The Spoken Word Club at Benilde-St. Margaret’s is a new upcoming club for those interested in improving their poetic writing skills.

The Spoken Word Club is run by Keanan Faruq and Katie Belanger. Even with this club being new this semester, there is already a crowd of people interested. They meet two times a week and depending on the day, they have an average of around eight people attending. “We usually all bring a poem that we write each time then we get to read it out loud. It’s more intimate because there’s less people which makes it easier to read aloud and be more vulnerable with each other and just kind of fun vibes,” junior club member Annabelle Nicholson said.

Poetry is a way to connect with other people who share a passion for poetry and poetry and literature. You can share your work and receive feedback from other members, learn from experienced poets and writers, and find inspiration from the work of others. You can also find a supportive and encouraging community of people who are passionate about writing. Additionally, a poetry club can provide a platform to share your work and build an audience. “Student interest led Belanger and I to be advisors for the club. We heard from several students that they wanted space outside of class to talk about poetry and write poetry, so we figured we’d get things going bi-weekly,” Faruq said.

When the club is in session, students get to freely write poetry as well as the teachers are guiding and giving tips on how to be a better writer. “We have discussions on poetry [and] Belanger and I provide examples of how successful poets do spoken word and then we kind of just talk about ideas and then we all write poems and share them,” Faruq said.

Poetry allows students to express complex emotions in a powerful way. Through poetry, you can explore the depths of our own thoughts and feelings, as well as those of others. Poetry also serves a powerful way of communication and connection, allowing us to share our experiences and perspectives with others. It can be a source of inspiration, motivation and comfort. Additionally, poetry can provide a creative outlet, allowing people to express their creativity in a meaningful way. “As has been the case for hundreds of years, poetry is a wonderful way to experience the world. Poets take their time to observe the world around them, to ponder a moment, a space, an object, or a thought/feeling. The time poets take to observe the world is time well spent. When we slow down, our hearts expand. That’s the heart of poetry: slowing down,” Faruq said.

Unlike other clubs or extracurricular activities, there are no awards that are available or linked to any of the poetry that is written in or outside of the class. The poetry that you write is for you or whatever you want to do with it. “[The Spoken Word Club] is just for fun,” Faruq said.