Some of Bermuda?s top poets will perform in the casual and intimate surrounds of the Bermuda National Gallery this evening.

Organisers of the Poetry Night ? Abandon and Hibernation Alan Smith and Laurel Monkman said the idea came from BNG director Laura Gorham after she had seen one of their other productions.

The line-up includes well-known poets Lauren Francis, Krystal Smith, Bermuda Idol runner up Joy Barnum, Alan Smith and Laurel Monkman.

The event also introduces Sharla Bean, who regularly reads at Chewsticks, is a CedarBridge Academy student and a student reporter.

Ms Monkman said: ?Everybody is just awesome. It?s going to be really low key, so we are not that hyped or stressed. It will be very casual and it?s early so people can unwind after work.?

Mr. Smith said the event should last for about two hours.

?The event begins at 5.30 p.m. with an elegant half hour of cocktails,? he said.

The theme of the night poetry is all about Abandon and Hibernation. ?We usually don?t do a theme, but this year we decided to do one so that the night wont be completely scattered,? he said. ?We wanted to have a common thread, although it?s still wide open and we are expecting quite a diverse bit of work.?

Miss Monkman said: ?All of us have really unique styles and for me it is nice to be part of an event where even though all our work is totally different we still have human emotion.?

So, the question of why Abandon and Hibernation was raised and Mr. Smith said: ?It was Laurel?s idea to have a theme, and we were thinking of things and everything sounded stupid or pretentious, and Abandon and Hibernation actually does sound a bit pretentious. However, we came up with the idea that abandon is just thinking about opening up and letting go and we saw it as letting go creatively.

?And hibernation came about because it is November and animals are going underground ? this is something that is very important for poets and artists to have that down time to recharge your creative juices. But again, how people are going to interpret it is quite another thing.?

The Poets Evening ? Abandon and Hibernation begins with a 5.30 p.m. reception and will have a 6 p.m. performance.

Tickets are $20, members $15 and students $5. Call 295-9428 to reserve or pay at the door.