Oral Interpretation students left their audience dumbfounded with powerful and exhilarating poetry performances at the Library Lawn on Wednesday, Nov. 2.

In the Slam Poetry event, Communications Studies Professor Diana Crossman’s Oral Interpretation class were tasked with picking a poem and performing it in front of a live audience.

The event came together when Crossman asked if her class wanted to perform their chosen poems in front of a live audience.

Student performer Raia Griffin, communications major, took the opportunity to impact the audience with her diligent performance of Alicia Keys’ poem, “Prisoner of Words.”

“I was so nervous that I started laughing when I walked towards the mic,” Griffin, said. “I felt that this poem really spoke to me because it’s a really powerful poem and it was something I could relate to.”

Another student performer, Red D’Edward Sanders, 20, music major, performed his poetry piece on Langston Hughes’ poem, “The Weary Blues,” by singing a few parts of the poem.

“This poem really brought out my singing because I couldn’t control some of my nerves,” Sanders said. “I was really passionate when I executed this poem.”

Sanders also accompanied fellow classmate Jonah Tecarro, communications major, in a duo performance called “Open Letter” by Big Poppa E.

“It took us awhile to hone this poem,” Tecarro said. “The points were intricate and hard to tackle.”

The poem had specific points that Sanders and his partner had to be careful with because it addressed the touchy subject of how being “white privileged” is a growing problem in society, he added.

Before the Slam Poetry event, some of the participating students felt anxious about going onstage.

“I was a little nervous but excited to perform,” Yascara Zaragoza, 20, communications major, said.

Zaragoza and another student did a duo performance on the poem,”Cat Calls,” by Amalia Ortiz.

She said that the poem is a satire on men who harass women by whistling or commenting on them as they walk by.

Crossman applauded her students for overcoming their nerves to deliver their poetry pieces.

“I’m really happy and very proud of my students,” Crossman said. “I saw that some of my students were nervous but when they walked onstage and performed, I saw the passion and the emotions that (they) put into the performance.”