Students Turn to Poetry in a Fast-Paced Digital Culture

In a culture that prizes speed and constant output, a small monthly gathering at Cedarville University offers something rare — a time to slow down. Students meet over coffee and hot chocolate to read, listen and linger over poems that refuse to be rushed. 

Cedarville University poetry group encourages students to slow down 

The group, “the Living Poets Society,” was created by Dr. Bryana Fern, assistant professor of English. The Living Poets Society gives students an intentional place to pause and practice focus and attention amid a fast-paced digital culture. Its aim is simply to help readers slow their pace so language can do the work of shaping thought and imagination. 

Living Poets Society creates a low-pressure space for reading and reflection 

At meetings, students bring original poetry and favorite pieces to read aloud, inviting others to experience the impact of the poem. The sessions are informal and low-commitment — success is measured not by output but by whether attendees notice, interact with and sit with a poem. 

Fern’s own poetry has been nominated for the 2026 Pushcart Prize. The Pushcart Prize honors the best poetry, short fiction and essays published by small presses; nominations are made by journal editors and small-press publishers. 

While in graduate school at the University of Southern Mississippi, Fern attended public readings where faculty and students met in cafés, bookstores or record stores to read aloud original work. Wanting her students to benefit from that experience, she started an undergraduate-level poets society to foster a love for poetry while removing obstacles that may deter attendance. Students are allowed to read someone else's poem or simply sit, enjoy a hot beverage and listen. 

Poetry offers students a thoughtful alternative to speed and productivity 

In a culture that worships speed and productivity, the Living Poets Society provides room to slowly consider the wisdom and beauty found in poetry. 

“I encourage my students to be observant as a reading practice and a living practice,” said Fern. “I want them to notice what’s around them and in front of them. When they read and write poetry, I encourage them to do it slowly and taste the syllables, reading a poem for the image, the emotion and the sound. I believe it is important to be a curious reader when it comes to forms and structures and to not immediately dismiss a poem because you don’t understand why it’s there.” 

Students study poetry and writing in the age of artificial intelligence 

The Living Poets Society pushes back on the idea that quicker is always better. According to Fern, there is still value in contemplatively processing literature, even in an age when a computer could analyze the work for you. As students study great writers, they also grow as writers themselves, engaging in an art that they believe is more important than ever alongside the rise of new technologies like artificial intelligence. 

Fern hopes to spark a passion for writing on campus and see greater student and faculty involvement. She recently expanded meetings to include stories and novel or essay excerpts as well as poetry. 

About Cedarville University 

Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio's largest private universities and is ranked among the nation’s top five evangelical universities in the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.