They say that poetry doesn't pay, but a group of Bermudians used it to raise more than $2,000 for charity.

A group of amateur poets calling themselves PoeTree started holding open mic poetry nights a few months ago.

Many of them are associated with the Bermuda Fire Service including Gavin Carter and Jermaine "Scrappy" DeSilva, both firemen.

At PoeTree's latest session, they raised $1,200 and matched it with a further $1,200.

Half of the money will go to three-year-old Zyare Outerbridge, who is visually impaired.

"My son has been diagnosed with Leber Congenital Amarosis (LCA)," said his mother, Crystal Outerbridge. "It is a condition of the eyes. Right now there is no treatment.

"Doctors have said that in ten years he could be totally blind."

Ms Outerbridge said she was grateful for the donation and enjoyed attending a PoeTree open mic night recently.

"I did go to the PoeTree night and I enjoyed myself," said Ms Outerbridge. "It was really nice."

PoeTree also donated $1,200 to the education fund for Tinasia Paynter, the five-year-old whose mother Kitina Simmons, 23, was killed in a traffic accident in April.

"This money isn't going to bring her mother back," said Mr. Carter. "But maybe it can help with her education. There is a lot of grief involved in something like this.

"For people who are going through hard times, you never know how something like this will raise someone's spirits," said Mr. Carter. "This is to show that there are people out there concerned with more than just themselves."

Kitina's mother Rosalie Simmons said the donation was greatly appreciated, and would be put into a special fund for her granddaughter.

Mr. Carter said this was the group's first attempt at raising money for charity, but it wouldn't be their last.

PoeTree open mic nights started small, with just five people showing up for the first night.

"It was held in the Fire Station lounge," said Mr. Carter. "I was on the stage all night. It was a new thing to do on a Friday night. That was when our bar was open. We were looking for something other than the typical reggae or bar scene."

The event really started to catch alight by the third mic night.

"We had a fantastic time," said Mr. Carter. "We had three hours of poetry, and there were people of all ages performing. People were writing on the table as the show was going on."

After the fire station lounge was closed, PoeTree met at a number of different venues, most recently, The Spanish Point Boat Club.

"From there it just exploded to the point where we needed to get a bigger place and a name," said Mr. Carter. "The last time we had it at the Spanish Point Boat Club we had over 150 people in the audience, and about 15 performers."

Another organiser, Kelly Damasio, said the PoeTree nights give people something a little different to do.

"It is something out of the ordinary and it is something that everyone can enjoy," said Miss Damasio. "I was writing poetry before in high school, but it is never something I have shown anyone.

"Once the organising bit gets easier I might share some. It is more of my release when I feel frustrated."

She said that topics at the open mic sessions include everything from gang violence, to humour to voluptuous women.

"People write about things that are on their minds," Miss Damasio said. "It is about things they don't normally say or don't get a chance to say."

Mr. Carter said he is fairly new to poetry.

"I have been writing poetry for about two years," said Mr. Carter. "When I started it, I really, really enjoyed it. I write about anything and everything. Life experiences, stuff that people think and don't say... voluptuous women."

He said he was interested in maybe getting some of his work published one day.

"There are several people who perform at the open mic nights who are good enough to be published," Mr. Carter said. "I think the poetry arena on this Island is growing.

"It is not just older folks. It is the younger people as well. There is a book that just came out. It has a lot of Bermuda Institute children in it. It is awesome. I think people should go out and get 12 copies of it. It is called 'Away With Words'."

Mr. Carter said they would like to see more young people involved with the group.

"Since the last show we have talked to several 19 to 20-year-olds who carry around a book with them full of poetry.

"They are writing about their feelings or whatever. They are very expressive. I think something like this gives people the stage to go and put their stuff out there. That is what we need, something where young people can go and vent. There is no judgement behind it or anything like that. Everyone appreciates the fact that this person has enough courage to get up on stage."

The next PoeTree event will be held in June. The group can be found on Facebook.com by searching under "PoeTree". Contact them at PoeTree_openmic@live.com, or by telephoning Mr. Carter at 331-8058.