The 15th annual “Poetry on the Patio” event moved indoors due to snow, but it still drew both students and staff to read their favorite works Tuesday afternoon.

Library Director Dan Gjelten said although the snow and new location made it difficult for passers-by to stop and listen, the event continued to attract people university-wide.

“I would say we had a pretty typical turnout,” Gjelten said. “We had 12 readers and 15 people in the audience, but normally the nice thing about being outside is that people walking by get drawn in, and end up staying the whole time.”

This was the fourth time the event had been moved indoors, and the first being held in room 102 of the O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library. With the transition inside, the name of the event changed to “Poetry in the Parlor.”

Students, faculty and staff were treated to snacks and refreshments as pre-registered readers shared their favorite poems. With this year’s installment, the event attracted faculty that varied from Opus College of Business administrators to music and psychology professors.

Gjelten said the event allows anyone the opportunity to participate.

“We try to get people from all walks of life in our community, not just faculty and students … really just anybody that feels comfortable,” Gjelten said.

Along with the faculty, Tommie Award recipient senior Eyo Ekpo shared a poem with the audience. Ekpo said it was difficult to select a poem at first, but after a bit of searching, he was able to find one that suited his emotions as the school year winds down.

“I thought there was a lot of pressure with selecting a poem, but I looked and found one about life that really stood out to me as something I could relate to, and hopefully others could, too,” Ekpo said.

A special guest arrived for a quick reading as a preview to her own event later this week. Poet Leontia Flynn shared a favorite poem from her native Northern Ireland. Flynn recently won the O’Shaughnessy Award for Poetry and accepted the honor before her reading. The award recognizes Irish poets, and it was named after former English professor Leon O’Shaughnessy.

Gjelten said he was happy that each reader had the opportunity to share something personal and meaningful with the community.

“The point is, poetry means something to us,” Gjelten said. “We learn something from poetry. Someone else’s wounds or feelings can resonate with us … we are all human. The idea is not just to read a poem, but to reveal something about yourself.”

Ekpo said he thought the event was a hit, and he hopes that it will continue to be a staple for the St. Thomas community for years to come.

“After being a part of it and personally getting something out of it, I think a lot of people can gain a newfound appreciation for art and poetry in general,” Ekpo said. “I definitely expect this to be a tradition that continues on.”

Alex Goering can be reached at goer8777@stthomas.edu.