Joelle Anselmo, Story Editor
Every year, NCHS hosts Poetry Fest in the Wagner Room, where students can share their poems aloud to an audience of peers. This year, on April 26th, the event had over 70 participants, the biggest turnout yet, with four winners and four honorable mentions. Some students decided to attend because they didn’t have a poetry unit in their class while others wanted to support their friends.
English teacher Kristen Brown, who has organized the event for ten years now, actively tries to get more students to perform or attend each year. To her, it is important to get your work out to a larger audience if it’s something you are passionate about. “So much of our writing that we do is for a teacher, for an assignment, and it’s nice to have an open space where students can publish and broadcast their work with their peers” she said.
Poetry Fest creates a space for students to read their poems without being labeled by a grade. “People feel comfortable sharing really personal and emotional poetry and I think that’s a huge testament to the event,” Ms. Brown said. The goal, every year, is to make sure students are comfortable sharing their work, even if they have stage fright or are nervous about public speaking.
There a variety of different types of poems that the students explored with. “Ones that really experimented with form, different poetic devices and some were really personal and emotionally driven,” Ms. Brown said.
Freshman Hannah Swimm, won “Best Use of Imagery” for her picturesque poem based on a trip she tok to Waveny Park with her friends. She also thought that the night was successful. “There were a lot of interesting perspectives that made me change my views on life,” Hannah said.
There were four awards offered at the end of the night that were made by a team of English teachers including Ms. Brown. “It was very hard. There are so many wonderful and talented students,” she said.
This year, junior Olivia Flaherty-Lovy won “Best Use of Language”, senior Sydney Kend received “Best Performance” for her tribute to the students who have died in school shootings, senior Julia Ozimek won “Best Poem”, and freshman Hannah Swim won “Best Use of Imagery”.
For freshman Neya Krishnan’s poem, “The Greatest Show”, she decided to memorize the lengthy piece. Neya got an honorable mention for her dedication and performance. She was inspired by a trip she took to New York City, “If you open your eyes and look around the world, there’s so much to observe,” Neya said.
Ms. Brown will continue trying to improve Poetry Fest each year because of the significant impact it leaves on both her and the students. “Poetry is a beautiful way people open up about their emotions,” she said. “I never knew there were so many good writers.”
Overall, the night was successful due to the number of students who participated and the high quality of poetry among the students. “I thought it was a really great experience and would love to do it again,” Neya said. Make sure to stop by next year!
Here is Julia Ozimek’s winning poem called “Ya Che Koham“:
Weary, gentle vwoices murmur from the doors of the kitchen, Where warm light pours in dusty windows and Glass plates jingle as they touch. Like the way hens cluck in the early morning, My grandparents speak tender words to one another- In a string of constant fluidity – Only to be broken by a soft sigh or light giggle. The Polish language rolls of their tongues As honey drips off warm, metal spoons. Slow and articulate, yet I cannot pick apart the consonants. My mind warps around the syllables in constant confusion. These foreign words coexist in familiar voices.
Moya luna, my Babcia whispers to me As her worn out fingertips twirls the ends of my dark hair. My doll. The delicate embrace of her hands rises to the sides of my head Where she infuses a heavy calmness. Sh leaves my hair to attend to an impatient kattle of tea, And returns with a sleepy chamomile. Hot, hot she warns.
Hutch tu, my Dzadzu beckons, And with the other hand rubs his weathered knees. Come here. He reaches towards my hand, And takes hold of my untainted fingers. Scares mark his leather skin, And dark veins weave webs onto the back of his hand. The creases in his palms tell tales of Blistery wintters on an obsolete farm And hours of labor that earned him a ticket; A ticket that carried his life across an ocean. I see a glimpse of a foreign world.
I wonder often about the source of his pain, But there s defiency of words there, And he is already so tired. I do not ask. For now I can only imagine.
I catch these fleeting moments, and hold them to my chest dearly. I picture choppy waters and a young couple. Two tickets, heading East. Her eyes flow with the warmth of Christmas Eve candles; His hands hold hers tenderly.
In the abense of words, another language takes its place. One that is communicated through the pressure Of fingers grasping fingers And eyes gazing eyes, Captured only by feelings beneath the words. Ya che koham; The first translation I ever learned; I love you.
