Chelsea Sookra
Oct. 6th was Random Acts of Poetry Day. SUNY Oneonta took to celebrating in the Hunt Union from 1 to 8 p.m. Students were encouraged to write a poem, take a picture, and post them to Instagram and other social media platforms with the hashtag #RandomHuntPoems.
How did Random Acts of Poetry Day come about? Every year on October 1st, people emerge from their closed libraries and steam-filled coffee shops. They set out into the vast lands of the commonplace and banal, chalk and pen in hand, page and dream, to spread their hearts blood on the blank page that is the modern world. Who were these daring individuals? Poets of all stripes, backgrounds, and heritages are heading out into the world to ensure that we all have a lyrical and spiritual day, if only for a brief time.
How did SUNY Oneonta celebrate? With Bill Harcleroad of course! Bill handed out magnetic white boards and poetry kits so students could use them to make their poems. Many students enjoyed this activity that made them smile. They thought it was a nice way to relax and let their creative juices flow.
I spoke to Kalliann Harrison, a junior Early Childhood/Childhood major with a concentration in English about how she felt about this activity. Harrison said, “it stimulates the mind and really helps you express your truth.” When asked if she would like to do this activity again, she said she’d love to.
Many students didn’t know about today being Random Acts of Poetry Day but Bill made sure to tell them. He stood by the Hub and asked students if they would like to make a poem while also explaining that today was Random Acts of Poetry Day.
Leave a Reply