The lights on your face. The stage you stand on. The silence that fills the room. These are the three biggest fears that I have to overcome to be able to do what I enjoy the most each and every school year.
Poetry Slam is an annual event every year at Barnstable High School where you write your own poem and perform it. I have been participating in Poetry Slam since my sophomore year. I am now a senior and this is the last year I will be able to do it.
It all starts off with the class competition. You write a poem and present it in front of your English class. Your teacher picks one or two students to move onto the school-wide competition. The classroom part of the competition is easy because you are only speaking in front of 20 to 25 kids. The real test is getting up in front of probably half of the school to recite your poem.
When you look at the list and see that you are the next poet up, the nerves kick in. It becomes hot, your hands get sweaty. You start thinking, should I do it? There’s still time to back out. I don’t know if I can do this. You don’t back out, you can do this and you will. You walk on stage and it all begins. The lights hit your face. You can’t see anything past the first row besides the bright red “EXIT” sign that lights up the back of the room. Should I run for the exit? What am I thinking? I can’t do that. You push all thoughts out of your head as you hear people here and there yell your name. The room goes silent and it’s your time to speak. Once the first line comes out it’s easy from there. Your poem comes out like you do this every day. Your body becomes looser and you start to relax.
Line after line, rhyme after rhyme you speak what’s on your mind and let people know how you feel. You’re in control and everyone is listening to you. Ears open and all eyes on you.
LOOK UP
By: Harley Pina
Did you know the average internet user spends 100 less hours with friends and family then some who doesn’t use the internet?
With all these iPhones, iPads, and iPods
So many “I’s” and selfies
Not enough “us’s” and “we’s”
We Measure ourselves by the number of Instagram followers we have
Or how many likes you just got on an artsy picture
Or how many friends you have on facebook
A lot of us might have a big friends list
But a lot of us might also be friendless
It’s ironic how these touch screens
Can make us lose touch
Stop looking at society through a phone screen
Put the phone down and look up
Look up and tell me what you see
You see people at concerts
People that would rather watch the concert through a phone
Than to watch it in person because they need to get the perfect “snapchat story”
You see people walking down the street with their headphones in
Looking down at their phones
Not payin attention
About to walk in the street
Hey! Watch out!…
I tried, I tried to warn them
But they were too busy, too busy
Either watching videos of Dr. J
Or listening to some Drizzy Drake
It’s funny how they say the internet is supposed to connect us
But if anything the connection is getting worse
It’s sad that you are judged by what you post on instagram
Who says if I want to post an old picture of myself I have to wait till Thursday
Or that I have to be serious on Saturdays
Or take selfies on Sundays
You shouldn’t be judged for what you post
You should be looked at for who you are
So now listen if you haven’t zoned me out yet
Congratulations
If you’re not looking at your phone
Even better
All I was trying to say is
Stop living your life behind a phone screen
Look up at the friends and family around you
And start spending time with them
Because you never know
When it could all end
Harley Pina, a senior at Barnstable High School, is an intern at Cape Cod Broadcasting Media.
