In dimly lit room, filled with rows of mismatched wooden chairs and creaky floors, laughter and music could be heard two stories away.

“Sharing poetry has never been a question,” said senior English major Miranda Baur, “I started attending open mic nights as soon as I could drive. My desire to share poetry has come from the fact that it wasn’t a popular form of expression in my community and I wanted it to be.”

Baur, senior English major at Wilkes, has a new space to share her poetry.

Located less than a half mile from campus on the third floor of the Downtown Arts Building, The Lamp Post Chapter One is the newest space for local artists to share their work.

Owner Bianca Roman has been thrilled with the turnout so far.

“This is so cool. This is what my vision for this place was. Showing new work, being real. I support everything you guys are doing,” Roman said at the closing of this week’s event, a coffeehouse set-up called The Spark where art, music and poetry are shared.

The Spark was last held Oct. 25, and about 50 people attended. Local bands At Home, Evan Evans and Petal played, and Baur was the featured poet for the night. Over scones and coffee, art appreciators sat and listened in the cozy new space.

“When I read poetry publicly, it’s always really frightening, honestly,” Baur said. “It’s not until after the first few poems that I can gauge an audience and decide to either keep my set list or mix it up. Physiologically, my ears get really hot and my left hands gets shaky.”

Baur said she received a lot of positive feedback and plenty of laughs while reading her work.

“I’ve been writing poetry since I learned how to write short stories in grade school,” Baur said. “I had a habit of making my stories rhyme and never bothered correcting myself.”

Roman said she is excited about the new space and eager to get more people to come out for The Spark.

“This is our home,” Roman said. “This is our treasure. This is our heart, our friends, our family, our youth, our muse, our life, our art … This is real. This is happening.”

The Lamp Post will be holding The Spark monthly at 47 N. Franklin St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa., the cost is $5. Upcoming dates are not set yet, but for more information contact Bianca Roman via https://www.facebook.com/bianca.roman.549.