‘Languages of Love’ poetry reading highlights Binghamton University language programs
Students read 18 poems in all the languages that Harpur College offers
With Valentine’s Day in the air, many from the Binghamton University community listened to foreign love poems performed by students in various languages.
Hosted by Carl Gelderloos, associate professor of German studies, “Languages of Love: A Languages Poetry Evening” aimed to increase the visibility of languages across campus and highlight the value that Binghamton places on its language departments.
Funded by several of the University’s foreign language departments, the event, held on Feb. 13 in the President’s Reception Room at the Anderson Center, brought a turnout of more than 50 people.
Students read 18 poems in various languages, including Arabic, American Sign Language, Chinese, French, German, Ancient Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Persian, Russian, Spanish, Turkish and Yiddish.
“I would love for this to be an annual event,” Gelderloos said before the event, hoping for a “much less performance and much more jazz cafe” atmosphere where attendees can mingle and get refreshments while listening to the readings.
The event showcased the skills of Binghamton students and the importance of languages. All languages taught in Binghamton’s course catalogue were represented at this event.
When introducing the event, Gelderloos mentioned his appreciation for poetry because “love and language are joined at the mouth and might be said to be aligned. Both overshoot and fall short of their mark.”
He finished with a kernel of wisdom: “Life is short, art is long.”
Sara Elzourkany, a senior double majoring in psychology and Arabic studies, kicked off the event. Originally taking Arabic to strengthen her native tongue, she became entranced with the expressiveness and connection of the language.
“Participating in this event means sharing that deep love and connection with others because poetry is felt, not merely read,” Elzourkany said.
Kajol Kundra, a junior majoring in linguistics, followed Elzourkany’s Arabic poem with an ASL performance.
“This event enticed me because ASL is a language and art that I find to be underappreciated and studied. There is such a strong culture connected to ASL, and I am glad I will be some form of exposure to my peers,” Kundra said.
After Kundra’s ASL came poems read in Chinese, French, German, Greek, Hebrew and so on. Each student performed their piece with confidence and eloquence, and the audience listened with rapt interest.
“Although understanding the language is part of the full experience, just hearing a traditional recitation is more than enough to strike a chord,” Elzourkany said.
Following the event, Gelderloos praised the turnout and the “critical mass within the Binghamton community to make these kinds of events more commonplace.”
