As breathing, feeling, living human beings we all have emotions, no matter how much some of us would like to ignore them – and this is exactly why poetry exists. Poetry is here for the people who like to sit back, and the people who like to be at the forefront of it all. No matter who you are, what you look like, what you’ve been through, poetry makes a space for you. Here at Mark Keppel High school, there are multiple ways to get involved in both poetry and yourself, one of them is through the “Get Lit” curriculum.
The “Get Lit” curriculum works to bring poetry into classrooms and teach students expression through spoken word poetry. In classrooms such as Ms. Burkhart’s in A228, students gracefully practice becoming comfortable with the uncomfortableness of breaking out of their shell. The Get Lit curriculum connects “classic” poems that aren’t limited to Shakespeare or Edgar Allen Poe and allows students to respond to those modern and unmodern classics through their own poetry.
Getting in front of a class and sharing part of yourself can be scary, and so usually students shy away from class presentations. Even the thought of standing up in front of a room of people is scary, but through poetry, they learn just how empowering it could be to stand there and form connections through beautifully recited words. When people share their stories, they touch hearts they weren’t aware were open, and after hearing or sharing them, we become better because of it.
When we sit down to write a poem, we not only open a door for connecting to others, we find a connection to ourselves through introspection and the rewriting of words. No one can describe your situation better than you can, so searching for synonyms and right rhyming schemes to perfectly describe them creates a different type of fulfillment.
“Students realize that their story matters and it belongs in the shared space of school and community,” Ms. Burkhart said. When you feel seen and you use your voice in an empowering way, it creates a newfound confidence.
Zenina Adao, senior, was a former student of Burkhart’s. She never knew she was interested in poetry, until Burkhart’s class opened her eyes to the love she has for it. Zenina was able to unlock a dormant confidence inside of herself she always knew was there, but never let loose, and owes it to mentors brought into class from GetLit and her diligent practice.
Last year, Adao was invited by Burkhart to audition for our poetry team, competing with fellow students that share the same passion. When she was accepted into the team, she was able to continue practicing poetry, and further discovered how to utilize poetry as an emotional outlet. Sharing her experiences through poetry has made her more aware of herself and allowed her to process emotions.
“I’m not ruined because of these things,” Adoa said, describing the emotional hardships she writes about. Writing and having the strength to share your scary experiences, allows you to conquer them, show yourself that they don’t have power over you.
