The art of poetry is easy to learn, impossible to master and even harder to perform in front of an audience.
Several Clarkston High School students did took on the challenge though at the school’s first poetry ‘Pseudo’Slam? on March 30.
The event was organized by Ryan Eisele, a first year creative writing and language arts teacher at CHS.
Poetry jams or slams are group events where poets recite or perform a piece or work while being judged. The CHS event was a ‘pseudo? event because the competitive nature was removed.
Eisle said he got the idea from watching a similar event on television.
‘I watched the HBO “Def Poetry Jam” and thought it would be cool to have my students share their poetry in this type of venue. I was really impressed with the poetry I received in class and thought that the kids might enjoy it,? Eisele wrote in an e-mail to The Clarkston News. Eisele said he wanted the event to be more of a celebration of the students? work than a competition, so there were no judges.
Students worked on their poems in class over the span of two weeks, but Eisele said he held workshops after school for students who wanted to devote more time to the project. Eisele said the workshops were not intended to control the content of the poems though.
‘We never actually edited anything in class or at the workshops. We practiced and revised for performance purposes,? he wrote.
Even though his students were required to create poetry for class, performing in the Psuedo’Slam was optional. Prior to the event, Eisele said his classes held slams during school, with students acting as judges and score keepers.
‘The kids really liked it and learned a lot about spoken work versus written work, speaking publicly, and speaking with conviction,? said Eisele.
Eisele said the group event was not judged to encourage more students to perform, ‘I was afraid that students would be turned off by the fact that they would be judged by their peers in such an open venue. In class they know each other and are supportive. Outside of class, they feel the pressures of high school and the judgement of those they don’t know. I was concerned that people wouldn’t participate because they would be afraid to put their personal poetry out there and receive a bad score.?
The event was a first for Eisele, as well as his students, and he said he was nervous about the outcome. His nervousness was shared by several students who choose to read.
Caitlyn Kato won the poetry slam in her individual class, but even so she was visibly nervous when she went on stage.
‘I’m really shy and I’ve never really done this, but Mr. Eisele has a lot of confidence so I’m kind of doing it for him,? Kato said.
Kato, a sophomore, said she has written poetry for some time because she likes the self-expression. After experiencing her first Pseudo-Slam, Kato is happy she did so and said she would participate in another one.
‘I already received a couple dozen requests to put on another one this year,? Eisele wrote. ‘I wasn’t planning on doing that, but I might after seeing the reaction. The kids liked it and it gave students who don’t participate in sports a chance to shine. I may put on another one this year and make it an actual slam. If not, I will definitely do it next year once a semester.?
To start out the new poetry corner, The Clarkston News will publish poems from CHS students who participated in the Pseudo-Slam in the upcoming weeks.

Empathy

I hate looking in the mirror
And not be able to see myself.
I hate trying so hard
But not be able to be myself
So I watch that stranger in the mirror
Bleed and cry.
I stare in her eyes, looking
For a glimpse of myself.
Search the black depths of her pupils
For a piece of me
So I can feel what she’s feeling,
Hurt her hurt,
Cry just one of her tears
And feel it burn and sear a path down my cheek
As it runs into the fissure between my lips
And taste its salty soul.

-Paris Conwell

Cascading Water

Wave’s crash and peal
Water summoning me
I slip into its cool depths
Life surrounding me
Fish swimming home
Crayfish darting (sensory detail)
Pebbles gyrating along the lake bed floor
(dynamic verb)
Peaceful
Quiet
Serene
Perfect place to be

-Heather Romanowski