Way back when I was an undergraduate sophomore at Brown University, Phil Kaye and I worked really hard to help bring a group of big-name spoken word poets to Brown. It was the first time Brown had ever hosted guest poets for a show. We booked Salomon 101, the largest venue on campus, and then spent weeks agonizing that it was a stupid thing to have done because we were sure we would never fill it. On the night of the show, (a Monday!) 600 people lined up outside the auditorium. The line wound all the way down the Main Green and out the gate. It was a packed house, and the poets who performed that night said it was one of the best shows of their lives. The audience too, came out with rave reviews. I remember it as one of my proudest moments in school: that I had helped share poetry with this many people. This Thursday night, I performed at Brown for the first time since I graduated. All week I stressed about the homecoming. I had such high expectations and wanted to do right by this place and the people that have meant so much to me. When I arrived an hour early to do my sound check in Salomon 101, I came through Faunce Arch to discover students already lined up down the Main Green, out the gate. My breath caught in my throat. The visual was such a strong visceral memory for me, I had to sneak inside and sit down, where I instantly broke into tears. Things come full circle. The show was utter joy from beginning to end. But that line meant more to me than any ovation or award or Amazon list. It reminded me how lucky I am to find people who will listen. To me, and also to each other. It was fellow Brown students who first expressed faith in the crazy dreams I had back in college, and many of them have continued to be my support system long after school. How lucky I have been every step of this journey. Thank you to everyone who came out for Thursdays show, you helped give me one of the happiest moments of my whole life.
Posted on: Sat, 26 Apr 2014 15:51:44 +0000
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