Students gathered in the aula to celebrate the power of words, expression, and creativity through engaging and dynamic performances and readings.
This event featured various student-led performances, where people took the stage to not only present poems from their cultural backgrounds, but also some spectacular musical performances to express the power of lyricism.
As the crowd entered, students and teachers were welcomed with a wonderful piano duet from Abraham and Ms Flint, immediately setting the stage for the rest. Once the crowd had silenced, Ms Söderström began by introducing World Poetry Day and its significance regarding themes of identity, culture, and personal experience.
Soon after, came Adele and Irma on stage to recite a Swedish poem written by the famous Mary Oliver, called “Vild Gässen” meaning “Wild Goose” in English.
Then came the next musical performances of the day, with “Skyfall”, beautifully performed by Aahna, Ms. Flint, Josephin, Haruka and Jeemin and “I Thought I saw Your Face Today” from Lulu, Juel, Elle R., Kiana.
These were followed by a poetry reading from aspiring poets such as Gerda, who expressed her environmental passion through a French poem, about sustainability, along with Heitor whose poem in Portuguese about unrequited love resonated with the whole crowd.
And to end the assembly off, a Japanese song, Jane Doe, was performed by Riko and Aika.
However, the day was still young, and this was merely the first half of the event. Later, students and teachers gathered at The House of the People where many of SIS’s very own student poems are on display. Ms. Söderström held a celebratory toast and celebration for the events that took place today, with the highlight being the blueberry mocktails.
On the whole, both students and teachers reacted positively to the event and praised its combination of both music and poetry. All of the students we interviewed were pleased with the performances and expressed their admiration for the performers’ talent. One student rated the event as nine out of ten, citing poetry’s ability to give people a voice in the world of arts. Additionally, the student added that the musical pieces were excellently done, making the event more entertaining.
A second student echoed the first in their praise for the musical performances, giving them an eight and a half out of ten. They added that the poetry was also good, pointing to its ability to allow artists to express emotions on a deeper level. Both students noted that there were some minor difficulties with the microphones, however these were secondary issues when taking the entire event into consideration.
Ms. Anzen, the French Teacher, who recited two poems at the event noted that hearing poems in multiple languages and getting different perspectives on our environmental issues was very engaging. When asked about her thoughts on poetry’s importance in the world of arts, she cited its ability to let students express their ideas and opinions in a unique and creative way. In addition to the poems, she had a great appreciation for the musical aspects of the event. Ms. Anzen’s favorite musical performance was the Japanese song- “Jane Doe”- by Aika and Riko, giving it a nine out of ten due to its smooth flow.
Overall, the World Poetry Day was a resounding success. Both students and teachers were able to enjoy the various poems and musical performances. Based on the interviews we conducted, the combination of music and poetry led to a dynamic experience for all attendees.
