Reading poetry brings art to life

Ruth Garay

The Signal Staff

How do I love rhythmic words, let me count the ways. Students, faculty and the surrounding community gather to recite and experience the living art that is poetry.

The school of Human Sciences and Humanities is hosting a poetry series at Cappuccino Bono, Oct. 13 and Nov. 18, from 5-6:30 p.m. at the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

The poetry reading is a joint venture of John Gorman, professor of literature, Arch Erich, associate professor of social work, and Shreerekha Subramanian, assistant professor of humanities.

The first readings, held in October 2008, were launched to provide a way for the UHCL campus and community to heal and celebrate the survival of Hurricane Ike. 

“Poems light up the world in particular ways, and a barrage of poems is a sort of reality fireworks,” Gorman said.  “Students, faculty and staff, people from the community too, meet each other as equals.  Poetry is democratic, despite a false reputation for elitism.  Verbal art is art.  It’s always useful to be in the presence of well-made objects.”

The sessions give students, faculty and the community an opportunity to gather together and recite their own or other people’s poetry.

Shreerekha Subramanian, assistant professor of humanities.

“People get hesitant, wary and very scared when they hear the word poetry, especially in class when you study in literature,” Subramanian said.  “They have had a gruesome experience in school where analyzing a poem becomes a mathematical task.  Tell me the meaning; well you didn’t get it, so you are failing, which is a very negative way to come to poetry.  I think poetry is mystical, spiritual or a psychological kind of realm.  So there’s a lot in it that is very inspiring and ambiguous.  My idea is to celebrate all that and let people to come into that without fear.”

Subramanian has received calls from nursing homes, high schools and community colleges expressing their interest in participating in the series.

“The last reading of the semester was very moving because I had a gentleman who said that he’s not a poet, but he’s become a poet because he fell in love and he serenaded this woman,” Subramanian said.  “He read a poem and she was there and it was just a fine ending.”

As the word is spread, more people are coming to experience the art of poetry and four more sessions are planned in the spring semester;  dates to be announced.
“If we have our wits about us, the series will run forever,” Gorman said.

Right now, community members without a UHCL parking permit must park in the public parking lot and pay a $5 fee.  Subramanian would like to provide the public with tokens for parking, but has not  yet figured out the logistics on how to implement this.

For more information on participation in the poetry readings, contact Subramanian at 281-283-3430.