We all know writing is important, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have a day just to celebrate it. Boston University’s celebration of the National Day on Writing took place on October 20, and was an afternoon to evening affair.
While sitting in the GSU, students organized by Dean Elmore on behalf of the National Day on Writing walked around asking others if they would like to participate in a game – either write a “dear blank, please blank” letter, or spell a simple word. Once students won the game, that is, spelled a word correctly or successfully completed a “dear blank, please blank” letter, they won a letter-silly band, I myself won a “P” for spelling the word “wizard” correctly.
Though it may sound a little ridiculous, the student’s mission was to raise awareness on the importance of words and writing – no matter what they might be, and promote the biggest event of the day, a poetry reading in the Howard Thurman Center at seven pm. They were successful in their mission, as I attended the poetry reading and had an excellent time.
Five poets were featured as part of the reading, each possessing their own distinct voice and style. Marcia Karp, a teacher at Boston University’s Editorial Institute, Ted Richer, a teacher at The Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Sassan Tabatabai, a scholar of medieval Persian literature as well as a professor in CAS, Greg Delanty, a teacher at Saint Michael’s College in Vermont, and David Green, a lecturer in the CAS Writing Program all had wonderful works to share with the audience. They all possessed the ability to charm, as I was caught on every word that each poet had to say, from Ms. Karp’s, “still words are not poems, what I want now is to stop, the typing is fun, but it’s writing I want,” to Mr. Delanty’s, “there should be an asylum for single socks.”
The evening concluded with commentary by Christopher Ricks, known for many things, one being as the William M. and Sara B. Warren Professor of Humanities at BU. However, instead of providing commentary, Mr. Ricks chose to read a series of what he called, “getting it wrong,” or things said by famous people that do not particularly make any sense. Mr. Ricks wished to remind us to pay attention to our writing, and that everyone makes mistakes. In reference to the mistakes, Mr. Ricks said, “what a strange world,” that I take as a reminder that it is okay to be strange, in writing, and all.
