The atmosphere is contemplative, almost somber, as, one after another, four poets take the stage. They stand at a podium and read with deep intensity to a silent crowd, reflecting on topics that range from the end of the world to the landscapes of Iceland. They plumb the depths of human experience, and it takes them less than an hour.

The 4×4 Poetry Reading was hosted by Brookline Poet Laureate Jennifer Barber and held at the library’s Brookline Village location at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9. The event featured four poets, who each read four poems, focusing on their new works.

The first reader was Deborah Leipziger, a poet and sustainability adviser whose poems and other writings have been published in several countries and in multiple languages. The poems she read touched on such themes as family, personal struggles and her Brazilian-Jewish identity. The third poem honored Paulo Paulino Guajajara, known as Lobo, who was an indigenous environmental activist killed by illegal loggers while protecting the Amazon.

“I guard the forest / the children of the tribe,” Leipziger read.

Leipziger was followed by Jacob Strautmann, the author of two poetry collections and a recipient of the Massachusetts Poetry Fellowship from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Strautmann’s poems explore his North Appalachian roots and his personal relationships and experiences, among other themes. His memorable passages included a vivid description of mountainscapes in his poem “The Exile’s Farm.”

“A bird caught the eye’s solitary flight over barn and fence, wildflower, ditch, a landscape that forces one to be decisive,” Strautmann read.

The next reader was Jason Tandon, a lecturer in the Boston University Arts and Sciences Writing Program, whose fifth book of poetry, “This Far North,” was long-listed for the 2024 Massachusetts Book Awards. Tandon said he aims for brevity in his poetry. His poem “There We Were,” set the morning after a reunion with old friends, touched on such themes as camaraderie, natural beauty and the impact of September 11.

“One of us brought up the towers/ wondered what the air must have smelled like, / the screaming in the sky,” Tandon read.

Leslie Williams, who read last, has published three collections of poetry and received the Robert Winner Memorial Award from the Poetry Society of America. The poems she read explored themes of weather and the seasons. Her poem “Sunset 4:14” is a contemplation of New England’s early winter sunsets that seamlessly transitions to a meditation on armageddon, asking what the landscape will look like at the end of the world.

“A lone caretaker keeps lamps trimmed and lit, knows how you like / your tea. As salt is known (completely) by the unknown sea,” Williams read.

After the poetry readings, there was a brief Q&A session where the audience posed questions about the poets’ backgrounds and experiences, as well as the mechanics of their poetry.

Williams praised the 4×4 approach, as it allowed for concise but meaningful readings

“The idea of reading only four poems is so delightful, isn’t it? Because then you can just sit back and enjoy the other people’s work, and it’s just like a little dessert party where you just taste a little bit of everybody else’s, what they bring,” Williams said.

Leipziger said that the discussion in the Q&A prompted her to consider how length and format affect a poem’s impact.

“I liked the questions about short poems versus long poems. It made me reflect on my work. I used to write much shorter poems, and my poems have gotten longer and longer,” Leipziger said. “It made me reflect on how powerful short poems can be.”

Strautmann said that the 4×4 reading and similar events attract readers from diverse backgrounds, fostering a community united by a shared love of poetry.

“Every time I do one of these events, everybody’s a transplant. So many people here are from so many other places that have decided to call this home and their writing home,” Strautmann said. “I was reminded of that tonight.”

Audience member Peter Brown said he found it meaningful to hear an accomplished group of poets sharing their work in a small and informal setting.

“Poetry is really about creating the illusion of intimacy between the writer and a reader,” Brown said. “And that’s not easy to do.”