Transcript for Poetry Open Mic with Lila Gray

[01:00:13;22]
Lila: Hi. I'm Miss Gray. Welcome to our fourth and fifth grade Poetry Open Mic.

"So, I agree with both of you."

There is totally a culture of loving poetry in our classroom.

"But do you think he loves this water, or do you think he's grossed out by this muddy water?"

All: "Gross...grossed out." "Loves it."

Lila: "What do you think? Have a quick conversation at your table. Does he love the water?"

I think that stems partly from the fact that I love poetry.

"Homemade swimming hole. I clamber up the ladder. It's cold."

I think it's a doorway to multiple perspectives. I think it's a doorway to understanding other people's experiences.

"Pick up my feet, and time stops."

We do a big poetry unit at our school, and today we had our weekly open mic. You know, I wanted to make it like a little, theatre vibe, so there's a little setup in my classroom where there's a stage and a microphone, and these curtains that come out, and there's just one spotlight on our performer.

So the goofiest part for me is that I'm, sort of, the emcee.

"Ladies and gentlemen of Room 16, welcome to Open Mic."

All: (Applause) "Whoo!!"

Lila: "I'm so glad to have you all here today."

I usually throw in some sort of joke.

"Remember, no cell phones, no texting during the performance."

It's a time to laugh and loosen up in the classroom. Ham it up so that they ham it up.

"Please welcome Nikia to the mic."

All: (Applause) "Whoo!!"

Nikia: "How are you folks doing today?"

All: "Good."

Nikia: "I'm gonna read a familiar poem."

Lila: Students have developed a collection of poems. They pick poems that inspire them, and then perform them at open mic. I mean, basically, they're on a constant search for poetry.

Nikia: "As nighttime wrestles at my knees, I stand in silent gravity. And quietly continue chores of feeding leaves and sealing pores."

Lila: They also write their own, original pieces, and perform those as well.

Student: "Rain. Drops of water, drops of H2O. Drops of happiness or despair, depending on who you are. Rain, dripping from trees and bushes. Rain, plopping on houses and cars. Put on your coat. Why? Because of the rain. Rain, a gift that makes farmers cheer, a horror to all birds and cats, the beginning of all puddles. Rain. "

All: (Applause) "Whoo!!"

Lila: "I always love it when you guys write original works. That was very..."

It's important for them to learn that, you know, expressing yourself can be really fulfilling.

Students: "Grandma rockin'. Clock tick tockin'. Sister hummin'. Grandpa strummin'. Raindrops rappin'. Toes a-tappin'. Roof leak droppin'. Fire poppin'. Uncle fiddlin'. Brother whitlin'. Crickets chirpin'. Bullfrogs burpin'. We've just always been the sort who like the"

Student: "Tranquil"

Student: "Soothing"

Student: "Peaceful"

Student: "Placid"

Students: "Quiet evenings here."

All: (Applause) "Whoo!!"

Lila: They get to express themselves. They get to see that people will listen, and be kind.

Student: "Well, when I find the page, I want to tell you about the poem. It's really about, um, people living their rife, um, their life right, without messing your life up by trying to be somebody that they're not. And, it's called 'We're real cool.' OK. 'The pool players. Seven at gold shovel. We real cool. We left school. We lurk late. We strike straight. We sing sin. We thin gin. We jazz June. We die soon.' That's it.

All: "Oh. Whoo!" (Applause)

Lila: This is the perfect venue for building confidence, and it's the perfect time for those people who finally find their voice to step up.

Student: "Sitting on the front steps watching the world go by. I'm sitting on my front steps watching the world go by. When I see all the trouble I know life ain't no piece of pie. Looking from my front steps, I can see the world go by. I can see the world go by. I'm looking from my front steps seeing how the world goes by. When I see so much joy, I know I get to try."

All: (Applause) "Whoo!!"

Lila: Students start to see "Oh wow, I can show people who I am. I can show people what I want the world to be. That's when I get really excited.

"Give it up! Give it up for Zim!"

You don't have to have a mic to do this. You don't have to have curtains hanging from the ceiling. It's fun. It makes it fun for everyone. It even makes it fun for me.

"Can we give it up for our performers one more time, please?"

All: (Applause) "Whoo!!"

Lila: But, I think the more you turn it into a special thing, the more the kids take it seriously, and the more love for it the kids develop.

All: (Applause) "Whoo!!"

Lila: It is something that can hit standards. It's something that can build community. It's something that can develop really important life skills, and you can fit it into a small part of your day.