A soft wave of snaps ebbed through the audience as a performer left the stage. The ambient lighting twinkled in the wake of rhythm and rhyme as another poet approached the mic.
The University Student Union Program Council hosted Cal State Long Beach’s first Poet’s Lounge of the semester on Thursday, Sept. 18, at the Soroptimist House. Activities coordinator Taylor Buhler-Scott’s hosted the event; he said he was surprised by how crowded the event was – over 90 people in attendance.
“The best thing about [the event] is the welcoming environment the audience creates,” Buhler-Scott said.
The Poet’s Lounge was the first time many performers read their poetry to an audience. Sophomore psychology major Jose Espinoza had mixed feelings about presenting his original lyrics.
“I’m feeling pretty nervous, but once I get up there, I’m sure I’ll kill it,” Espinoza said before performing.
A group of CSULB’s Slam Team members promoted and performed at the event. Veteran performer, sophomore English major Sheila Sadr, was eager to share her poetry.
“Words are delicious,” Sadr said. “There is a unique chemistry of putting certain words together and learning from them.”
Sadr said she writes poetry so that she can learn about herself and how she thinks and feels about a certain topics.
She also said that she read her poetry at Poet’s Lounge to teach others about the many ways to talk about “love, politics, heartbreak, whatever.”
Sophomore social work major Aracely Martinez came to support Espinoza, who is her boyfriend. She said that they have been going to Poet’s Lounge events since last year.
“Every time I come, I hear something different,” Martinez said. “It always makes me want to come back.”
This event was the first time industrial design transfer student Raul Anzures had ever been to an open mic event.
“I really liked watching people perform,” Anzures said. “Two or three really stuck out to me as really good.”
Anzures was unable to finish writing a sonnet he had been working on before the event ended. However, as the audience left and USU Program Council members were cleaning up, he stepped up to the mic and recited his poem for the few stragglers.
Students were allowed to signed up as many times as they wanted to perform.
A keyboardist played ambient music and was available for performers who wanted musical accompaniment. Free cookies and hot chocolate were provided to attendees.
The USU Program Council hosts the Poet’s Lounge in the backyard of the Soroptimist House every third Thursday of the month.