The Poetry Reading Tonight

   I was at this poetry reading tonight for a class. I am not an avid goer of poetry readings, but I can appreciate the value and sometimes they're pretty cool. I wasn't in the right mood tonight, but I was like whatever, sometimes there is free wine at readings and if I'm bored at a reading I like to get a little drunk- so sue me!
   There was no free booze at this reading but I'm also not an alcoholic yet so it was ok. I was sitting beside this girl in my class who I spoke to for this first time and I wish I hadn't because it is my belief that she is a stuck-up ignoramus. Thats right, ignoramus! She has always seemed kind of cold in class but I try not to be stuck up, maybe she's just shy in our class of fifteen people.
   Anyway, before the reading began she started off on how she didn't want to be there, had no idea who the poet was, poked fun at the poet's last name a little bit, she hoped it would only last fifteen minutes blah blah blah, cry me a river buttercup. THEN during the reading, she was continually tapping her foot so fiercely that I could feel it in my chair too, she also proceeded to twiddle her thumbs and make comments under her breath. For real, do you really need everyone to know how much fun you are not having? Does twiddling your thumbs make the time pass more quickly? No. No it doesn't you. Also, when we all applauded at the end of her reading, like sane people do, because we live in a society, she did a slow clap. It was all I could do not to slow clap her across the face!
   I can't get over that someone who aspires to be/ probably calls herself an artist would be so disrespectful and close-minded towards a fellow artist- a Pullitzer prize-winning artist at that. Even if you don't like her work, there's something to be learned. Being critical is one thing, being rude is another and frankly I found her behaviour totally unacceptable. If I weren't the spineless toad that I am I would have told her how rude I thought she was being.
   I guess it goes to show that no matter what community you're in there will always be people who feel the need to shit on everything. It just strikes me as totally backwards in a small Creative Writing program; its like, if you know everything then why are you in school? If you can do this on your own and have nothing to learn, then just go be a successful artist- I dare you. Make me dislike you more than  I already do, I promise you it will be hard.