By Abigale Paterniti, Staff Writer
On January 4th 2024, 19 selected students took to the podium to express an underappreciated form of art: poetry. After hours of memorizing, reciting, and perfecting their individual performance, a rigorous competition came about.
One of the winners, sophomore Helen Quill, recitied “A Poem In Which I Try To Express My Glee At The Music My Friend Has Given Me” by Ross Gay. Helen chose this poem because of her love for dance. “I interpreted the reading as the urge to dance, as a dancer it really spoke to me and the way I feel when I am away from the studio or when I hear a song that I really love.” For Helen the personal connection she felt to her poem was key. The better she could relate to each phrase the more passionate she became as she recited her poem on stage.
Audience member Siana Kabaria, also a sophomore, remarked on Helen’s performance: “The poem Helen read really spoke to me and the way she told it was captivating.” Siana felt that what made each competitor different, was not the poem they chose but rather their body language and inflection. “Poetry is similar to acting in that you are trying to use your body, words, and voice to send a message to the audience.” Siana expresses.
So how did this contest come about? Mrs. Curry, an English teacher and organizer for the Poetry Out Loud competition, began Poetry Out Loud in her own classroom as an assignment for her students. She describes, “I started Poetry Out Loud this year because I wanted kids to memorize poems. When you memorize a poem you take ownership of it and make it yours. It was so exciting to see how that played out in my class.”
Other English teachers for grades 10 and 12, began assigning the task of memorizing and reciting poetry to their students as well, and from there, the school wide competition came about. Most amazing is the opportunity this gives to students, who now have the chance to go to states and even have a shot at nationals, to pursue their newly discovered talent.
The deliberate process of memorizing, practicing and perfecting every phrase and inflection is what stood each performer apart from one another. Prior to even stepping up to the mic, hours of recitation is the most crucial part. What it means to make a poem yours is not to mindlessly recite words, but to share it with others, dedicate time, passion and love to achieve a full embodiment of each and every line. “I’m hoping they realize the power of the spoken word and the beauty of poetry,” Mrs. Curry writes, as the biggest takeaway every student should have from Poetry Out Loud.
Congratulations to Abisola Asante and Helen Quill, the very first Poetry Out Loud winners, who will be representing River Hill High School in the state competition.