This is a week you can’t miss.
Poetry Week kicks off Monday and is set to showcase the hidden talent within students across the school.
“Poetry is all about just saying the truth,” explains Kevin Coval, Chicago-based author and poet who spoke at ETHS for Poetry Week in 2012.
On April 1-4 during all lunch periods poetry contestants will be performing their poems for Louder Than A Bomb in the Upstairs Theater.
As the week launches on Monday, students will be able to display their writing at various open-mic events. Among those preparing their pieces for performance is junior Kai Joy.
“I think that poetry has taught me to be a lot more introspective and to analyze how I feel about things,” expresses Kai. “[Poetry] allows these kids to take their mask off and to really begin to understand each other and to be comfortable with each other and themselves,” Kai adds.
For students like Kai, poetry carries an extreme sentiment, acting as an outlet from stress, anxiety and social pressures. Poetry Week is an event not only meant to portray the talent in Evanston, but also to convey to students the value of poetry.
“Children and teenagers carry a lot of emotion and thought that they are taught to suppress,” claims Kai. However, for sophomore Tamera Boston, poetry seems to be a “free space where you can just express yourself and have fun.”
Kai and Tamera are members of the ETHS Slam Poetry Team, a club that comes together and shares their work with each other and also competes in tournaments such as Louder Than A Bomb.
So where does the inspiration to write poetry come from? Well there is no one answer, everyone has a different motivation for writing. “Everyone is an artist,” recalls Coval.
For senior Aaron Clarke “it was from rap that I moved into poetry.” He tells, “I was all about Lil Wayne… once you listen to it, you want to try it too.”
“Poetry is necessary for everyone,” adds Coval. “Kids can speak out for what they believe in.” So whether it is speaking at an open-mic, writing your own piece or just appreciating the talent of others, don’t miss out on the action that Poetry Week has in store.