To my delight, TU’s creative writers once again delivered an impressive display of talent and heart at Writing Out Loud.
One of my favorite aspects of Writing Out Loud is the comfortable atmosphere. The event was held in the cozy confines of McFarlin Library’s faculty study. It was lovely to sit back and relax in a cushy armchair, listen to some quality writing and watch through McFarlin’s antique windows as the setting sun sank into shades of pink and orange.
The event garnered what seemed to be a higher turnout but fewer performers than last semester’s version. The writers, professors and audience members who attended were 100 percent attentive and supportive of each performer. I would have felt very comfortable sharing my writing with them.
It was once again a treat to see what TU’s creative writers have to offer. Highlights of the evening ranged from short stories to slam poetry to song.
The event was set in motion by a slam poetry performance by Tai Isarashi. The poem was an account of the intricacies of life composed entirely of song lyrics, which could have been a little cheesy but was actually rather well-arranged and very effective. The result was a compelling, moving and creative performance.
Also notable was a short story by Dana Himrich entitled “The Mechanical Theatre,” a whimsical and seemingly steampunk-inspired imagining of a futuristic theatre in which the performers are completely robotic. The story took us on an intricate first-person tour of the eccentric theatre.
I thoroughly enjoyed Lauren Kesterson’s surrealist short story “Belladonna,” the account of a deranged artist who is kept in a locked room and forced to produce art by a mysterious disembodied voice. Her vividly descriptive writing painted scenes which were in turn haunting, gorgeous and delightfully grotesque.
Javier Aymand presented us with a number of gorgeous sonnets written in Spanish. He first read them out loud and then attempted to briefly summarize the mood and meaning to those who didn’t understand the language. I’ve been taking Spanish classes for a while and was fortunate to be able to understand his poems, my favorite of which was a sonnet that compared an unrequited love to a distant pair of stars.
This last example may be the most indicative of the purpose that’s at the heart of Writing Out Loud—creative sharing. The ability to bring pieces of yourself to life with writing. The ability to present your thoughts, feelings, culture, art and experiences to others. The ability to share something with others that they may have never experienced or considered before.
I’d love to see Writing Out Loud get some more publicity and a higher turnout in the future, as it’s a really valuable opportunity for writers wishing to share their work with others or anyone who wants to see a quality performance from some talented individuals.
Writing Out Loud is a bi-yearly event, so keep an eye out for it next fall. I, for one, am looking forward to it.
