Diamonds in the Rough: Poetry Slam

John 16:13 - "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come."

On Wednesday, my friend contacted me and lovingly demanded I join him in visiting a poetry reading. "Come on!" he said. "It will be fun!"

GUH.

As most of you recall, my experiences in my six-credit English class last semester helped me come to some very specific conclusions about how I plan to proceed with my continuing studies of the subject. Among others, I will no longer glorify the author, I will seek out timelessness as opposed to historical backgrounds, and I will shun poetry like the plague.

Now, don't get me wrong, I do like poetry. I write poems for this blog all the time, remember? I just don't think writing good poetry makes you as wise as some poets seem to think they are, especially when the concept of 'good poetry' is so arbitrary. 

Anyway, I decided to go with my friend, and I discovered I was right to cringe. Several of the readers focused far too much on author or on the historical background.

Where the readings took place. It's even more cramped than it looks.

However, many individuals brought their own individual pieces in, and I ended up really enjoying watching them shine their light. Heck, even my friend stood up and read a composition of his own, a rollicking good piece that had everyone dying.

But, see, in the end, I recognized I didn't decide to go for the poetry.

When I made that decision, the Lord was nudging me toward something else entirely.

Seeing as how the readings were performed in the library, a couple of librarians came to read a few pieces. One older gentleman in particular read a poem about how awesome it is being a librarian.

My top pick for a Masters currently is Library science.

Having fun, isn't hard, when you've got a library card. NAME THAT TV SHOW.

So, for the first time since I first heard of the Library Science Masters, I had the opportunity to corner, sit down with, and talk with a full-fledged librarian about the whole shebang, from what it takes to what to expect. I didn't come to any solid conclusions or anything, but the poetry reading gave me the right push and nudge in the right direction to begin my research into becoming a librarian.

Sometimes, when you decide to do something, even if you don't really want to do it, the dividends are far greater than you originally anticipated. This is one of the reasons I'm always encouraging myself to get out there and try new things. Even if you don't find what you think you will initially, you might find something better.

I was invited to a poetry reading. I left with a greater understanding of where my future might be headed, complete with a living resource in the form of a new friend, namely the librarian with whom I became acquainted.

What are you going to find today?