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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 25, 2015)
Polk County Living Polk County Itemizer-Observer • February 25, 2015 7A Poetry Slam JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer Dallas High School student Ami Pope reads her first poem Thursday at Ink Blot’s poetry slam. Ink Blot, the school’s literary magazine, hosts an event each month. Dallas High’s literary magazine hosts events for creative expression did an excellent job.” Moore, a recent DHS The Itemizer-Observer graduate and sophomore at Chemeketa Community ALLAS — Jeff College, wrote the piece, Baer, a Dallas about her father, just days High School Eng- before the poetry slam. lish teacher, had two words Thursday was the first time of wisdom for former DHS she read and received con- student Emily Moore after structive criticism before she read one of her poems. an audience. “Publish it.” “I just The recently poem got into was enti- “Open your eyes. poetry,” tled “Two Hear me speak. said first-class Open your eyes. Moore, a tickets to former Australia, Listen to me please. Ink Blot please,” There’s three words. editor. and That are great. “Getting Moore That are common. their read the That are ambiguous. feedback piece at will help Thurs- What three words? me grow. day’s Ink A grand puzzle?” I’m look- Blot po- — From a poem by Justen Noll ing at etry slam becom- contest ing an at Dallas English teacher and get- High. Ink Blot is the ting that will help me grow school’s popular literary as a writer, therefore lead- magazine, which holds ei- ing to me being more ef- ther an open mic night or fective as a teacher in the poetry slam in DHS’s “little future.” theater” every month. Thurs- “But day’s you are event not “Even art, displayed was sorry,” on an unholy pedestal, short on Moore is a masterpiece.” atten- read, a dance sudden — From “White Walls” by Ashley Dupée and par- forceful- ness in ticipa- her tion — voice. “And if you were, you which is not typical — but would have called. You heavy on artistic talent. would have told me Merry Many of the poems, like Christmas or happy birth- Moore’s, were intensely day, but you didn’t and you personal — all the more won’t. But that’s OK be- powerful because of the cause I’ve emo- replaced tions you like they Oh, how I wish I could you did hinted fly like those planes. me.” at. Or at least join their Baer “Here’s passengers on a journey to and the your whispered promises. Charlotte strength And, oh, I still remem- Fisher, of that ber them all. Ink Blot poem, interim you have And I remember all your adviser a lot of weightless guarantees and and also really your calloused feet. a Dallas personal Pitterpatter they go High things in across the barren lands English there of Australia. teacher, that we And I tell myself you’re served as can’t sorry. judges know ex- That I will never sit on for the actly competi- what you your shoulders as you tion, of- mean, guide me to lasso the fering the but the comets in the sky. young beauty of — From “Two first-class tickets poets cri- poetry is to Australia, please” tiques. that it’s by Emily Moore They ambigu- playfully ous,” fought over who should Baer said to Moore. “We speak first after Moore’s have to kind of guess at reading. Fisher won. what those things are and we start to place our own “It was so powerful,” she understanding of what it said. “It was very well done means into it. That’s what … all the way through. You By Jolene Guzman D LUCKIAMUTE DOMESTIC WATER COOPERATIVE Sudoku Solution JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer Philip North listens to a critique of his poem and performance. Critiques are a key part of the poetry contests. JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer Judges, and teachers, Charlotte Fisher, left, and Jeff Baer, were impressed with the quality of the poetry read Thursday, but still offered tips for young writers. really good poetry does.” As Thursday’s showing demonstrated, there’s no shortage of good poets roaming the halls of Dallas High School. Fisher said poetry slams are experiencing a resur- gence in popularity, largely due to people posting videos on social media. “It’s like we are beatniks again,” said Shealyn Ihne, Ink Blot’s club president. “It’s trendy.” 24 hour Service The event suffered from a lack of advertisement and only drew six competitors, but usually there are around 20 poets and 50 people in the audience, Fisher said. Ihne won the last poetry slam and said reading her poems in front of a crowd has helped her grow as a poet and person. “It’s fantastic,” she said. “It’s definitely good for self- confidence and it’s nice to Pick up & Drop Off JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer Shealyn Ihne and Ashley Dupée take in judges’ com- ments after Dupée’s emotional reading of her poem “White Walls” Thursday night at Dallas High School. get feedback.” Fisher said, in her opin- ion, the criticism offered by poerty slam contest judges is a necessary part of the event. “These are people who are serious about fine-tun- ing their craft and I think it would be a disservice not Furniture Upholstery All types: for homes, offices, equip- ment. Also, repairs, RV cushions, slipcovers, High Quality since 1966 Stephen BOARD MEETING Winters Sewing Monday 7:00 p.m. March 9th 503-838-2075 Location: Business Office 8585 Suver Rd. • Monmouth to give them that,” she said. Ihne hopes the poetry slams — originally suggest- ed by last year’s adviser, Erich Berg, in the spring — will become a regular event. “This year, we really like this, so we are trying to keep doing it,” Ihne said. 503-838-4999 or 503-375-9266 Emmy Joseph 440 E. St • Independence, OR 97351 www.winterssewing.com Serving Polk County 16yrs