In the Age of Texts and Tweets, AMS Students Celebrate the Joy of Poetry

Here’s a great way to celebrate National Poetry Month: encourage members of the next generation to write poetry. It’s especially comforting in an age of Twitter and texting to know that some students still delight in more traditional forms of literary expression.

(Editor's Note: A Patch prize will be awarded to anyone who writes posts a "poetic tweet" (140 characters or fewer) in the comments section of this article." 

That was the idea behind “Poetry Live!” which was launched a decade ago by Mamaroneck’s poet laureate, Mary Louise Cox. On Sunday, April 3, students from five Westchester high schools and middle schools will participate in the 4 6 p.m. event at the Emelin Theatre in Mamaroneck.

Among those students will be five from Ardsley Middle School, who were encouraged by seventh grade English teacher Lisa Licari to submit poems. Eighth graders Jayde Xu, Riya Dave and Jessica Wise, as well as seventh graders, Cara Rosado and Emily Gikas, will read their work before a crowd of admiring family, friends and poetry enthusiasts.

For 14-year-old Jayde Xu—who’s been part of the “Poetry Live!” experience for all four years of middle school—the benefits outweigh any potential butterflies in her stomach. “Sometimes you get nervous, but once you get on stage, it’s fine,” she said. “It’s nice to be with other people who enjoy poetry and appreciate it.”

 These young poets cited influences including Robert Frost, Shel Silverstein and Sharon Creech—as well as their own imaginations—in crafting their poems. Some admitted to working on a text through many drafts, while others simply channeled their inner muse.

“Rhyming is too hard,” said Cara Rosado. “You don’t need to rhyme to be a good poet.”

What motivates these students is the sheer pleasure of writing.

“In light of all the state test and emphasis on expository writing, you don’t want to forget the art of writing and the joy of writing," Licari said. "It’s important to keep poetry alive."