Celebrating National Poetry Month

To celebrate National Poetry Month, the MHS English Department invited students, faculty, and staff to share beloved poems at Community Meeting, our twice-weekly get-togethers as an entire school.

Readings ran the gamut, from favorite published pieces to original compositions. English Teacher and Poet Emily Pulfer-Terino ’97 kicked off the monthlong celebration with “I’m ceded—I’ve stopped being Theirs” (508), by Emily Dickinson. Head of School Julia Heaton closed out the month with two poems, “Bliss” and “Idea,” byNew York Times bestelling poet Kate Baer.

In between, there were some noted favorites and several wonderful poems written by students. Here’s our reading list. Enjoy!

• “ESOL3 Amalgam Poem, 3/31/23,” a collaboration by students in ESOL III (English for Speakers of Other Languages), read by ESOL Teacher and Greenhouse Manager Marian Rutledge

• “Look at her sit, a woman who has lived,” written and read by Jena Alam ’23

• “The wall we build,” written and read by Assia Rassulkyzy ’25

• “The Truceless War,” written and read Casey Lai ’25

• “Letters Back,” written and read by Naomi Hopkins ’24

• “Missing You,” and “Before I Grieve You,” written and read by Science Department Chair Donna Daigle

• “Harlem,” by Langston Hughes, and “Caged Bird,” by Maya Angelou, read by Director of Horizons Emerald Power

• “My Anxiety, My Shadow,” read by Bee Gilb ’26, written by her sister

• “Blueprint,” written and read by Assistant Director of Horizons Kasey Leslie

• “Springtime,” written and read by Willa Dowling-Paul ’25

• Untitled, by Assia Rassulkyzy ’25, read by Aurora Song ’26

• “View from the Temple Roof,” written and read by Aurora

On the heels of National Poetry Month, students in ESOL II (English for Speakers of Other Languages) have been busy poets themselves. Responding to Patricia Smith’s poem, “The Sun, Mad, Envious, Just Wants the Moon,” they crafted their own poems and Instagram posts to share with the community!

• “The Sun” — by Ploy Jongjaroonrungson ’26

• “Darkness and Shadows” — by Kitty Xirui Chen ’25

• “I Don't Pursue” — by Vicky Li ’25

• “Monitoring” — by Gianna Han ’25

• “Your Prime Lights” — by Amy Xiong ’25

• “I Pursue the Night’s Allure” — by Vivian Yang ’25

• “During” — by Yuki Du ’24