The Reflector hosted a poetry slam in McFeely’s on Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. 

Since it was the day before Valentine’s Day, the theme for the night was sharing poems about love, or the lack of it. 

Poets spoke of heartache, toxic relationships, coping with self-hatred and of their partners. 

One speaker, Keric Ellis, described the way that love appeared to him. He explained how love was a distant type of emotion of which he could not take hold. Ellis also emphasized the emptiness of caring for others, but being unable to receive a romantic love. He ended the piece with the line “I love, but when will I be loved?” 

Many pieces were traditional, while some were more out of the ordinary. 

Robert Greenberg recited a poetic text, dedicated to his girlfriend. This was a swift description of her and him as different aspects of nature, including beautiful imagery. 

Similarly, a piece from the speaker Dale Crowley was actually written by his wife. It was a letter that she had written for their granddaughter, who turned 13 recently. The crowd couldn’t help but applaud the sweet reading.

Regardless of the style, the audience seemed to encourage all who spoke. There were even a few poets who confessed that their readings were their first work. Lily Hawkins recited her first poem to the crowd, which described a sandcastle in terms of a relationship, and the water of a wave destroying it.

Fitting for such a group of deep thinkers, an audience member found inspiration from hearing the poems and wrote one while listening to the performances. He explained his name was Zach. He was inspired to write, before creating a poem amidst the crowd. He wrote of a person who was broken up with, and how they still loved the other person. 

In all, the encouraging atmosphere created by like-minded individuals created a supportive environment for all involved. The appreciation shared with those of all skill levels nurtured the poets and crowd alike, making for an open-minded space for growth. 

If you missed this event, there are still other opportunities to be involved with The Reflector. The on-campus group is currently accepting submissions for its poetry, prose, and art chapbooks until March 6. 

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