Last Friday, Petiri Munyikwa, junior, and Robert Durham, language arts teacher, hosted a poetry slam at The Wolf cafe, which premiered young poets from Durham’s creative writing classes at MHS. It was held in the performance room of the cafe and open to family and friends of the young poets.

For some students, this would be their first time in front of a microphone.

“Teens don’t know how to express themselves in a healthy way anymore,” Durham said, “I wanted to put them in the spotlight, leaving the comfort zone of the classroom. Everyone should be in the spotlight at least once.”   

Students read their poems in front of a combination of parents, teachers, and friends, reciting everything from free-form verse to A-B rhyme schemes.

Munyikwa, a member of the poetry club, said that this kind of raw presentation is necessary for progressing the art form and exposing poetry to a wider and more diverse audience..

“I think it was interesting to see all these kids and have them rocking back and forth, doing things we aren’t allowed to do in actual poetry slams because of rules,” said Munyikwa, “It was poetry without the points and without the competition and the teams.”

Aarya Saranathan, senior, watched the poets perform. He said that overall, the atmosphere was wonderful, as well as commended Durham for running and arranging the event.

“I loved it, I thought it was humorous at some parts, pretty sad at some others,” Saranathan said.

Saranathan said that if possible, he definitely believes that the slam should continue to be a tradition in Durham’s creative writing class.