By Astrid Ortega
Poetry is special, a language of words with deeper meaning and relatability that brings many people together. Being able to put yourself in front of strangers and share a poem that means something to you is admirable.
Although ASI is still managing to host events over zoom amidst COVID-19, the realness is lost when an event is virtual. We all feel it as we go to class or meetings on Zoom, seeing virtual concerts, and even connecting with friends virtually. The face-to-face aspect of events is what makes it exciting because you’re seeing new people or putting yourself in a different environment.
CSULB ASI hosts Poets Lounge, a safe space for students to share spoken words. Unlike other virtual events, the Poets Lounge doesn’t lose its realness. You’re listening to people open up about either personal or significant stuff that the digital wall between you is forgotten.
The special thing about spoken word is that it comes in many forms. At Poets Lounge, you can share a song, poem, excerpt from a book, and anything else you feel is spoken word. In the last Poets Lounge, many shared dreams they had in their sleep that stuck with them.
Having the chance to speak about a dream is what makes this event so intimate; it just feels like you’re hanging out with friends even though maybe you don’t know anyone there. The connection that is opened because of the vulnerability being shared brings comforting energy.
It’s interesting to see people reading a poem that’s written by someone else because there is so much behind their voice, stories that they aren’t willing to share with their own words but find the power to share with someone else's. This can be with a song or book too, we all find relatability in these things and sharing them can be a way for someone who is listening to find comfort in them too.
If you’d like to participate in Poets Lounge, the next one will be Nov. 19, 2020. This will be the last one for the semester so come join to share or listen.
