Poetry Club Gives Writers a New Gathering Place
Club leaders Sonia Rosa, Victoria Dzuyba, and Sasha Smolansky prep for a Poetry Club meeting.
By SHAYNA GOLUBEV
Poetry goes beyond pen and paper. This art form gives life to words carved on loose leaf, and though there are no instruments on stage, slam poets create music with every breath and every touching stanza. The Poetry Club has become a vital addition to the club list this year, offering anyone interested in sharing their voice an outlet for their art.
The club, which meets in person every Tuesday during 10th period in Room 333, is run by juniors Sonia Rosa, Victoria Dzyuba, and Sasha Smolansky. Each week, a different form of poetry is explored and a new poet is introduced to the group.
Patterns, Midwood’s literary magazine, has long been a hotspot for students with literary talents. But it meets during 8th period, which conflicts with many students’ schedules. The Poetry Club gives those Hornets another opportunity to express themselves.
The process of getting the Poetry Club approved was challenging but worth it, the leaders said. “Ren, Sonia, and I never stopped fighting for the club even though we first got rejected,” said Smolansky, the club’s secretary. “We believed this club would be an incredible asset to the Midwood community.”
“The club’s goal is to make poetry more accessible for everyone,” she said. “Everyone deserves to know how to write poetry and have confidence in their writing.”
“We wanted to create a space so people can understand that poetry doesn’t just have to be in a literary class, it can be whatever you decide to write on a Monday night,” said Rosa, the vice president. “Also, spotlighting different local poets from various backgrounds and ethnicities is very important.”
During the club meeting, a specific genre of poetry is introduced and members then get to practice it. So far, haikus, slam poetry, collages, and crisis poetry have been presented in the club.
Furthermore, the club highlights local poets – such as Pat Parker, Ada Limon, and Joan Naviyuk Kane – who people wouldn’t typically know unless they were truly immersed in the field.
The club also notifies its members of various cafes where they can watch poetry be performed and even perform their own work.
“Being able to get people to come into a room, whether they are interested in poetry or not, and learn about the plain existence of these people is reassuring to me as a poet,” said Dzuyba. “It lets me be calm in the fact that if I do poetry, I don’t have to worry about it not being heard because there will always be somebody who might appreciate it.”
The club’s leaders feel that the traditional classroom approach to poetry is often lacking.
“Personally, poetry in class has been very frustrating for me to learn, and that sucks because I love poetry, but it feels so integrated into the curriculum that at times it sucks all the joy and calmness out of it,” said Rosa.
Upcoming events include an in-person presentation from a renowned poet who will be sharing their expertise and giving advice. The club also hopes to have slam poetry competitions, said Smolansky.
Even if you don’t know anything about poetry, all are welcome to join. “I have only been to Poetry Club two times so far, but I attend because the activities we do are so fun,” said Christiana Tsimenies ‘24. “I used to write a lot but haven’t in a while; this club got me back into writing.”
Anastasiya Zhirova ‘24, another club member, said she enjoys practicing poetry because it brings her “peace of mind.”
The poetry club may be new to Midwood, but it has much to offer students, with more yet to come, so pop by Room 333 during Period 10 on a Tuesday and see for yourself.