Wit and Whimsy’s first meeting

Lennoxville was a desolate wasteland over the weekend of Feb. 4. Howling winds pulled the tops of snow along and drifted along the grounds, creating a mystical aura around the campus. On Sunday night, a few wandering souls braved this death by landscape to meet up in the basement of Bandeen Hall. The night began at 6:15 p.m., due to unforeseen delays, and featured live poetry from Dr. Jessica MacEachern (a professor in the English department who specializes in Canadian and feminist literature), live music from Eric Manolson (a musician who studies Alzheimer’s and music in a therapeutic setting), and a short talk from Dr. Shoshannah Bryn Jones Square (a professor in the English department and the host of the Poetry, Empathy, and Social Justice event).

Dr. MacEachern’s poetry described the experience of being a woman in Canada. As her first poem began, time froze while students were engrossed with each word she uttered. As her poems ended, the audience erupted into applause.

Bryn’s short talk referenced the importance of poetry within neuroscience. She noted how each word is pregnant with meaning, thereby engaging large swathes of the brain at the same time. Bryn’s energy was electric as always and left the crowd buzzing with excitement.

The final performance was a song by Eric Manolson. His song involved audience participation to create a low droning sound that enraptured the audience while he performed over it. The droning sound began as slightly jarring, but quickly became hypnotic and mirrored the whistling of wind through trees as he recited poetry. Needless to say, this was a massive hit.

From here, the night became a writer’s café for students to share and create their own original work. The opening performances left the room ablaze with creativity for students to tap into. The collaborative nature of the latter half of the event allowed for students to workshop their writing. In addition to snacks, students had access to the review and opinions of their peers.

One notable announcement was about the upcoming open mic night on March 24. These biweekly meetings are designed to hone work for the upcoming live performance. The dozen attendees of the poetry night were all invited to perform and support their fellow artists and writers.

By 8 p.m., the club’s time was coming to a close. Students slowly began to filter out after sharing contact information and stories. The poetry club climbed back out of their little bag, and clutched their hoods close to guard from the elements. With the bag refolded, the only vestiges of the club were found in memories, the eerie night, and the sound of closing a door behind oneself and turning a lock.