A Poetry Party with Punch Drunk Press

Image from Punch Drunk Press FaceBook event

by Lucy Findley
Spring 2019 Regis University Intern

Poetry events are rarely accompanied by punk music—but maybe they should be. A few weeks ago, I attended Punch Drunk Press’ “Punchapalooza,” a celebration of the magazine’s two years of success. Immediately as I walked in, I could sense what a close-knit and passionate group of people the Punch Drunk Press brings in.  It wasn’t just their dark, punk attire that illustrated their likeness, it was their compassion for one another and the support they graciously handed out to everyone who presented a piece at the reading—and, of course, the live musicians who amplified the mood.

This event was unique in many ways, one of my favorite parts was the “Punketry” portion of the evening: a combination of improv slam poetry and punk. It was fun, exciting, and like many other ways to describe the night, heartfelt. 

​Not a single line of poetry went by without a “yes!” from the crowd. 

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“Punch Drunk Press’ mission is to provide a platform for established and upcoming writers, poets and artists to help them to share their passion with the world around them, whether that be a local in-person community or a global online community.” ​

Estefania Munoz was one of the first readers of the night and she made her mark within the ten short minutes she brought her poems to life on stage. The appraisal for her words was undeniably genuine and warranted. Before hearing Munoz’s poems, I felt very out of place. I walked in alone, sat down in the corner booth and had never felt so underdressed (or overdressed? Honestly, I’m not really sure which one). But as soon as she started reading, I realized I’m not as different from the rest of the audience as I thought I was. Every one of the poems Munoz read hit me in special place, and I left that night thinking about specific lines that I’m certain won’t be leaving my memory anytime soon.

This event was not what I expected, but I really do believe it may have been what I needed. I urge you all to not distance yourselves from people who you think are different than you just because of the way they present themselves. There’s much to be experienced, even learned when we get out of our comfort zones. Punketry reminded me to have a little fun with that process, too.

"Punch Drunk Press runs the monthly series Punketry at the Mutiny Information Cafe in Denver, Colorado. On the second Tuesday of each month, four featured poets read poems accompanied by Black Market Translation, an improvised punk band.”

Learn more about Punch Drunk Press

Book Release for Estefania Munoz featuring Poets and Readers