A nervous student stands at a microphone, fists clenched around a sheet of paper, ready to deliver their poem to the crowd in the auditorium. It’s not just poetry, it’s a form of expression; a way to say things that are otherwise hard to say, and it’s something the members of the Inklings poetry team know a lot about.
The poetry team took on Carrboro High School in a competitive poetry slam March 14. Each school brought their best poets and each poet brought their best, but in the end, Northwood came out on top. This slam was an opportunity for both schools to test their competitive prowess and develop an inter-school community.
“Kids from different schools are connecting in a really important way. It’s something that happens way too little among high schools; that is, kids actually socializing from school to school and talking about things that they care about… and this kind of thing gives us that opportunity,” said Ben Thompson, Inklings advisor and English teacher. “It’s supposed to be a chance to build a community between the two schools.”
The Inklings poetry team held their first ever poetry slam Feb. 20. Preparations for the slam started last semester and Thompson hopes to bring the team to more slams in the future. The members of the poetry team have planned to go to Word Rivalry, a regional slam in May that could lead to much bigger slams.
Some of the poets that participated in the slams had more experience than others, but they all came to a consensus about how it felt to deliver their poems.
“Every poet, regardless of how much experience you have, you’re always nervous,” junior and co-chair Brandon Kelly said. “You have that nervous [feeling] before a game, match or a test, but this is like a whole other level of nervousness.”
The poets may have been nervous about presenting, but the atmosphere at the slam was anything but nerve inducing. The format of both slams promoted kindness and acceptance.
“I think the format for the poetry slam is cool because even though it’s a competition, everyone can feel validated and have their story heard even if they don’t win,” senior and co-chair Allory Bors said. “It’s not just about winning; it’s about sharing your story with other people.”
A contribution to the supportive atmosphere was one of the traditions the club has adopted. If a poet got choked up on stage or forgot a line, the rest of the members of the Inklings rubbed their hands together as an encouraging gesture. CJ Suitt, who is part of an award-winning spoken word organization called the Sacrificial Poets, introduced this to the club last year. Suitt served as the emcee for the February and March slams.
The Inklings poetry team is still growing, and that is allowing the team to attend more events. The Word Rivalry slam in May could lead to much bigger slams on much larger scales, and Thompson is confident in the ability of the Inklings poetry team to perform well at more slams.
“If you haven’t seen our Northwood poets you are missing one of the most special things about our school,” Thompson said.
Students enjoy the Inklings poetry team not only for the slams, but also for the constructive criticism offered during meetings. The Inklings poetry team has become a place to share one’s stories and to become a better poet.
“[The team] supports you…. It’s a good place to get feedback from other people,” senior Chelsea Korynta said. “There’s an opportunity for improvement [here].”
— Ashlynn Davis