Music, poetry and a great cup 'o joe
On most Fridays, if you meander by the corner of Walnut and Oakland, you can catch the sweet sounds of Fuller's own gifted musical artists. For some years now, Coffee By the Books--an amazing fair trade coffee shop located in Fuller's Bookstore--has hosted a Friday Night Music series featuring the talents of Fuller's own student community. These evenings are a wonderful opportunity to support peers, kick back with some delicious coffee concoction, and soak up good music. I love that C by the B has provided such an opportunity and venue for people to share their gifts and passions with the community.
A few months ago I was thinking about these Friday night gatherings and thinking about my love of poetry. I remembered being dragged to my first open-mic poetry reading somewhat against my will. It was more about my fear of sharing my work with the public than it was about a dislike for the sharing of spoken word. When I finally mustered up the courage to share some of my own pieces it was one of the most profoundly cathartic and affirming moments I had experienced. I learned that regardless of what you have to say, the sharing of poetry is sacred business among poets--there is a respect, an admiration, and an appreciation for the raw honesty poetry affords. I remembered these things and decided it was time to bring such an opportunity to Fuller.
So I had a few conversations with my friends at C by the B and I hosted my first open-mic poetry reading this spring. The turn out was slim, but I was hopeful. We had a few readers who shared a combination of their own writings and the writings of beloved poets. I hosted a second reading this summer with a few more in attendance--word was spreading and poets were...well, not exactly flocking, but showing up!
A few weeks ago I hosted my third open-mic poetry reading and we had the biggest turn out ever both of listeners and of readers. We were so thrilled to see the response of Fuller's community to the opportunity to share--without censor--some of the deepest most intimate thoughts as expressed through poetry. I was elated!
One of the most precious gifts I think we have is our own story and the ability to share that with others. In the sharing of our stories, we find that we are not as alone as we may have dreaded; we are not as quirky as we may have feared; we are not as confused as we may have wondered; and we are as unique and magnificent as we may have hoped.
If you are in the area, or visiting Fuller over a weekend, I definitely encourage you to stop by Coffee By the Books on a Friday night around 7pm; you just might be amazed!