Mid: Poetry Night Success

[Deborah Svenson <svenson@FLASH.NET>]

I just finished a poetry contest at my middle school. To make it more
fun, I set up a coffee house on Friday night in the library to announce
the winners and for students to come and read their favorite poems.

The art students made big "modern" art paintings complete with price
tags. I told the kids we would dress up as beatniks. I had bongo drums
and two teachers who volunteered to play their guitars. I put checkered
table cloths on all the tables with little voltive candles in the
center. Students volunteered to be waiters  to serve coffee, juice,
cookies, and pretzels off the library cart. I was not sure if anyone
would come or it the kids would think this was real dumb, but our
"Literary Latte" coffee house was a great success. Students, who I never
thought would attend-- let alone READ a poem, lined up to get a chance
at the microphone. Parents and teachers came. I was amazed.

Students read their original poems or had their friends read them. Boys,
yes boys, raced up to read favorite poems. Kids were even writing poems
on the spot to get their chance to read. So many great poems and
talented kids. I finally had to shut down the cafe as it was getting
late. We could have gone on for another hour. My favorite performer of
the evening was the boy who had memorized  T.S. Eliot's cat poems and
performed them at top speed--the audience cheered!

I was thrilled that poetry night was so much fun. I think I will do it
again for Teen Read week in Oct. It should be cold by then and hot cocoa
would be great. I don't think it would work to do it every month, but I
would like to do more to provide students with a safe place to perform
and read out loud. It would be a good alternative to TV, movies, video,
and just hanging out at the Mall on a Friday night.

I would like to know if other libraries are open on Friday nights for
occasional programs--what has worked for your schools?

Deborah Svenson, Librarian
Forestwood Middle School
Flower Mound, Texas 75028
http://www.lisd.net/special/alaska   (my web page project)

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