“Poetry begins as a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, a homesickness, a lovesickness.” -Robert Frost

What do you think when you hear the word “poetry”?  Perhaps you imagine a bundle of words left to unpack the meaning within, or a famous poet, such as Robert Frost, or Emily Dickinson.  But how many people think of poetry to be a piece of art, meant to be performed from the heart?

December 17th, 2024, was the day of the Poetry Out Loud Competition when 14 brave students stepped up to the stage with a purpose: to perform timeless pieces of literature with emotion and true appreciation for the beautiful language of poetry.

From “Beautiful Wreckage” to “Miss You…” this event truly encapsulated how poetry was meant to be read—out loud and with life.  I loved every poem that was performed, from the sorrowful to the humorous, and I appreciate all who dared to participate.  Therefore, I’d like to give a special thank you to everyone who participated in and attended this wonderful event and shared their love of poetry as a whole.

A special congratulations goes to the winner of the school-wide competition, Ashley Griguoli!

“When I was up on stage, I tried my best not to psych myself out over remembering every word perfectly.  Instead, I remembered everything I liked about my poems – the way they made me feel and how I’ve been emotionally connecting with them.  If the passion was there, I thought, then the words would surely follow suit,” said Ashley Grigouli, winner of the MRHS POL Competition.

Below is a list of the participants and their respective poems: