Observer

Issue date: 10/13/08 Section: News

The Rutgaz Poets

For some college students, Friday nights are reserved for parties. But Friday, Oct. 10, one room of the Robeson campus center filled with students interested in a different kind of entertainment, poetry.

Rutgaz Poets, the Rutgers-Newark poetry club, showcased a number of student poets' work in their show, No Disclaimer. Before the poetry began, the audience was warned that the poets would not hold back and would likely offend listeners without open minds.

The topics covered by the poets ranged from current political issues in the United States and in the world, to racial issues, to love, both family and romantic.

Sophomore Janae Taylor, an accounting major and treasurer of Rutgaz Poets, performed a piece entitled "You ain't shit," a first person view of a strong woman in a failing relationship. Though her passionate performance is her usual style of delivery, Taylor claims she does not have a typical topic for her poetry. "[I write] whatever I feel at the time. Poetry is the best way to speak out." Though she has been writing since the eighth grade, she only began to perform her poetry once she reached R-N.

There were several students performing with Rutgaz Poets for the first time, including Freshman Bilal Ahmed, a pre-law major. His piece "New Socks, Old Shoes" covered aspects of American culture leading up to the current Presidential election. Ahmed began writing in high school, and only started performing recently. He said he "likes to use jazz influences and alliteration" to create the flow of his poetry.

Another new performer was Criminal Justice major Sharon Walsh, a freshman. Her poem, "Here to Say" was a way for her to "reach out to the audience and tell them who I am." She has performed before, and though she sometimes improvises, she usually "has it down."

Several of the older members of the club performed more than one piece, including Manal Ramadan, a junior nursing major and president of the Palisitian American Organization. Her writing is also politically-charged and is often about her people. She writes and performs poetry to inform others. "I write poetry instead of lecturing… My poetry goes on as long as the struggle goes on."

No Disclaimer was not the last show the group will be performing. Their next show is "Juke Joint Poetry Night" on Oct. 15, 9;00 PM, at Stonesby Lounge.

The group meets on Fridays at 3 p.m. Students who are interested should contact President Mohammed Naki at akbur-Man@yahoo.com. He invited more poets to join, saying "Life is poetry. Come Live."

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