Your Vibe Attract Your Tribe

When was the last time you truly chased after something you wanted? Hopefully, you're currently chasing it or you've already done it. But if you haven't, well, you're where I was almost a year ago. There was a passion of mine that I've carried since high school, which I struggled to express. That burst of feeling, captured in poetry, was something I kept hidden.

I was afraid of being judged whenever I thought about sharing it. I worried I'd be dismissed for expressing emotions, even if it was just on social media. The fear lingered—the thought of people seeing the bitterness and vulnerability I had worked so hard to keep under wraps. Society tends to expect men to be strong and unbreakable, and let's face it, pouring your heart into poetry isn't exactly seen as a "tough guy" thing to do.

It took me four years to circle back to one of the goals I had before turning 30: joining a like-minded community focused on books and poetry. What drew me in to Dead Poet Society when I scrolled through Instagram wasn't just the shared interests; it was the specific themes they discussed together. I loved that!—the idea of sharing what you're passionate about with people who feel the same.

I remember how anxious I felt as I made my way to Rumacoffeeatery, where DPS was held. Self-doubt flooded my mind—would I fit in? Would I be able to connect with these new people? Being an introvert makes it hard to adapt to new social settings, and that day was no exception. I smoked almost five cigarettes just to calm my nerves before heading upstairs to meet everyone. And there she was—the person who started it all, the face of TSBC, the one who built this community: Tazkia.

I was one of the last people to sign up and definitely the last to arrive. It made me feel awkward at first, but Tazki reassured me, saying, "This is a safe space." I introduced myself to Uwi, one of the co-founders, and made small talk with Alwan and Jadid, two members who were incredibly welcoming. After some introductions, the meeting kicked off. We all introduced ourselves, and I couldn't help but smile—everyone was just as awkward as me. We were strangers, but poetry was going to connect us.

What struck me was how diverse everyone's backgrounds were. A highschool graduate, a master's graduate, a singer, a mother. At that moment, I knew I'd want to stick around with this group for a long time. We took turns sharing poems we'd brought with us.

We recited works from poets like Sylvia Plath, Rumi, Chairil Anwar, Sapardi Djoko Damono, and many more. I decided to share one of my all-time favorites—Dylan Thomas' Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night. It's a poem that's stayed with me for years, one about a son watching his father face death. What I love about Thomas's words is how he paints the terrifying reality of mortality with such bravery and dignity. The message is clear: live fiercely, fight until the very end, because life is full, even in its final moments.