Fury’s Dual Life in Poetry and Bar Ownership

Versailles, IN — Nick “Fury” Blackburn, known for his central role in the Cincinnati poetry scene, made a life-changing decision in 2023 to move to Versailles, Indiana, and pursue his dream of owning a bar. The White Rabbit Lounge has become his pride, but chasing his dreams in both the poetry world and the business world hasn’t come without its hurdles.

Balancing the daily demands of running a bar while staying deeply connected to the Cincinnati poetry scene has been a monumental challenge for Fury. Known for his leadership of the Def Poets Society, Fury spent years organizing slams, workshops, and open mics in Cincinnati, where the poetry community is both vibrant and thriving. But the move to a small town, where the rhythms of city life are replaced by more tranquil surroundings, forced him to juggle his passions for spoken word and business with much longer commutes and the sacrifices that come with being a small-town bar owner.

“I’m living in two worlds,” Fury explains. “There’s the world of The White Rabbit Lounge—it’s my dream, but it also requires me to be here, physically present every day. And then there’s the poetry world I built in Cincinnati. I can’t just walk away from that. I want to be at every slam, every open mic, but I also have to manage this business and keep it alive.”

The constant back-and-forth has meant long, often exhausting commutes between Versailles and Cincinnati. What used to be a quick trip to the city now takes hours out of his week, cutting into time that could be spent working at his bar or focusing on the poets in his community.

Even with the grueling travel schedule, Fury remains committed to both sides of his dream. He still attends poetry events in Cincinnati regularly, attending slams and readings, and his passion for supporting and mentoring local poets remains unwavering. He has made it a point to continue hosting poetry events in his bar, even though the regular Sunday Poetry Nights had to be cut from the schedule due to the demands of running the business.

But the poetry community in Versailles hasn’t been forgotten. Although Sunday nights were cut, Fury worked hard to keep the poetry spirit alive, even if the numbers are smaller. He says, “It’s hard to explain how it feels to go from packed poetry slams in the city to hosting a handful of people in a small town, but every Monday we show up. And it’s intimate. We keep pushing forward.”

The challenge of balancing poetry and business is a constant learning curve for Fury. He’s spent countless nights washing dishes, making drinks, cooking food, and managing the bar while still working behind the scenes to keep his poetry community intact. On top of that, Fury is committed to maintaining his role in Def Poets Society, making sure his team stays active and motivated despite the distance.

Fury’s vision has always been bigger than just one community or one bar. His dream of cultivating a space for poetry and creative expression in both Cincinnati and Versailles continues to fuel his ambitions, even when the road ahead is challenging.

“I’m chasing two dreams, and they’re both important,” he says. “The White Rabbit Lounge is about giving people a place to feel safe, unwind, and enjoy good company. But it’s also about creating a space for poetry, for writers, for those who have something to say. And I’m not going to give up on that.”

For Fury, this dual pursuit is not just about building a business or maintaining a poetry scene. It’s about creating a life where both passions can coexist, even if it means walking a fine line between two very different worlds.

“I want to be an example that you can chase your dreams on your terms, even when it feels like you’re pulled in a million directions. It’s worth it.”

Through the long hours, the endless drives, and the challenges of building something from the ground up in a small town, Nick “Fury” Blackburn continues to chase his dreams in both the poetry world and the business world—because for him, they are one and the same.