Slam Poetry Nights 4 goes to Gulshan Paara Uthshab

I'm in a room full of nice people/ Where eyes, beadily observing my entrance,
Struggle to squeeze past the size of my thighs.

So began Tashfia Ahmed's poem, "The Elephant in the Room", one of the many performed at SHOUT X DS Books' Slam Poetry Nights on Friday, December 2. 

Returning for its 4th instalment, December's Slam Poetry Nights was different in several ways—the first to take place outdoors, in daylight, and the first to venture outside of The Daily Star Centre premises. The event was held at the Gulshan Paara Uthshab, a community street festival jointly organised by Heroes For All and the Gulshan Society, and sponsored by Prime Bank. 

The eight performers recited Bangla and English verses on themes of body image, childhood memories, life in the city, and on the act of writing poetry itself, among other things.

"This was the first time I experienced a slam poetry session in person. During the short session, I felt frustration, humour, and thoughts of the poets which we experience in every life—things we all go through but never stop and give a second thought to", said Redwan Islam Orittro, one of the spectators. 

SHOUT and Daily Star Books jointly organise the Slam Poetry Nights once every month to offer a platform for conversations on art, personal freedom, and the issues urgent to the country's people, all through the lens of poetry. 

The next Slam Poetry Nights session will be held at the Dhaka Lit Fest in January. Registrations will open soon.