The college president’s house was filled with excitement and warmth last Thursday as a vibrant group of writers and listeners gathered for the second annual poetry slam. The event was hosted by the English club which sought to make the event bigger and better than ever.
Last year’s poetry slam was held during the spring at Mojo 516 Cafe, but due to the large number of attendees, the club decided to relocate it to the president’s house for more space. This year, over 20 people shared their original poems or read poems that they loved.
Madeline Marriott ’24 co-founder and vice president of the English club, was pleased with the event.
“My favorite part of the night was that several people that got up including students and members of the faculty that said, ‘I’ve never read my poetry out loud before, but I wanted to give it a try in this environment,’” Marriott said. “When we started the event last year, it was before we had an English club and a writing community. We wanted a place for people to feel safe and comfortable to share their work and to see that happening was validating.”
Maria Cangro ’24, the president of the club, believes the poetry slam is a unique opportunity for English students to gather and share their work.
“Last year, we felt that there were not a lot of English department events that students can directly participate in,” Cangro said. “We wanted to create something where students can participate in a non-competitive environment.”
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Marriott herself read her favorite poem, “The Orange” by Wendy Cope in addition to her own poetry. She said that she feels drawn to poetry that either speaks to her personally or captures her feelings and experiences.
Cangro feels that poetry is a timeless and beloved art form for many because of its special ability to capture the essence of human feelings and unite people across time and place. Numerous individuals who were not members of the English club also joined in on the event.
“I know that sharing your writing is a vulnerable thing to do and it’s not an easy thing to do because of that so to know that people can break out of their shell and share something that they are proud of is important to me as a writer,” Cangro said. “It is so important to listen to the writing of your peers and poetry is so personal and I think it’s a great way to know something about someone that you wouldn’t typically know.”
People of all interests and experiences are encouraged to attend future poetry slams and English club events. The club is planning its next poetry slam for the spring.
“If people are not sure, they should just give it a try being in the audience and see if something strikes them and maybe they will leave with a new favorite poem,” Marriott said.
Disclaimer: Editor-in-Chief Madeline Marriott ’24 and Assistant Culture Editor Kristen Vincent ’26 did not contribute writing or reporting.