17th Annual Poetry Night
The Stanton Campus of Delaware Technical Community College hosted its 17th Annual Poetry Night on April 4 in celebration of National Poetry Month.
The two-hour long showcase allowed past and present English students to read poems and spoken word written by either themselves or famous authors.
Cathleen Mulberry, is an English teacher at the Stanton Campus and has been the coordinator of this event for the past four years.
“This started as a night where we would bring in famous poets, and they would read, but not long after, we realized there are students who would be more than capable of doing this,” said Mulberry. “That’s kind of how we got to it being the showcase that it is for our students today.”
Two tables full of free food and beverages were available to all attendees, courtesy of the spotlighted poets and staff.
Students from all different ages and backgrounds stood in front of an audience who was ready to hear them read some of their best works.
Dual enrollment student Shalyn Littlejohn read three of her favorite poems which granted one of the largest applauses of the evening when she was finished.
“I develop a connection with certain poems, so whenever I feel like I’m in a particular mood, I just write about it,” said Littlejohn. “I really just write about what I see, feel, or what I’m going through at the time, and that’s how I get the inspiration behind my work.”
According to poets.org, for some people, art in the form of poetry is a therapeutic release from the built up stress of day to day life.
Matthew Henderson, a Human Services major, finds comfort in reading and writing poetry.
“When I first started, I was writing out of a very, very dark place, but the more I wrote, over time I got better and other people liked my work, so I just kept going,” said Henderson. “So now it’s something I do to just relax and have fun with, and I really enjoy it.”
For more information about this event and others like it contact cmulroo2@dtcc.edu.
English teacher, Ray Sikes, has read at the Stanton Campus Poetry Night for the past six years this years. Photo by B. Weber
The 17th Annual Poetry Night at the Stanton Campus showcased past and present English students abilities to read and write poetry. Photo by B. Weber.
Video by B. Weber