Since July 2024, The Coffee Stop has hosted Leigh’s very own spoken word evening, Word Swap, led by Julie McKiernan. Taking place on the third Thursday of every month, the event encourages local poets, writers, and anyone who wishes to express themselves creatively through the written word to perform. Featuring performances of poetry, prose, and even the occasional song, there’s truly something for everyone.

Local writer Julie McKiernan kicked off the evening with an acrostic poem about January, exploring the dread we all feel for the month. Shaking up the format, her poem worked backwards, tracing the month from its end to its beginning, both in structure and content. With strong lines such as “The New You will stick your resolutions” and “Unfair and underhand, January will be your downfall,” she captured the universal struggle of the season. The audience nodded in agreement when she described January as the “longest month of all”—a sentiment everyone could relate to. Julie’s poem perfectly highlighted the mixed emotions tied to the start of the year and the challenges of the month itself.

In keeping with the theme of her poem about January, Julie shared some fascinating facts about the month. These prompts encouraged audience participation, as they were invited to guess fun facts about January. From learning that it’s the month of National Dress Up Your Pet Day to discovering which vegetables can be grown and the flowers that represent the month, there was plenty of interesting yet useless information to take away.

Kevin Shirley, an aspiring poet and writer, performed a comedic poem titled “I Think,” which humorously addressed the procrastination we all experience during this time of year. The repetition of the phrase “I think I think,” following empty promises like “I think I will start saving money,” effectively captured the endless commitments we make but often fail to follow through on. This theme is prevalent during this month. Overall, the poem was fun and creative, resulting in laughter from the audience.

Local poet Maria Byrne shared a couple of poems from her collection titled Pigeon Love. The poems explore love in its many forms, including love for a special someone, for family, and even for a place. In her poem “Spring Clean,” Maria reflects on how grief and the loss of a loved one transforms the simple act of “slinging a tea towel” into something deeply meaningful, intertwined with feelings of “grief and sadness.” A poignant detail in the poem involves “seeing light” through the towel, serving as a reminder of the brighter days ahead. It’s safe to say that this poem resonated with the audience, touching on experiences we have all faced in our lives.

Word Swap is a unique event in Leigh, as it is the only regularly hosted spoken word event in the area. This gathering provides creatives with an open and welcoming space to share and listen to spoken word performances. Set against the backdrop of The Coffee Stop, a café known for hosting creative events, Word Swap contributes to putting Leigh back on the map.