Wisconsin Union Directorate’s publication “Illumination” hosted a pop-up poetry event at Rheta’s Market Thursday evening to recruit new contributors and write poetry for strangers. Who wouldn’t want some fine literature with their dinner?

“Illumination” is a literary journal that publishes creative writing, art, scholarly essays and other diverse content from University of Wisconsin students. According to Editor-in-Chief Ryan Mulrooney, they publish most content digitally on their website and curate one printed journal per semester with submissions from students of all types.

Members of the organization have been writing impromptu poems for anyone that walks by their booth and gives a random topic.

One example of poetry Mulrooney wrote on the spot reads as follows.

“She blew a kiss

it missed my face

and drifted into

outer space,

and kissed the sun

and made it smile,

now my life – with

you – has been bright

for quite a while.”

“I think our motivation behind [the pop-up poetry event] was to reach out to students more because student housing has a huge first-year population that doesn’t know about these creative opportunities that are out there,” Mulrooney said. “They’re focused on school and grades, but here is a creative outlet that can be a fun little pick-me-up for the day.”

“Illumination” will be back for another Pop-Up Poetry event next week Tuesday, Sept. 25 at Gordon Commons at 5 p.m. You can participate and have a poem written about yourself or can you stand back and watch poetry in motion.