The Gri Gri Project and Bajo el Sol Gallery released their first-ever poetry anthology, “Like Salt and Wet Soil,” Saturday.
This publication features an aggregate of original poems that have been featured at their monthly poetry readings coined with the name Rhyme and Lime hosted at Bajo el Sol Art Gallery in Cruz Bay, St. John.
The book was made in celebration of the fifth year of the event’s existence and features original poetry from poets who performed at the event between 2019 and 2023. Rhyme and Lime is a poetry event formed in 2019 by Virgin Islands’ poet Jamaica Hamilton alongside David Knight Jr. and Priscilla Hintz Rivera Knight.
Production of “Like Salt and Wet Soil” began in 2023. Editors Raven Phillips and David Knight Jr. worked together to curate a poetry anthology that would celebrate numerous Virgin Islands poets and guests of the Virgin Islands who had shared original work throughout the years. William “Bill” Stelzer was integral in designing the book for publication.
Phillips, the current host and organizer of Rhyme and Lime, began stewarding the event in 2021 when Hamilton relocated to the States. She noted that Thomas Lynch of the Lynch and Sons Fund for the Arts financially supported the anthology’s production.
“This process was beautiful in offering an invitation to connect with the poets who have participated in Rhyme and Lime over the years. It’s really the poets who have made this organization what it is. I offer a little scaffolding but the artists are the ones who have the courage to share their work in the space with their community. It is an act of community and communal love,” Phillips said.
Rhyme and Lime invites the public to attend their monthly gatherings, which typically takes place on the last Saturday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Bajo el Sol Art Gallery on St. John, where the poetry anthology can also be purchased. This event offers an opportunity for poets to share their work and poetry lovers to listen to various presentations, including spoken word and musical performances.
“Poetry and the humanities in general are so important, especially now during a time where these studies have been de-emphasized. The humanities make us well rounded people and opens the door to expression and art. This creative avenue is equally invaluable on an individual level and a collective level. Sharing stories, thoughts, and emotions with other people offers human to human connection across all lines,” Phillips said.
