Sitting in a circle under the open sky and tranquil surroundings crafted the perfect mood for the conversations through poetry. The chirping of birds and gentle breeze is sure to further enhanced the equanimity of the hour. Poetry in the Park promises to do just that – transplant an emotion and thoughts through words, in the midst of nature, which seems to be a huge attraction to the youth of namma city.
From Haikus and spoken word to poems in different languages, everything is accepted by this group of individuals who meet up on a Saturday every month to share their love for the art. “I used to go for a number of poetry sessions held by various poets in the city. And when those sessions stopped, I started missing them immensely. What appealed to me the most was the concept of poets from different spheres coming together and reading out things these beautiful words. It is a very intimate gathering,” shares Lynessa Coutto, the founder of the concept who started it with just seven people. And now, the group has expanded to over 40 people! “A lot of the youth are opening up to poetry thanks to spoken word poetry. It has stirred something in them,” adds the part-time poet.
Agreeing with Lynessa, a youngster who frequents the event says, “Spoken word poetry has made poetry more accessible and appealing for youngsters. But that I love the most about this entire concept is that it is commitment free. I don’t have to attend the event every month, I go only when I feel like it. Another thing that works well is that we don’t have to read out poetry. We can listen to it as an audience and appreciate it as well,” opines Anagha Rajashekhar, a freelancer from the city.
The ambiance of the place also works as a major selling point for a number of youngsters. “The calmness of the whole place just adds to the beauty of it. The social media is really beginning to go over the top and this is a breath of fresh air because in today’s world, we don’t really interact face to face,” says Samiksha Shankar, a student. “People at these meets also don’t really judge anybody. And it’s also a great opportunity to learn because at the previous session, there was a one hour special on a particular era and the forms of poetry in that era,” she says in conclusion.
