CCHS has always provided a wide variety of writing-based courses and extracurriculars, giving students the opportunity to pursue literary creativity. However, up until two weeks ago, a poetry club had always been missing from the array of options.
Less than a month ago, senior Joania Hernandez introduced the Poetry Club. Though taking a focus on poetry, the club stands as a safe space for students who wish to present their voice through any type of writing, including prose, short stories, screenplays and rap.
“[We started the club] because we were one of the few schools that didn’t have it,” Hernandez said. “I really appreciate poetry and how it can bring people together and how it allows an avenue to write about things that you would never really write about otherwise.”
Currently, Hernandez runs the club with her Vice-President Saharah Reid, Treasurer Lucca Suris-Diaz, Secretary Aaron Fantacone and Historian Jordan Velazquez. History teacher Kevin Fair is the club’s sponsor and their meetings are held in his classroom.
“Poetry Club is a place where you can let out everything you need to emotionally or mentally,” Secretary Aaron Fanatcone said. “It’s like a way to let loose your creative [abilities].”
Thus far, Poetry Club has had a total of two meetings convening on every other Friday of the month. The first meeting served as an introduction to the new club, while their second meeting was primarily focused on an upcoming competition that the club will be participating in.
“We are competing in Louder Than a Bomb in March,” Hernandez said. “We compiled a team very last minute, but I’m excited to see how we square up against the other schools.”
“Louder Than a Bomb” is an event hosted by the Jason Taylor Foundation at Nova Southeastern University. Taylor, a former NFL player, first founded the organization in July 2004 and the organization has since donated $6,000,000 to various “programs and services to benefit youth.” Louder Than a Bomb is a “friendly competition” between the poetry teams of different schools. The event’s purpose is to bring students from diverse backgrounds and perspectives together through the common interest of poetry.
Though the competition is in March, the club has already begun preparing by reading and producing works of their own. As is seen through the lens of the pieces presented at the meeting, the club has given its members a chance to express their innermost thoughts and emotions.
“Poetry Club is a place where you can let out everything you need to emotionally or mentally,” Secretary Aaron Fanatcone said. “It’s like a way to let loose your creative [abilities].”
The following is a poem that was read by senior Chandler Braistad at the club’s last meeting:
REACH
Reach
Reach like the decaying hand, pushing through the splintered casket, through the soil still loose from the iron that split it just 13 hours before.
Reach Reach for the boards floating at the top of the liquid ice that pierces your body like an infinite amount of knives.
Reach
Reach for the pen that spreads the ink on the tree long gone.
Reach for the paper with the ink that will change your life.
Reach
Reach because no one will reach for you.
Reach for your goals.
Reach for your dreams.
Reach for the sterling, first-rate feeling that tomorrow is worth living for.
Reach because you are not dead.
Reach because you are not drowning.
You are now
You are here Because not all is lost, not all is gone.
Reach because my poem is just a bunch of metaphors, but your life is real.
He is real.
She is real.
Every person you’ve seen, heard, touched, punched, kissed is real.
You are real.
Photo by Ryan Sullivan
