National Poetry Month organized by the Academy of American Poets happens every year during the month of April to celebrate, increase awareness of and heighten appreciation for the art of poetry.

Poetry has a strong presence at State High for both students and teachers. English teachers teach poetry units, students have recited poetry at open mics, and State High’s Acclivity magazine run by Ms. Bowers and the students: Chloe Spencer, Devyn Adams, Ayla Osgood, Risha Shea, and Ally Zajac, publish student poetry along with stories and various visual artwork. Devin Adams, senior, editor and treasurer for State High’s Acclivity magazine said, “I think poetry can convey deep meanings in short verses, I think it’s important because it can do so much.” Ms. Bowers, runs State High’s Acclivity magazine and teaches a variety of English classes including creative writing which includes a fiction writing unit and poetry unit, “Poetry is important because it provides a means of expressing what it is to be human, using beautiful, precise and concise language. Essentially, poetry connects us to ourselves and to others.”

State High also has several notable student poets, Annika Godura, senior, recently received an honorable mention for her poetry Glitch in the Scholastic Art & Writing Contest. Aidan Clifford, senior, has a passion for poetry and writing, “I don’t really have a reason, I just write it [poetry] in hopes that someday someone will read it and it will help them”. Celia Craig, senior, is in Ms. Walker’s AP English Literature class and is excited about the current poetry unit, “I like pretty much all poetry except the ones that rhyme”.

Mr. Goldfine, an English teacher at State High who has participated multiple times in Friday Cold Plum Poetry, loves poetry and sharing poetry with his students, “I love helping students discover poetry is not [English teachers torturing their students] and is a way to unleash one’s creativity and express one’s unique nature and explore life through discovery writing.” Ms. Bowers, also loves to share her passion for poetry with her students, “Two joys of teaching poetry include watching my students grow into their voices, and observing those who start the unit with a negative impression of what poetry is and does change their view by the end of the unit.”

Mr. Goldfine believes poetry helps people in many ways and allows people to write, express and connect with others, “I listen and read poetry to deepen my own human experiences and become mindful of inner experience and others.” Ms. Bowers believes poetry is helpful for all students as it encourages students to be deliberate about their word choice and can be used in all styles and types of writing, “Poetry is so honest, vivid and dense, I can use it to reflect the small moments in my life, which are what–I believe–make a meaningful life.”