BSA to host second annual poetry night, workshop

As part of the second-annual poetry night, sponsored by Black Student Alliance (BSA), poets Rudy Francisco and Carvens Lissaint will lead a poetry workshop on Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. in Bartlett room 102.

Along with MC students, they will be participating in the reading on Feb. 22 at 8:30 p.m. in the Lambert Recital Hall of the Clayton Center for the Arts.

The event is free for MC students with an ID and $5 for non-MC students. “The event last went really well last year,” said Sheryl Tingling, a child development major and member of BSA. “The event inspired people to audition for Apollo Night, the BSA sponsored talent show.” For the poetry workshop night, a new this year, BSA has teamed up with the staff of “Impressions,” the school’s literary magazine.

“[The workshop] is about how to better yourself as a writer, use the right word, capture deeper emotions and connect with the community of other writers on campus,” said Sara Biork, an English major at MC and member of “Impressions.” Tingling said that the workshop would allow students to work with and learn from professional poets. “Rudy Francisco is a vibrant young guy,” Tingling said. On his second visit to campus, Tingling said that Francisco has said that he will be presenting new material here. Lissaint will be coming to MC for the first time.

“His poetry attracted us because of the black awareness of his poetry and could be a little controversial,” Tingling said. “He illustrates what BSA is about.” Tingling said that she hopes people will participate in the workshop with the professionals and share their works at the poetry reading in the CCA.