Poetry Corner

The 2018 Poetry Contest in English, French, German, and Spanish is underway for RBHS students inclined to this written art or willing to try,  The theme this year, “Lost and Found” is a challenge that should result in some fascinating verse.  The RBHS Library has a large collection of poetical works that students can use for guidance, as well as enjoyment. For those doing Spanish, I recommend the bilingual “100 Love Sonnets” by the Chilean poet and Nobel Prize winner Pablo Neruda.  I have lived with these  beautiful sonnets for ten years and have memorized some of them, my favorite being “Southern Cross”. For German I like Goethe, as well as Heine, author of the beautiful song “The Lorelai” For French I know only songs like “La Vie en Rose”  Maybe someone can suggest some French poets!poets?  As for English language versifiers, at the 20l7 Poetry Readings, we took a poll of the favorite poet of each attendee.  Robert Frost was the overwhelming winner; Edgar Allen Poe was second. For Modern poets, there was one vote for Maya Angelou and one for Billy Collins.  Whatever you need in the Library, librarian Jeannie Snowdon and her assistants, Frances French and Theresa Bonafede are eager to help you.

The new, original poems by students are due March 9^th; voting will take about a month; and at 4 p.m.  Tuesday, April 17^th, all student poets will be able to read their works.  Prizes will be awarded to the first three placings in each language. The public is invited with no charge.  English teacher Jeanine Ugalde is the faculty coordinator.  RBHS Friends of the Library is conducting the contest and has recruited 14 volunteer judges outside of the school to assess the poems.  RB attorney, Keith Greer, a former president of the RBHS Foundation, is the financial sponsor .As in past years, the poems will be assembled and published as a book, which, for the past two years has been copyrighted. Thus a copy will reside in the Library of Congress. Writing a poem takes a while.  If you haven’t started, do so now!   In the next issue, we will discuss current American and British Poets.