Pomona’s Art District knows how to set the mood. On the first Saturday of February, under dim lights and against a backdrop of a live heavy metal bank and bookshelves, a crowd gathered at Café Con Libros Press for a night that was anything but ordinary. Poetry. Music. Drinks. Heart-shaped treats and a room full of lovers of language. Poetry After Dark, a grown and sexy open mic, kicked off Lovers’ Month with a celebration of words, rhythm, and raw, uninhibited truth.
For five years running, author and artist James Coats has curated and hosted this event, which has been the go-to for those craving poetry with a little more heat, a little more wit, and a whole lot of fire. Not all poetry is meant to be soft and delicate. Poetry After Dark is the place for poets and lovers of language to indulge in the sultry side of storytelling.
Take the unfiltered and sensual artistry of published featured poets Josue Muñoz and Anastasia Fenald. They did not shy away from delivering the truth wrapped in clever, spicy prose. Whether teasing the audience with sultry imagery or hitting them with lines that cut to the bone, their words linger like a slow sip of whiskey: smooth, bold, and intoxicating.
Related Stories:
https://lasentinel.net/south-african-anti-apartheid-veteran-tapped-for-top-poetry-prize.html
And then there was Cynthia Young.
Calling Cynthia a poet does not quite do her justice. She is a force, a presence, a woman utterly unafraid of herself and her desires. Cynthia does not just write sexy—she is sexy. She delivers her poetry like a secret meant just for you, except she wants everyone to hear it.
She owned the stage with a confidence that silenced the room. Her words dripped with heat, wit, and something even more powerful—freedom. Cynthia does not apologize for loving what she loves, for wanting what she wants, for saying the things that so many only dare to think. And the audience? They knew her work. Some leaned in, nodding along. Others whispered, already anticipating her following line. She had them—entirely and effortlessly.
Beyond the featured artists, the open mic sign-ups brought their own brand of magic. Both seasoned and new poets took the stage with stories of love, longing, heartache, and desire. Antonio Edwards Jr. offered sweet nothings, starting his piece with Sade’s “Ordinary Love” and Dionne Williams offering no apology for her shouts of truth.
As the evening wound down, conversations lingered, voices hushed, and strangers left as friends. Poetry After Dark was a celebration of expression without constraint.
