Where are all the young poets?!
In my duties as poetry moderator for Invisible Poets and Wheelsong Poets Groups, I have not seen many young poets posting poetry, and this disturbs me. I see them as members, but many remain too shy to either comment or post their youthful songs.
This troubles me, because someone has to carry the torch. However, it also invigorates me at the same time, because I believe they are READING the poems in the groups. Silently taking it all in.
As a former teacher, I always found that the quietest students often turned out to be the brightest. Why? Because they were LISTENING.
Poetry knows no age, no race, no class, no restrictions! Young children continue to be fascinated by Doctor Seuss, read the works of the classics in English classes, and even beyond in college.
Social media continues to work its magic as well. These youthful souls are taking in the very poems everyday poets write in poetry groups. And that encourages me…
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In Worcester Massachusetts, 19 year old Adael Mejia is working his performance poetry magic in a hotel lobby wearing a crazy coat of recycled colors past his knees in a ski mask… now there’s some performance poetry for you!!
“If it wasn’t for social media – if it wasn’t for being able to post myself and people being able to find out about me through their phone – I would be performing to my mom still,” Mr. Mejia says.
Now this is one young man after my own heart. He is leading the charge for us all. Ever heard of him? Neither have I! Until now… although there are others much more fortunate to HAVE been heard…
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Twenty four year old Amanda Gorman read her poem “The Hill We Climb” at the Untied States presidential inauguration for Joe Biden. Not bad for a young poetess!
In addition to that, she was also the first U.S. National Youth Poet Laureate, not to mention she read one of her poems at the NFL Super Bowl in 2021. She rocked it too! So talented… She appeared in Time magazine, … interviewed by First Lady Michelle Obama. Her poems concern struggles with identity and historic culture in our modern society, and cultivate a positive unity that needs to be heard by our youth TODAY.
Ms. Gorman’s poem also caused some scandal this past May when it was banned from libraries under middle school age in Florida for alleged indirect hate speech and child indoctrination. How far we have to go…!
Yet, if not for Ms. Gorman’s poem, this would not even be in a discussion about cultural equity. Bravo, Amanda!
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Youthful poet Cindy Juyoung Ok was recently named winner of the 2023 Yale Younger Poets Prize, a prestigious honor that aims to bring greater public attention to America’s most promising new poets. Hers is a voice of quirky observations, amazing wordplay, and generally growing as an individual in a massive opinion-oriented society. Another youthful soul yearning to be heard…
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It is amazing to think what kinds of poems are out there brewing in the minds of our planets youth… perspectives I could never hope to have because I come from a different generation. How many generations had their own distinctive poetic voice can you think of? This one does as well, and then some.
Let me know if there are any young poets out there that you can think of! Trust me… they are out there… We all remain young at heart! Let’s remember that vulnerable yet invincible feeling and encourage a young poet today…
Matt Elmore
References:
https://www.npr.org/2023/05/24/1177877340/amanda-gorman-poem-restricted-miami-school
https://news.yale.edu/2023/02/23/artist-impulse-shake-things-wins-2023-yale-younger-poets-prize
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Thanks for reminding us Matt, that there are many young poets out there. It's a shame that so many are shy and reticent about sharing their work. I think the older generation could learn as much from them as they could from us! Let's hope it changes on out poetry groups.
ReplyDeleteIronically I came across a very talented young lady today that had a unique and honest voice… am encouraging her and hope she sticks with it. Poetry really is a labor of love… it is hard work sometimes… sometimes it just comes naturally and easy. But at the heart of it is always the need to be known, heard, and appreciated. Young or old!
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