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"The only bad thing about the program was
that it had to end."
-- Willie Perdomo, Poet-in-Residence.
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photo credit:
Maryann Jacob
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Poet Wille
Perdomo spent the weeks of May 19 & 26 working
with all four high schools housed under the roof of
Monroe Campus Schools. His book, Where a Nickel Costs
a Dime, was well-received by students at Monroe
Campus, who eagerly anticipated the author of poems
such as "Unemployed Mami." Willie's prose
style and depiction of urban life deeply resonated with
students at Monroe Campus.
The two-week residency allowed Willie to meet with
several classes two or more times. Initial meetings
were introductory; he recited poems, often taking requests
from students, and answering questions about his life
as a writer. Students were amazed to hear about Willie's
bout with substance abuse, and the fact that he had
not finished college. He further engaged them by relating
stories of racism he had encountered in prep school,
and how these incidents fueled his creativity and desire
to express his feelings. He told students, "poetry
saved my life."
Second and subsequent meetings with students entailed
workshops, and opportunities for revision. Because Monroe
Campus is filled with avid writers, they were eager
to share their
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credit: Maryann Jacob |
own work with Willie, as
well as the poems and stories they cultivated under his
guidance. The difficulties of urban life and poverty,
especially in terms of childhood and family, were a constant
theme among many of the young writers.
The fourth annual Monroe Campus Poetry Slam
showcased the abundance of talent within the walls of
the school. Willie initiated the Slam by reading a few
poems of his own, then opened the floor to the budding
writers in the room; almost 40 students signed up to
share their work with fellow classmates! Each reader
was greeted with a round of applause and finished with
a round as well. The environment was emotional, supportive,
and enlightening for all those present.
Not surprisingly, Willie's meetings with Monroe's elementary
school students were equally successful. Grades K-2
read Visiting Langston, which was written by Willie,
and illustrated by Bryan Collier. Willie read to the
little ones page by page, as they made their own observations
about the text and pictures! While the kindergarteners
developed a group poem where each line began with the
letters in Willie's first name, first and second graders
worked on individual poems beginning with, "I Love."
The subjects of these poems varied from love of parents,
to sports, friends, school and reading.
The traditional Monroe Campus Reading & Signing
luncheon brought students from all four schools to the
library to spend time with Willie in an informal session,
where they asked questions one-on-one, had their books
signed, and posed for photos. Students from the School
of World Cultures generously prepared an ethnically-diverse
lunch in Willie's honor.
My residence at Monroe Campus school was one of
the most rewarding and challenging two weeks I've ever
spent teaching poetry to teenagers. It was especially
trying in that some of the students who attended my
workshops--high school students--had middle school reading
levels. But poetry has repeatedly proven that it has
no reading levels if it's coming from an honest and
necessary space. The students took quickly to the use
of metaphor, image, and symbol as it related to their
experience, which in the case of Monroe, was global.
If we had to find to a negative about the program it
would be that it had to end as soon as it did. There
were many disappointed faces when they heard that their
second of two workshops was the final workshop. The
Family Literacy program is as necessary to teenage readers
as water is to plant.
Sincerely,
Willie Perdomo
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