Poetry is such a complex and beautiful thing. An art form full of truth and feelings. There’s poetry in everything. From the simplicity of humane activities with one another all the way to professional writers. Poetry is a part of our daily life. The way we hug our loved ones goodbye, the way we say i love you to our kids, the gentle hand that we lend each other when someone’s in need of help. Poetry is an aspect of life that we should really cherish.

With poetry comes the amateur writers that need encouragement. I personally write a little bit of poetry and I know that any encouragement really helps motivate me. Here I’m going to list some of the best poems from students.

“I hate my hair” By Adwoa Akobiah: “I hate my hair I hate how my comb gets lost in a sea of hope I hate my hair I hate how I get told "why couldn't you get your mothers hair" How I wish I was born with her soft, long and curly hair, like a wisp of cotton candy Or a fluffy cloud I hate my hair Like fighting with a sea of vines or venus fly traps It seems i can never get out I hate my hair I hate the memoirs of middle school when white kids would give me strange looks like they've never seen someone with my hair like i was a zoo animal they've never seen before What was so strange about my hair i don't know I hate my hair how kids from school mock me when i get braids "oh adwoa did your hair grow" But now i've come to love my hair in my own ways I love my hair I love the curls I love how i've came to learn how to take care of my hair Now the little black girl in me Loves her hair”

“Ocean Eyes” By Mio Castagna: “How do I describe it? How do I describe the feeling I get when I see her? it's the way your eyes glisten like the blue in the splashing waves and how your hair shines like the bright summer sky when your ears burn like the pain i feel when you don't look my way you are the love i feel when i see the stars in the sky i hope in every universe i can see you blush”

“Us” By Rylee Venturino: Every time I'm up here I always ask myself “What the hell am I going to screw up this time?” I'm always worrying if I’m not looking at the little people in their big ol’ eyes. I’m always worrying if my volume is either too high or too low. I'm always worrying if people are noticing my s-stutters or my twitches or any muscle movement. I constantly try to make eye contact with people in the room. I constantly try to make myself heard. I constantly try to keep myself together in a way where I don’t make others cringe. But why? Why am I worrying so much? Why are you worrying so much? Why are all of you worrying so much? Why are we worried so much about the little things in life? We are in Speech and Debate, after all, this is what we came here to do. Right? This is what we came here to do. Right.? This is what everyone signed up for.. Right..? Left Right Left Right Left- Left. That’s right! No no, that’s left, not right. But left is right- HhHhh- no nevermind. What I was trying to express is how we should all leave. Not from this room, but we should all leave every single one of our worries behind. Because there’s no point in dragging them around. Because in the famous words of someone, YOLO, you only live once.”

“A part of me” By Isaiah Becker: high school 4 years 4 grades 4 me something that makes or breaks my future so rudely interrupted by a virus so corrupted high school freshman year, 9th grade ended so soon never getting the time back what am i going to do high school 10 grade did it even happen no time for me to focus on equations locked in the 4 corners on a room no friends, no air, it’s all happening on zoom seeing surgeons, leaving home, taking medicine all of this happening while waiting for a vaccination high school junior year i’m back in school who are all these people sitting in this room who am i, what am i i feel like i’m something straight out of a si-fi different people, different me meeting people who might actually get me losing people going to class finding out people are actually very crass high school senior year 12 grade can i just fade away keeping up, passing classes will people ever see who i really am without needing glasses girl boy man or women can i be who i am without ending in a coffin can i become who i truly am without the fear of being slammed college graduated, high school has ended im freshman all over again Bigger classes building a future is it going to be on the computer this is a chance to finally be me can i be the person i’m truly meant to be High school it will always be a part of me”

“Sunflower” By Iesa Weisel: “They’re not in season for now it’s snowing though there is no reason why you’re always glowing even in the darkest of nights during the times of sorrows and blues you never fail to be the brightest sight i still not yet have the littlest clue perhaps it’ll remain a mystery a myth between us, you and me of why they bloom in states of misery even so, i could never be soon there’ll be counts of showers with risks of pain to those eyes but i’ll wait for you till’ the end to see you bloom once again, the eternal sunflower.”

“Sun” By Mio Castagna: “You weren't the first piece of sun that came into my life, but you were the brightest you made all of the others whither away while you flourished i've never been so thankful for the stars”

And that concludes our beautiful poems by these amazing writers. I want to give a thank you to everyone who submitted a poem. You all did amazing work! And always remember, poetry is for anyone. It’s not about how good you are, it's about expressing your true feelings. If you ever feel that you need an outlet, try poetry. Thank you for reading!