Words of love filled the air Thursday night after Florida A&M University’s Voices Poetry Group celebrated Valentine’s Day early with the “Stroke My Mind” event at the Rattler’s Den.
Originally titled “Night of Amores” in past years, the third annual “Stroke My Mind” event shares poetry that focuses on love and relationships.
Robert Drake, a FAMU student from Jacksonville, Fla., said “Stroke My Mind” has proven to be a great event to celebrate a night of love.
“‘Stroke My Mind’ has been an amazing event year in and year out, so I wanted to see how this year’s event would go,” Drake said.
The dimmed lights and burning candles in the Rattler’s Den set the mood for poetry that is deeper than “roses are red and violets are blue.”
Caleb Bodley, a Voices member from Orlando, Fla., said that without love poetry can’t exist.
“Love is almost mandatory to understand poetry. You won’t be able to appreciate your work if you don’t love yourself or your work or how people react to it,” Bodley said.
Voices Poetry Group secretary, Chelsea McGill, said that “Stroke My Mind” is becoming a larger event every year.
“Next year we’ll probably need a bigger venue. Eventually we may need to sell tickets,” McGill said.
The Rattler’s Den was packed with faculty, students and some residents of the Tallahassee community waiting to hear Voices Poetry Group fill their heads with imagination on what love means to them.
McGill also believed that “Stroke my Mind” can definitely become a premier event for lovers to attend every year.
“People love talking about love, sex and heartbreak because everybody goes through it,” McGill said.
If you want to get involved with Voices Poetry Group, they are having an interest meeting in Foster Tanner Room 209 on FAMU’s campus on Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m.