followed kept the diverse crowd enthralled and entertained with every word and verse.

But this night wasn't just about poetry.  The musical performances were amazing.  With a little freestyle rap, and two strong performances from open mic participants, the crowd was warmed up nicely for a showstopping performance by the featured artist, the incomparable Jamela Bullock.

 Jamela Bullock graced the stage after the intermission, and immediately seized the hearts of the crow with her smooth, sensual lyrics and powerful voice.   Jamela has one of those voices that you can never forget.  Even if you forget which song she sang, you can never forget how her voice makes you feel.

 All in all, you couldn't ask for a better night of poetic and musical entertainment.  Happy Birthday Roscoe Burnems.  It's stars like you that light the way for the rest of us.