Students in Concordia’s high school Poetry elective class are learning to view the world through an artistic lens, and view themselves as creators of art. 

Given a range of poets across time periods and genres from which to select - from Basho to Bukowski, Yeats to Vuong - students are writing a brief bio of their poet, reading a selection of their writings, and learning to emulate their style - with the aim of becoming better poetic writers themselves. 

Nate (G11) chose the spoken word poet Carvens Lissiant. “When researching poet Carvens Lissiant I found his work to resonate with me. With such techniques as repetition, emphasis on message along with a deeper understanding of his erratic but powerful speech patterns I've learned to incorporate his style into my work which I believe has given me the ability to create more impactful work,” said Nate.

Huyen (G11) is focusing on Vietnamese American poet Ocean Vuong. “Vuong’s work is very relatable because he shares a history with me. Poetry class has allowed me to find my poet side, which I didn't know I had,” said. 

Brianna (G11) is studying the works of Maya Angelou. "The brilliance of Maya Angelou's poetry isn't in her rhyme scheme or fancy choice of words, it's the in depth depictions of social injustices that make readers uncomfortable. Angelou's brilliance in her use of imagery delivers the intense emotions of an underserved member of society that experiences much betrayal and agony. Despite having to live within a system of governance that was built against colored individuals such as Angelou herself, her poetry is always flooded with messages of hope and resilience, ever so freely as the structures and rhymes within her writing," said Brianna. 

Poetry is one of a range of electives Concordia offers to complement our Advanced Placement curriculum, promote writing skills and teach students to be creators of knowledge and art. Click HERE to learn more about our high school program today.