The reading we went to on Tuesday was a different kind of "meet the artist" experience. We got to know the artist through words, through his own writing. He read to us excerpts from his novel and poems. I liked his narrative voice and witty sense of humor. He tried to reach out to his audience members. Of his readings, the love letter written by a soldier to a woman he loved left a lasting impression. The love sounded so poetically painful. The soldier's love would outlast all and be with the woman wherever she went. It was the type of love that movies were based on. When Mr. O'Connor read it out loud, a movie started playing in my mind. I imagined two young lovers torn apart by the current circumstances of war. The only thing that kept the young man strong and alive, when surrounded by death, was his deep love for the woman. It felt tragic and yet, was the type of undying love that everyone dreams about.

The last poem he read, which he wrote in Baruch, was catchy and had an up-beat rap-like tempo. It filled the room with laughter. I started wondering if I too, one day, would be able to write something that could leave a lasting impression on other people. Mr. O'Connor's reading was definitly inspirational.