“A poem must rhyme, it must be x, y or z stanzas long; only the classics know how to do it right.” All the prejudices and ‘requirements’ of poetry turn aspiring poets and writers away from the craft every day. I fell victim to the idea for a while, too, honestly. But then I realized, poetry is an act of deeply human expression, emotions actualized on paper, so who is anyone else to say how you should express yourself?
In September of 2023, when I was still a starry-eyed freshman, I began writing my first poems. Throughout the rest of my high school career, I turned to poetry as an escape, a way to express all the feelings that are hard to name. It started just for me, something sacred that I only shared with my closest confidants. But one day, I decided to show my mom (shoutout to my mom), and she gave me the confidence to begin sharing my poems with others.
As time progresses, I realize more and more the importance of poetry in a society that strays further and further from its humanity. With Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the rise and an increasingly tense political climate, poetry is a craft everyone can turn to for solace and common ground. Enough of the embarrassment and prejudice that surrounds freedom of expression; everyone has a right to feel heard and supported through their work.
The point of this column is to highlight NC poets and absolutely slam dunk on the aforementioned prejudices against them. Poetry Corner is a place for every NC student to publish poems they are proud of and know that they don’t have to feel embarrassed because some old dead guy made them feel inferior. So, take a seat and prepare to have your heartstrings tugged, mind boggled and soul moved by some of our very own NC poets.