Rhyme, gentlemen please

Fluent on Paper, apparently the first poetry night to take place in South Kensington, has been set up by last year’s Felix editor Kadhim Shubber, and will likely feature amateur poets from the university. It must take some courage to get up in front of an audience of your peers and read words that come from the very depths of your soul (or at least from somewhere rather deep and meaningful, one must hope). It is also something of an effort to listen to these outpourings of feeling, however good they are. So, we decided to speak to Kadhim in order to find out why this poetry evening would be worth going to, for both poets and audience members.

You write some poetry right? Is that why you decided to set up this poetry evening?

I decided to set up this poetry evening because for once instead of always going to stuff that other people are organising, I wanted to sort of create something myself. The reason why its a poetry event, instead of anything else, is that I love poetry and I really believe that it’s something that needs to be shared in public, and out loud.

Why did you start writing poetry? And what made you want to show it to other people?

I started to write poetry three years ago because there was a girl in my class who really enjoyed poetry and I wanted to impress her. Suffice it to say, my poetry was a bit shit, and she wasn’t very impressed with it. The reason I started sharing it is because I wanted to know if it was any good and I wanted to share how I felt with other people, and hopefully connect with them.

Have you ever read your poems at a poetry night? Can you give any advice to those poets taking part in Fluent on Paper?

I haven’t ever read my poetry in front of an audience, so it will be as nervewracking for me as for anyone else, but it’s going to be a friendly crowd so I’m sure it’ll be fine. I just want to ask people not to be shy; because you shouldn’t be afraid of sharing your emotions. Its something that should be celebrated.

Is it mainly Imperial students taking part? Will you have participants from other universities?

It’s an open mic evening so I hope that the people who come along will bring something different to share with everyone. As well as that, I’ve chosen three poets to read their stuff. One is a recent Imperial graduate, the other is a friend of mine who studies at Manchester and the third is a guy from Cardiff who I met in India.

Would you be alright with dramatic readings of favourite poems for example?

I really want it to be as inclusive as possible. Poetry is not just about expressing yourself in your own words. Its also about someone else communicating an emotion in a way that connects with you. So I am more than happy for people to read other peoples poems that they have enjoyed. As long as they give credit to the poet of course!

Where is it going to be held? A nice place?

At a pub called The Builders Arms. I first went there in second year and I think its probably the best pub in this area. The inside is really stylish and the beers are very good.

Any final comments? Encouragements?

Don’t be put off. Its not going to be some pretentious douchefest. its just going to be a bunch of friendly people drinking beers and reading poetry. Its going to be very down to earth and very non-judgemental.

Fluent on Paper; 20th November from 7pm to 9pm at The Builders Arms, South Kensington