How did a Marvels Runaways marathon with a friend turn into super duper spontaneous spoken work night? For these two I just HAD to go.

Mindlessly scrolling through my eventbrite app. I screamed in surprised joy to the confusion of my companion. This was their second added date and I just happened to be in the area. The timing just seemed to be perfect as I was listening to the Button Poetry playlist on Spotify just the day before.

They were not short on company in the form of Theresa Lola the 2019 Young People’s Laureate for London as their starter. Fresh and relatable even dedicating a poem to Mos Def, a hip-hop rapping legend, that I just realised that younger readers may not know or appreciate. Theresa perfectly describes the sinking feeling after hearing that news that such an influential artist retired.

A champion in the London poetry scene releasing her debut poetry collection In Search of Equilibrium earlier this year. I’ll be sure to pick up a copy.

Sarah and Phil the faces of Project VOICE – a collective of talented poets to magnitudes of students opening up the world of the spoken word through workshops and performances. After starting off with Origin Story together they then proceed to alternately perform solo showcasing a whole range of emotions and vulnerabilities.

They are one of the reasons I got into poetry. I fell in love with this very poem:

This was their closing piece and I was so close to tears. Ironically, I was beside someone I did not expect to catch feelings for… a love that was to be unrequited.

What I’m trying to say that one piece of poetry can evoke different emotions and interpretations depending on when you are hearing it. I listened to this poem when I was happily single, freshly broken up and helplessly in love. Each time this poem managed to resonate various chords within my soul.

That is utter beautiful.

I sure hope that person isn’t reading this…
Experienced on 16.07.2019