We love a little poetry after supper. WAIT, STOP, that’s Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge. We already used that one. And it doesn’t have much to do with World Poetry Day. Soz Nicole.
How about a bit of history instead. French artist and writer Louis-Sébastien Mercier once referred to a certain establishment as “the ordinary refuge of the idler and the shelter of the indigent”. No, he wasn’t talking about Her Upstairs. He was referring to the quintessential French café, which was a source of derision before the revolution – aristocrats would look down their considerable noses at the commoners and miscreants who socialised at them.
Then, in the late 17th century, café culture exploded in a flurry of foie-gras and and flat whites (they definitely didn’t have flat whites in the 1600s but it fit the sentence so just humour us please). They provided a backdrop for heated debates, glamorous and furtive affairs, and frenetic academic discussions. These in turn provided source material for the droves of artists, writers and poets who frequented the cafés. The French Coffee Revolution sparked a creative catalyst that still influences how we write, sing and paint!
It makes perfect sense therefore, that renowned Austrian coffee roaster Julius Meinl is today accepting written poetry as payment for delicious coffee, in an event with British singer/songwriter JP Cooper.
“Over the years, I’ve seen the lines between music and poetry becoming intertwined,” says JP. “For me as an artist, having a true understanding of how poetry can inspire my music is fundamental. Some of the most influential artists today are making poetry accessible and contemporary for the masses, and this is something I hope to achieve through working with Julius Meinl on Pay With A Poem.”
Hey JP! We love a man with dreadlocks.
To find out more about Pay With A Poem, and how you can be involved, visit www.facebook.com/JuliusMeinlOfficial and www.meinlcoffee.com. Follow the social conversation using #PayWithAPoem and #PoetryForChange
