I remember it like it was yesterday. I was backstage (to the left of the stage really, nothing fancy) waiting for my turn to showcase my poetic abilities. There I stood frozen with feet firmly planted on the concrete that was below me. My mouth was slightly ajar, caught between a half laugh and a half scream. I could not believe what I beheld. The world around me started to disappear and soon so did the constant nagging from someone who wanted me to listen to his last-minute rehearsal of their set (it was too late for rehearsals). With time what remained was what I was watching, and I was the physical embodiment of the word “awe”.
My eyes were enslaved by the poetic prowess before me; Julie Nyakato in epic form was performing Phenomenal Woman. Her performance shone so brightly that my eyes could not let in any other type of light. As a self-proclaimed poet who had been performing poetry since 2007, I was shell shocked by the mastery with which she performed that classic poem. I knew she was a member of the Lantern Meet of Poets (the famous Lantern Meet of Poets) but I had never had the opportunity to watch her perform.
I had heard of the Lantern Meet of Poets. I knew them to be the crème de la crème of the poetic scene in Uganda. I had also heard tales of the terror that was their fortnightly Meets at the National Theatre. Of how writers that did not think before taking what they thought were poems to the Meet were grilled, how many self-proclaimed poets renounced poetry and everything attached to it after being under the harsh spotlight of this literate eye. I had always vowed to take the best poem I ever wrote to the Meet to watch their sharpened mouths become blunt by the superiority of my literary skills. On that day, I vowed to perform with or before the Lantern Meet of Poets if I was to have any meaningful career as a Poet. That was 2013.
The door into the Lantern Meet of Poets was opened for me by a one Mr. Elijah Bwojji in 2018. Sadly (or gladly), the days of the torturous Meets had passed. By the time I joined I was a performer and thought I had mastered the art of Spoken word. The Lantern Meet of Poets introduced me to a different/new style of performing poetry (performance poetry). This new-found style of performing poetry has elevated my performance skills. I feel like my performances are more alive; have more depth and reach the audience intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. This fact was confirmed by audience members at one of the first lounges I performed. I have transformed from the opened mouth spoken word artist into a confident performance poet.
Joining the Lantern Meet also introduced me to a variety of well written, world-class poetry. Reading poetry written by stalwarts of the Lantern Meet, as well as attending the meets, has changed my style and view on writing poetry. Attending the Meets has added a valuable touch to how I now write my poetry. It has helped me understand what poetry actually is; what qualifies a piece of writing to be a poem. I now write my poetry with a greater understanding of the styles and techniques that make a poem aesthetically beautiful.
Learning the art of performance poetry has also allowed me to become a better actor and a knowledgeable director. As a member of the Lantern Meet, I have fulfilled my dream of acting in a good film which became a reality towards the tail end of 2019.
If you tapped me on the shoulder while I was opening my mouth that day in 2013, and told me that I was going to become a member of the Lantern Meet and perform with the Lantern Meet, I would have agreed with you; for it was always my dream to join the Lantern Meet, to rub shoulders with the best so that I could one day become the best.
Joining the Lantern Meet has seen me undergo a crash course in Poetry, Theatre and now Film. It is 2020, I have learned and I am still learning so much from the university that is the Lantern Meet. It is my strong belief that the African literary scene is going to change for the better due to the existence of the Lantern Meet.