Saugus High students recite poems

SAUGUS – Saugus High School students were challenged to recite poetry from memory in front of their classmates for “Poetry Out Loud,” but they found the real test was choosing a poem that had real meaning for them.Thirteen students gathered in the auditorium after school on Thursday to compete in the first round of the national contest in hopes to become the “school champion” to move on to the regional competition. Each student picked a poem and memorized it in advance to recite it to the five teachers serving as judges. Teacher Rachel Jylkka-Telser, one of the five, said they would be judged mostly for how they conveyed the meaning of each poem.The students were required to choose their poem from the “Poetry Out Loud” website. Abby Rodriguez, a junior, said it was tough for her to find a poem she liked because most of them seemed to be “too sad or too angry.”?I wanted one that was happy and sweet, like myself,” said Rodriguez, who recited “Early Affection” by George Moses Horton with the same soft voice that she used to describe herself.Rodriguez said it was her first time competing in Poetry Out Loud, but she knew what she was looking for anyway. “I like poems about love. They give you a warm feeling,” she said, wrapping her arms around herself. “You don?t have to pretend anything, you can just say how you really feel …because everybody?s felt love before.”Ana Andrade, a junior, said she “fell in love” with her poem, “Solitude,” by Ella Willa Wilcox. She said when she first browsed for a poem, the one-word title caught her eye immediately and struck her as “strong.” Andrade gave an equally strong performance – her hand gestures and facial expressions ranked her third on the judge?s list of the top four.Even with the same poem, each student brought a different interpretation. Maya Angelou?s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” was a popular choice – three out of the 13 students chose it for their performance, including winner Caroline Orlando, a junior.Jylkka-Tesler said she thought it was nice to hear the poem three different ways to showcase how each student interpreted it differently. While one chose to recite it quickly with lots of energy, another had a softer, more thoughtful approach.Sydney Bruce, the third to recite Angelou?s poem, said she only knew of one other student who chose the poem before the competition, and in taking the stage she was nervous. “Who wouldn?t be?” Bruce said later. “But I?m still glad I picked it. I really like the choice I made.”Second on the list of top four winners was senior Stephanie Gaglini, who recited “Alone” by Edgar Allan Poe. In fourth was junior Kayla McKinnon, reciting “I Felt a Funeral in My Brain” by Emily Dickinson.