Did you know today is National Poetry at Work Day? This special day encourages you to unleash your inner Bard and get those creative juices flowing. Take that lunch break today and craft some verse.
With this in mind, I think this is the perfect opportunity to introduce our readers to the staff at The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. They are amazing an extremely talented people. They are experts when it comes to the arts - particulary poetry. We asked them their favorite poem and its impact on their lives. Check out some of these gems they have shared with us. Hopefully, you have discovered a new poet.
Travon Anderson: I chose “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes. This poem resonates with me because of my relationship with my mother. It speaks to the many words of wisdom and experience(s) that my mother gave me.
Ashley Bass: Nikki Giovanni’s poem “Choices.” This poem has made an impact on me because, as humans, we all have this pre-determined expectation on the life we should have. In this poem, Nikki Giovanni explores the idea of what we expect and what we should have isn't always going to be for us.
Jean Bass: I really love “The Love Song of Alfred J. Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot. It was the first poem I read that showed me that a poem’s potential is unlimited. It can really go any way you choose, and as a writer, I found that liberating for my own writing.
Courtney Buckland: My favorite poem is “This Is Just To Say” by William Carlos Williams. I have often used this poem as a template for my own sweet apology notes to roommates after eating delicious things that were not my own. I highly recommend leaving your own version on the refrigerator for any of you who may sneak that last cupcake or cookie from a roommate or loved one.
Timarie Harrigan: A favorite poem and a favorite thing that springs to mind, “Ode to Common Things” by Pablo Neruda. What’s not to love in little, common things?
Hannah Jones: I have two poems that immediately came to mind, both of which I was introduced to at the Dodge Poetry Festival: “The Seven Devils” by Marie Howe and “Perfect for Any Occasion” by Alberto Rios. Devils and desserts, and how the two are connected, and how these very different, very wonderful poets read their work on the stage - and I cried in front of teenagers. I finally allowed myself to do so, now that I’m no longer a teenager, myself.
Tendo Mutanda: “I Live in Music” by Ntozake Shange is one of my favorite poems. I frequently use this illustrated poem to introduce my students to similes and figurative language. Whenever I take the book off the shelf, I remember the joy and excitement they experienced learning how to play with words.
Antonio Pulgarin: It was truly difficult to pick just one, but I went with Ntozake Shange’s poem “a laying on of hands” taken from her choreopoem “for colored girls who have considered suicide/ when the rainbow is enuf.” This poem had a huge impact on me when I was a child. This line in particular reminds me of that crucial moment in life when I finally became comfortable with myself. I associate this line with finding one’s inner strength as we explore our own identities: “i found god in myself and i loved her/i loved her fiercely” - Ntozake Shange
To learn more about the amazing work the staff at The Alliance for Young Artists does daily for today's youth, including scholarships and workshop opportunities for emerging artists (grades 7 - 12), please visit: http://www.artandwriting.org/.
Scholastic: First row (L-R): Travon Anderson, Ashley Bass, Jean Bass; Second row (L-R): Courtney Buckland, Timarie Harrigan, Hannah Jones; Third row (L-R): Tendo Mutanda, Antonio Pulgarin
