There is something timeless about a fire gathering.

Before the stages, before the algorithms, before the bright lights of commercial entertainment, there was always a circle. A gathering. A drum. A voice rising into the night air carrying stories, warnings, laughter, grief, resistance, memory and spirit.

This Friday, May 22, Brawta Backyard Poetry returns to that energy with Campfire Lit Open Mic in Johns Town, Siloah, St. Elizabeth. Set against the warmth of a campfire and the grounding pulse of drums, the event promises an intimate cultural experience rooted in poetry, storytelling and Jamaican expression.

The night will feature a strong lineup of award winning performers, poets and creatives including Jamar Grant, Mikhail “Drama” Johns, Kimiko Watson, Tanisha Bent, Jaiku Poetry, Kacy Garvey and Britton Wright alongside a wider community of voices carrying the tradition forward.

More than an open mic, the initiative reflects a growing movement happening quietly across Jamaica where community based cultural spaces are reclaiming the power of live expression. In an era dominated by fast content and disappearing attention spans, gatherings like these remind us that culture still breathes strongest in shared spaces where people can feel the word, the drum and the silence between both.

Brawta Backyard Poetry describes its mission as “unearthing, reviving and sustaining culture through poetry, drama and storytelling in our communities.” And perhaps that is what makes events like Campfire Lit feel important. They are not simply performances. They are preservation.

The fire still calls us back.