AJ Jackson

Poetry club president Judah Moye talks with poetry club member during one of their after school meetings.

With various clubs and activities held at the school, a poetry club has officially been added to the roster. The club meets in adviser Lois Hardaway’s room (F211) every third Tuesday of the month after school from 3:45 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Poetry club began last September and is open to anyone wishing to join. According to Hardaway, poetry isn’t the only style of writing offered within the club.

“The club is really focused around writing, not necessarily poetry specifically,” Hardaway said. “It’s all kinds of creative writing, short stories, spoken word and anything like that that’s produced by the students.” 

Poetry can be a bit tricky to pick up on. As someone who grew to know the art of poetry, Hardaway understands the beauty in it.

“As I got older, the more I read [poetry], the more I understood it,” Hardaway said. “A poem is like a puzzle. As you pick apart the pieces, you can put them back together and it makes sense. The magic of poetry is what makes one person’s interpretation of a poem different from another, and both can be right.” 

Along with Hardaway, senior Judah Moye started the club. His passion for poetry and writing sparked the idea of a club for all students to share their creativity together.

“I was very passionate about [poetry],” Moye said. “Honestly, kids use this opportunity to express themselves in a sense. We can really help these kids get opportunities to enhance their voices.”

Moye describes poetry as an “outlet” for him. Poetry gives writers a form of expression that can shape simple words into an emotional masterpiece.

“It was an outlet for me, to help me express myself,” Moye said. “Poetry easily became my passion, and it’s like a form of storytelling so I can tell my story and my experiences.”

With Moye and Hardaway running the club, senior Olivia Small joined this year. She joined this year as she enjoys the creative outlet the club provides her.

“Poetry is basically like a song with its lyrics,” Small said. “I love [music] and it’s pretty much just poetry, but sung. We all have talent and I think we can end up doing something with it like in the future. I’d love to have the opportunity to be a famous poet when I grow up.”