Students enjoy Thursday night “Poetry and Prose” events

By OLYMPIA JARRELL

Staff Writer

The Department of English, Linguistics and Communication hosted their Thursday night “Poetry and Prose” with visiting authors who read from their own work. Gary Baldanza, a senior computer science major attended one of these events for the first time this semester.

Baldanza talked about how interesting it was for him to attend the event, he said, “I’ve only ever been to one, which honestly took me off guard [someone] read a poem titled, “Alma,” and it was honestly the single most graphic poem I have ever heard in my life.”

The poetry and prose event usually begins at 5 p.m. in Combs 139. Baldanza said, “I honestly think they’d probably have less attendance if it was at a more convenient time, because people might go to do other things instead.”

Tess Burroughs, a senior majoring in English with a minor in environmental sustainability, has frequently attended these events at Mary Washington.

“I’ve been attending this event since my sophomore year,” Burroughs continued, “I try to attend a reading once every few weeks, although sometimes it depends on how much homework I have.”

For some students these events provide some stress relief when the semester gets overwhelming. “Even when the semester becomes stressful, attending a poetry and prose reading provides me a brief opportunity to relax and enjoy the subject that I love,” said Burroughs.

After a long day Burroughs enjoys going to listen to her peers’ poetry, “I like that the readings are in the evening as it’s a way to relax after a long day of classes,” said Burroughs. “They are early enough to where I can go to a reading and still attend my evening classes.”

Burroughs likes how the readings from her peers are great examples of the different literatures that students from the ELC department study. There is always a variety of styles in writing and many student enjoy sharing their unique creations.

*Editor’s Note: This article previously stated that Russell Sanders was a guest speaker. This is incorrect as Sanders is not part of this fall’s roster of readers for Thursday Poetry and Prose.