BETHANY, W.Va. – Bethany College’s long-standing Valentine’s Day tradition is not going anywhere, anytime soon. The 22 Annual Valentine’s Day Love Poetry Reading is happening once again this year on February 14.
Each year, Bethanians gather in Phillips Lounge to share their favorite romantic love poems and song lyrics. With poetry ancient to modern, sad to mad to joyous, readers warm up the evening with Bethany’s very own Valentine’s Day celebration. The tradition has not skipped a beat come snow, ice, power outages, or even campus closure due to major storms.
“This is an event I brought to campus with me,” says Chair of English Literature Dr. Elizabeth Hull. “We started small that first year, with Dr. Robyn Cole’s husband John, Tony Mitch, and James and Kathleen Keegan. It really took off from there.”
Since Zoom, the event has been opened to alumni everywhere. It is a round-robin reading, so you are encouraged to bring your favorites to help celebrate Bethany’s most tender tradition on the warmest night of the winter — whatever the weather!
“We all read, no free riders, but everyone gets to share their favorite love poetry and lyrics. Often, we hear original work, much of it autobiographical. It’s a tender time for all of us, a true safe space, and a celebration of how literature nourishes our most cherished relationships,” says Hull.
To join in on this tradition, you can follow the zoom link here.
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