A small room is filled with attentive people listening to a speaker as he conveys his inner thoughts. Colorful metaphors, striking similes and stunning images flow from his mouth as he describes his view of the world. This is the scene during a meeting of the Central Pennsylvania Poetry Circle.

The poetry circle is a group with no set membership which meets three times a semester. The circle meets to give local people a chance to read their own poetry and to hear others read theirs.

David Bonta (Comp. Lit.-Class of 1987) is the originator and unofficial coordinator of the poetry circle. GiGi Marino (graduate-English), a columnist for The Daily Collegian, helps Bonta organize the meetings where she also reads her own poems.

"I think people who love poetry, love to hear poetry," Marino said.

Formed last fall, the circle had three meetings last semester which Banto described as pleasant successes. The group met twice this semester and is planning to meet again next Wednesday.

Usually between 30 and 60 people attend the readings, which are held in informal settings to put members at ease. The upcoming meeting will be held at Spats, 142 E. College Ave.

"I'm happy if a number of people show up and have a good time," Bonta said.

"We try to get people who just like poetry," Marino explained.

At the readings, which last from an hour and a half to two hours, four to five previously selected poets read their work. Afterwards, anyone who wishes may step forward and read their own poetry.

"For many people, poetry is a form of performance art" Bonta said.

The people in the group come from a variety of backgrounds: many of the readers are English majors at the University. However, the group also includes an engineering student and people from the State College area.

"Somebody with little or no education can be a very good poet," Bonta said.

Some people who attend the meetings are poets who come to read their works, some are poets who come to hear other poets' works, and some are people who come just to enjoy hearing poetry.

Don Hollinger, Marino's husband, attends the meetings to enjoy the poetry, to support his wife and to gain inspiration to write again. Hollinger said that he wrote poetry while in college, but stopped writing 15 years ago.

"I'm going to enjoy the reading," Hollinger said.

Bonta also goes to enjoy the poetry.

"I expect to be uplifted," Bonta said. "I hope to be able to see the world through someone else's eyes."

The Central PA Poetry Circle will hold its next reading at 9 p.m. on Wednesday March 29 at Spats.