SHOUTxDS Books ‘Slam Poetry Nights’ returns with gusto

SHOUT and Daily Star Books organised the second instalment of their monthly event 'Slam Poetry Nights' in the capital's The Daily Star Centre on October 6. 

Nineteen performers recited poems in Bangla and English, their topics ranging from nostalgia, personal growth and daydreams to mental health, death, and trauma. The age group of the performers ranged from school to university graduates.  

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SHOUTxDS Books presents ‘Slam Poetry Nights’ — Episode 1

With active engagement and exchanges between the performers and the diverse audience, which consisted of individuals as young as 14 and even the parents of many of the performers, the Slam Poetry Night became a lively event teeming with energy. 

A wonderful ambience was created as people from different walks of life, from engineering students to people working in the corporate world, interacted with each other and shared their love for and experiences with poetry and literature. 

For first-time performer Adrita Zaima Islam, whose poem "Word Vomit" started the recitations, "Performing in front of people who felt so passionately about poetry was terrifying and I probably would have stammered my way through the whole thing if the host didn't try her best to put me at ease. After sitting in front of the blinding lights, before the aesthetic set up, and expressing myself, I can say the anxiety was entirely worth it. I would love to try this again next month!" 

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Atkia Sadia Rahman, a guest at the event, said, "I wasn't expecting the event to have such a beautiful ambience. The first thing which caught my eyes was the minimalist decor which put the focus on the performance. Everyone, including the audience and the organisers, were very lovely." 

When asked about how he felt as a returning performer, Kazi Mahdi Amin replied, "The second time was far beyond my expectations and it was much better than the first time. The performers were very youthful and jubilant, and the things they recited were very touching. It was an amazing event."