Hearing poetry being read aloud is a powerful experience, performing it is even more so. That experience was beautifully captured at last week’s Black History Month event, Keep Rising, where several students and faculty stood up to read their favorite poems and some even performed works of their own.

The event promoted literacy and gave the opportunity to shed light on African American authors and poets. Most of the poetry that was performed focused on racial equality, while others took a more playful route and recited verses about rain and bathtubs.

Even though the event had nearly 200 people in attendance, the atmosphere was intimate and personal. Once volunteers began to start reading out loud the various bits of poetry, the conference room was almost instantly transformed into a community of people who were drawn in by the delicate but commanding nature of spoken poetry, especially when the poetry dealt with harsh, ugly subjects like racism and abuse.
Megan Beyer, an Elgin Community College student studying poetry, attended the event.

“I wasn’t crazy about poetry to begin with, but now I’m kinda getting into it. I like it because the interpretation is totally up to the reader.” Beyer said.