RCAH sponsors annual sidewalk chalk event to promote poetry

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The MSU Center for Poetry looked to bring some intellectual color to campus Wednesday behind Shaw Hall.

The organization within the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities, or RCAH, held its annual “Walk. Chalk. Poetry.” event, which gave students the opportunity to create their own poetry, or rewrite another piece on the side-walks around the Red Cedar River.

The Center for Poetry, which has been active since 2007, provided donuts and cider, as well as informed students about upcoming events and information on the organization.

The event was to promote the prominence of poetry on a campuswide scale, said Assistant to the director of the Center for Poetry Stephanie Glazier.

“We design campus events that make poetry accessible to people in a way that it hadn’t been before,” Glazier said. “We want to encourage the reading and writing of poetry.”

Patrick McWilliams, a physics sophomore, said that he thinks the event did a good job promoting poetry with students.

“It gives people more of a chance to notice what kinds of poetry are out there,” McWilliams said. “Even though it’s just chalk on the sidewalk, people will notice it as they go by.”

Anita Skeen, director of the Center for Poetry, said this form of writing and expression can have a tremendous impact on its readers.

“Particularly in these times, poetry can be a great source of inspiration and support,” Skeen said.

Glazier said the location of the event was not chosen randomly.

“We chose the area behind (Shaw) Hall in part because of the trail,” Glazier said. “The area, to some known as the ‘rape trail,’ has such a violent reputation. We want the event to encourage students to think about the language that they use.”

Glazier said the event goes hand-in-hand with the overall mission of the RCAH.

“Part of the design behind this event is to enforce one of our purposes as a college,” Glazier said. “That’s the call to act on social justice issues.”

Skeen said along with making students think about the language they use, the event is meant to promote more positive thinking on campus.

“We want to take it back from being a place of terror and violence,” Skeen said. “We want it being a place of enlightenment and beauty and inspiration.”

Preethi Bandri, a psychology sophomore who attended the event, also believes that poetry has a uniting power.

“Poetry connects us all and it really talks about emotions and brings us all together,” Bandri said.

For more information about the Center for Poetry and events taking place throughout the school year, visit rcah.msu.edu/poetry.

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