Gabby '22 Advances in Poetry Out Loud Competition
This year’s Poetry Out Loud competition saw a mixture of veteran and novice performers take to the stage in hopes of advancing to the regional event. In the end, it was veteran performer Gabby G. ’22 who clinched the honors.
Poetry Out Loud is a national poetry recitation competition that encourages students to learn about and memorize great poetry.
The goal of the competition is to help students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about literary history while exploring contemporary life.
Each year, students participate at school, regional, state and national levels. This year Gabby, Lilia M. ’23, Natalia C. ’24 and Feras H. ’22 participated at Collegiate’s level with poems they chose from the Poetry Out Loud anthology.
“I’m a really big theater person and I love being on stage and soaking in the energy,” said Gabby. “I did Poetry Out Loud my freshman year not really knowing what I was getting into. This really took me over and is something that I really enjoy that was a lot different from any other theater experience that I have done. My first year was really great because I got to go to the regional competition where I met a lot of really cool poets and people and performers, and being thrown into the environment really kept me coming back to it.”
Gabby selected “Requiem” by Camille T. Dungy and “On Liberty and Slavery” by George Moses Horton. As to why she selected her pieces, she said, “when I’m able to really put my heart and soul into a poem, I can really give a good performance.”
Natalia, the runner-up and a veteran Poetry Out Loud contender, selected “Revenge” by Letitia Elizabeth Landon and “Eros Turannos” by Edwin Arlington Robinson.
“I’m just, in general, a big fan of theater and poetry and they come together here, so that’s always fun,” she said of the competition. “Last year I went to state and I got to meet a bunch of cool people and wanted to do it again.”
Newcomer Lilia selected “Moon” by Kathleen Jamie and “Summer” by Chen Chen.
“I was introduced to the poet, Chen Chen, in ninth grade and I love his poems,” she said of her selection. “I remember coming home from that English class and just Googling his poems and reading them. When I saw it on the Poetry Out Loud website, I just knew I had to do it.”
Feras, who also was a newcomer to the competition, said he figured being a senior was as good a time as any to try his hand at the competition.
“I won’t be at Collegiate next year, and I thought that this was my last opportunity for me to do it, even though I am not much of a theater person or a public speaker.” Feras recited “La Figlia che Piange” by T.S. Eliot.
Gabby will now advance to the regional competition on Feb. 5. The hybrid competition will have Gabby submitting a video that will be played and scored live, with the top three from each semi-final round moving on to the state competition in Richmond in March.
Good luck, Gabby!
