1. Respect the Room
Every voice deserves respect. Different experiences, perspectives, identities, and forms of expression are welcome here. Disrespect, harassment, discrimination, bullying, or intentionally making another member uncomfortable will not be tolerated.
2. Respect the Host
The host is here to guide the room, keep things flowing, and help maintain a respectful and welcoming space. Please respect the host’s direction, including decisions about the mic, timing, conversation, and conduct. If the host asks that we move on, redirect the conversation, or address a concern, we ask that you respect that decision.
3. Share Your Beliefs. Don’t Force Them.
Your poetry and your story may include religion, spirituality, politics, culture, sexuality, gender identity, or your personal beliefs — and that’s okay. You are welcome to share what is true to your own life and experience.
What isn’t okay is forcing your religious or political beliefs onto someone else, preaching at other members, turning the Lounge into a religious or political debate, or disrespecting someone because they believe differently than you do. Not everyone believes in God. Not everyone practices a religion. Not everyone shares the same political views.
The same respect applies to sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression. LGBTQ+ members and people of all identities are welcome in this space. You do not have to understand or agree with another person’s life or beliefs to treat them with dignity and respect.
Share your truth. Allow others the same freedom to share theirs.
4. What’s Shared Here, Stays Here
People may share personal stories, emotions, experiences, or original work in the Lounge. Do not repeat, repost, screenshot, screen-record, distribute, or share another member’s words or experiences outside of this space without their permission.
5. No Recording
Poetry Lounge sessions are live and are not recorded. Members may not record, screen-record, photograph, or capture sessions without explicit permission.
Poetry Lounge Rules & Guidelines
Come as you are. Respect who’s here. Honor what’s shared.
The Poetry Lounge is a space for poetry, expression, connection, conversation, and community. You don’t have to be a poet. You don’t have to perform. You don’t even have to have the right words. But while you’re here, we ask that you help protect the kind of space we’re creating together.
6. Respect the Art. Respect the Artist.
If a poem, quote, or passage moved you, you’re welcome to bring it into the room. If it isn’t your own writing, please honor the original author by saying their name. Never present someone else’s work as your own.
7. Sharing Is Always a Choice
You never have to perform or share. Come to read, listen, reflect, connect, laugh, snap, clap, or simply enjoy the room. Participation can look different for everyone.
8. Give the Mic Room to Move
Allow others the opportunity to share. Be mindful of time, avoid talking over someone who has the floor, and respect the host’s direction so everyone who wants the mic has a chance to use it.
9. Feedback Should Be Invited
Poetry can be personal. Don’t critique, correct, or offer advice about someone’s work unless they’ve invited feedback. Sometimes people simply want their words to be heard.
10. Protect the Vibe
Conversation, laughter, emotion, and realness are welcome. Behavior that repeatedly disrupts the room or interferes with another member’s ability to participate may result in removal from a session or the Poetry Lounge.
11. Know Before You Enter
Please review these guidelines before joining a live session. By participating in the Poetry Lounge, you agree to respect these expectations and help us maintain the space we’ve created together.
ALL VOICES • ALL IDENTITIES • ALL ABILITIES
Welcome to the Poetry Lounge.
POETRY LOUNGE
Confidentiality & Privacy Agreement
The Poetry Lounge is a space where everyone should feel safe sharing their words, stories, experiences, and creative work. This agreement helps protect that safety, privacy, and trust.
By signing this agreement, I understand and agree to the following:
1. What Is Shared in the Lounge Stays in the Lounge
I will respect the privacy of other participants. I will not repeat or share another participant’s personal stories, experiences, conversations, or identifying information outside of the Poetry Lounge without their permission.
2. Creative Work Belongs to Its Creator
Poetry, spoken word, writings, and other original creative work shared during the Poetry Lounge remain the property of the person who created them.
Participation in the Poetry Lounge does not give MisEdOfJoy or another participant ownership of someone else’s creative work.
Participants are free to share, publish, perform, post, or otherwise use their own work however they choose.
3. Do Not Share Someone Else’s Work
I will not copy, repost, publish, distribute, perform, quote, reproduce, or otherwise share another participant’s poetry or creative work without their permission.
4. No Unauthorized Recording or Screenshots
I will not take screenshots, photographs, screen recordings, audio recordings, or video recordings of the Poetry Lounge or its participants without permission.
5. Respect the Privacy of Participants
Someone choosing to be open, honest, emotional, or vulnerable in the Poetry Lounge does not give me permission to discuss or share their personal information, experiences, or conversations outside of the space.
I will respect the privacy, identity, experiences, and boundaries of everyone participating.
6. My Own Participation
I understand that I am responsible for deciding what personal information or creative work I choose to share during the Poetry Lounge.
Nothing in this agreement prevents me from discussing my own experiences or sharing my own creative work outside of the Poetry Lounge.
7. Violations of This Agreement
I understand that violating this agreement may result in my immediate removal from the Poetry Lounge, loss of the ability to participate in future MisEdOfJoy events, and, when appropriate, possible legal action or other remedies available under applicable law.
Acknowledgment
By signing below, I acknowledge that I have read and understand this Confidentiality & Privacy Agreement and agree to respect the privacy, personal information, and creative work of other Poetry Lounge participants.
By signing, I agree to help keep the Poetry Lounge a space where everyone can feel safe being themselves and sharing what they choose.
Participant Name: ______________________________________
Signature: _____________________________________________
Date: ______________________
Email: _________________________________________________
MisEdOfJoy Poetry Lounge
Come as you are. Share what you choose. Respect what others entrust to the room.