LOS ANGELES– Every Thursday night in St. Robert’s Hall, the 3rd floor fills with voices that are bold, steady, and impossible to ignore. Words of Mouth (WOM) is one of LMU’s poetry clubs that holds weekly meetings, hosts events and provides a space for students to share personal literature. The Lion sat down with Christjin Bell, an LMU senior with a Psychology and AFAM double major and WOM’s president, to get insight on one of LMU’s most active poetry spaces.
Unlike common poetry spaces that tend to be proprietary, WOM puts emphasis on collaboration and accessibility. According to Bell, the group works to avoid the exclusivity that can exist in other creative spaces.
“[We’re] very much rooted in community, and whatever the community needs, because at the end of the day, this is what WOM is meant to be. It’s meant to be a space for people to come and exist within one another–for one another–in a way that’s adaptive,” she said.
Bell emphasised how WOM is a space for everyone, explaining how different perspectives benefit the club. “
“Though we do focus on poetry exclusively, it really has morphed into a space for just all creatives to come,” Bell said.
A typical meeting at WOM starts with a ‘community prompt’ which focuses on addressing deep feelings, instilling confidence and building community connections.
Club meetings are formatted to be flexible for all students: attendance is not mandatory and participants are not required to share their work. Some students attend regularly, while others come occasionally to write or listen.
“If you need the space to come and write, or just want to listen to poetry, it will always exist here for you,” said Bell.
One of the ongoing challenges WOM faces is encouraging more students to share their work publicly. Poetry often reflects personal experiences and reading aloud can be intimidating.
“Poetry is very, very intimate– one of the most intimate arts,” Bell said. “It’s in people’s hearts. It takes a lot of vulnerability.”
Despite this, WOM continues to provide, what members describe as, an important outlet on campus. It offers LMU students a place to express themselves creatively without the pressure of grades or academic evaluation.
Bell said the club’s impact goes beyond poetry, creating a sense of community for those who attend. Students do not need to identify as poets to participate, and many come simply to engage with others or experience the performances.
“You don’t even have to be a poet to be a part of it,” he said. “You can just exist in the space.”
When asked what she wants people to feel when they leave their first WOM meeting, Bell tells the Lion she wants people to be heard, seen, and cared for.
“We want to know what’s happening with you. We want to know your good, your bads and your ugly. We want to be a part of your life. We want to engage with you. We are a community.”
As the club continues to grow, Bell reiterated that it will remain a consistent and welcoming presence on campus, giving students a place to share their voices and connect with others.
“All we can do is listen, baby. I don’t think there’s anything more important on this planet Earth.”
