WS Chronicle

By Judie Holcomb-Pack

The auditorium at the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools education building was near capacity on Thursday, April 7, for the performance portion of the High School Poet Laureate competition. Poems by 26 students representing area high schools were judged earlier and then students were judged as they performed their poems for an appreciative audience of family, friends and educators. The top three poets received monetary prizes.

Third place was Breanna Baker representing Glenn High School, for her poem, “Ode to Me.”

Second place was Maryanna Cooper representing Forsyth Middle College, for her poem, “She’s So Funny.”

First place was Charlotte Waye representing East Forsyth High School, for her poem, “Author’s Purpose.”

A chapbook of all the entries was presented to each student. Each student’s poem was partnered with art from area high school students. The chapbook is available for purchase for $5 at the WSFCS education building.

Author’s  Purpose

i know why the writer writes –

fingers flying, fluttering over keys

forming foundations

stringing symphonies

that could never come out of my mouth.

the truth is that my words when spoken

are stilted, tilted, quilted

patchworks of patterns i pick up

up, up and away

and the meaning i swear was there won’t stay

praying that maybe one day

someone will hear me.

i know why the writer writes –

fighting for the words in my head

to live in the air instead,

for them to mean something,

but they tumble out and crumble in the space

between my mouth

and your ears,

but on the page,

the screen, my stage,

my practiced prose performs perfectly,

prancing and playing, drooping and dying,

driving itself forward as i directed it to,

and through your eyes i am heard.

I know why the writer writes,

for my entire life,

i have struggled, stumbling, stuttering,

to say specifically what i mean,

the day i learned to write,

i practiced, enraptured, until i perfected the art

of matching my body with the speed of my brain,

typing and tapping in time with my mind,

and i was finally free.

my brain, the world, my keyboard, and me.

my mouth never managed to capture my likeness quite right.

i know why the writer writes.