Basically, art is meant to be seen, and music is meant to be heard. So is our poetry meant to be spoken. And very often we accomplish that through a business opening its doors to us and to the other various artists in the community. You have a little side room, where whatever the venue is going to be takes place.

On the other hand, you have a whole other room of innocent bystanders, shall we say, who might get drawn in to something they hadn't experienced before. I think that's a fun idea.

It creates a rhyme and a rhythm. Very often there will be art on the wall, and poetry being read, or jazz being played—a wonderful invigorating mix. You never know what you're going to turn up. It's something that energizes my art, and probably everyone else's too.