Over 25 people attended the Long Beach City College English Major & Minor Club open mic event on May 21 via Zoom. It was the final open mic for the spring semester.
Before reading her poem, LBCC alumni Heidie Saenz said, “This is when I figured out I loved poetry because of the way it impacts people, whether it be getting them to think about certain things or whatever the cause might be.”
Sanez’s poem was about suicidal thoughts, and on how a lot of people cause pain and damage to her.
Listening to her poem, you can hear the emotion in her work.
When asked why she was passionate about writing, Saenz said, “Being able to have connections with others…because a lot of the time we feel that we are alone. It’s a way to connect with people, whether it’s reading off a poem or if I’m telling my own story.”
Poetry is a way to express yourself or resonate with other people, whether you’re the one reading it or writing it.
All types of stories and poems were read; fantasy, sentimental, adventure, and even childrens’ books.
Vicky Wippel, who takes free community classes at LBCC, read her piece called, “Somebunny.”
Wippel said, “A slightly absurd story set in the South about 75 years ago that centers on neighborliness, human connection, and loneliness,” when describing her story.
Another reader was Shaunte Washington, an LBCC student who had a poem called, “If your Mind was an Ocean.”
One of the lines from Washington’s poem read, “If your mind is the ocean then your thoughts would be the waves, your fears are giving global warming and that little beach clean up that you do will not save the dolphins…close your eyes and let God pull the tide.”
Lawrance Diggins, an LBCC student, read aloud a children’s story book he wrote a while back. Similar to Dr. Seuss, Diggins described it as, “hard on the rhyming.”
His story is about a little boy named Wyatt. The antagonist is a grump who drags Wyatt down with his words, and is also a perfectionist who wants everything done right.
Diggins mentioned that the moral of the story is that perfectionism isn’t always key, but trying your best will get you to where you want to be.
The English Majors & Minors club will continue to be active this year. Students have the opportunity to join the club and future open mics through their website by clicking here.