The Poet Writer’s Society, a club dedicated to creative writing and performance, will host a student led poetry slam in November. The winner of the slam will receive a $50 Barnes and Noble gift card. Prizes will also be awarded to other high-ranking participants.
A poetry slam is a competition with multiple rounds and a panel of judges. Performances are rated 1-10 by each judge and the scores are tallied up at the end. Students not participating in the competition are welcome to perform as well. There will be one poetry slam per semester, the dates and times of which will be announced.
The Poet Writer’s Society, sponsored by AP Literature and Composition teacher Saira Khan, promotes all styles of poetry and lyrical writing because it serves as an outlet for students to express themselves.
“Allowing people to express their emotions through poetry will let the student body relate to them. It’ll give these poets a chance to be the voice of their generation,” Khan said.
At the next meeting, students will discuss ideas for a fundraiser to pay for the poetry slams, as well as ways to recruit more members. The club also plans on teaming up with the art club to release a journal that features student poems and artworks.
One of Khan’s goals is to dispel the stereotype by students that all poetry is similar to what they’ve read in English class
“When kids think of poetry, they think of poets like Robert Frost. I showed my students some modern poetry in class and they were so surprised that it sounded like rap or freestyle. They don’t realize that there are different genres of poetry,” Khan said.
The club encourages writers to step out of their comfort zone by performing. One student will be chosen to represent the school at the Poetry Out Loud competition, which gives poets the opportunity to compete at a national level. It also offers students the chance to experience the performances of other talented writers.
“I like hearing what people think. I like to know what they’re made of,” junior Kaylee Kalva said.
The club meets after school in Ms. Khan’s room every other Tuesday.
