Pat Rosal performed at a poetry slam held at Uptown on Feb 21. The event was co-sponsored by the Stadler Center for Poetry and the Campus Activities & Programs (CAP) Center, and University students and faculty as well as students from Susquehanna University attended.

Before Rosal’s performance, several students read their poems and other compositions. Among them was Lakiyra “Oompa” Williams ’14 who sang her “Love Hate Thing,” a hip-hop piece that featured Sam Ingram ’16.

“I love this kind of event. It’s really supportive, it welcomes anybody and any art form,” Williams said. “I wouldn’t have been able to get up in front of everybody in my freshman year, but having this kind of event with a constant support, I’m feeling more confident in doing it. I’m really grateful for that.”

Rosal, the main act after student performers, is the author of three full-length poetry collections, “Boneshepherds” (2011), “My American Kundiman” (2006), and “Uprock Headspin Scramble and Dive” (2003). His collections have received the Association of Asian American Studies Book Award, the Global Filipino Literary Award, and the Asian American Writers Workshop Members’ Choice Award. His poetry and prose have been published in journals and anthologies, some of which include the American Poetry Review, Harvard Review, and Indiana Review.

“This event was incredible. I think about the energy of the night–it was continuously getting stronger and more powerful. It’s one of the strongest open-mic events I’ve been to,” Rosal said.

 “A lot of interesting people showed up here. A lot of people needed an open space like this one and I think this is awesome. Just being here with so many wonderful Bucknell students, it’s really unique,” said Mohammed Elnaiem, an exchange student from University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus.

The next poetry slam will be held on April 11 at Uptown and will feature author, performance poet, editor, and former punk rocker Jeanann Verlee.