While MSMS Creative Writing students always do a poetry unit, this semester one senior suggested they do slam poetry. That senior is Laurel Lancaster; she said, “I suggested that we do slam poetry because we do a poetry unit every year but I felt like we were limiting ourselves and slam poetry was a good way to expand it.” On Feb. 2 and 4 during the normal Tuesday and Thursday periods of the two sections of Creative Writing, taught by senior English instructor Emma Richardson, several MSMS students practiced their oratory skills with slam poetry

This excitement towards slam poetry was shared by some of Lancaster’s classmates. Slam poetry is the recitation of self-composed or chosen poems; all students in the Creative Writing courses were required to present a self-written poem.

“I was really excited when I heard Laurel (Lancaster) was planning on teaching us about slam poetry,” said junior Landry Filce. She added, “I watch slam poetry on YouTube all the time.”

Some were more hesitant, such as senior Greg Parker who said he was initially unexcited before adding “But once we did it, it was great.”

The poetry topics were varied. Lancaster’s was about self acceptance. Filce wrote her presented poem about mental illnesses. Junior Reagan Poston said “My poem was about daddy issues and everyone cried.”

After the in class slam session was finished, Lancaster said,  “I think it went fantastic. It was really great to see people be more personal.” While she remains uncertain of whether or not Richardson will continue to teach this section next year, Lancaster remains hopeful. “I certainly hope she (Richardson) will continue it,” she said before adding, “Writing is an ever expanding art form, there’s no telling what new styles might be used next year.”

A member of the Creative Writing class, Joy Carino, also contributed a retrospective piece on her “first slam poetry event.”  The story also features several samples of other student’s self-composed slam poems.