At Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, students are expressing their feelings through the art of poetry, specifically by being a part of the Spoken Word club. On Friday, Dec. 10, an open mic night was hosted by the club to raise funds for an upcoming competition. The floor was open to not only those in the club, but for anyone who wanted to share emotion through words.

The event was hosted in the MSD media center and provided snacks, drinks and nice seating for those performing and in the audience. Performers shared their feelings by reading one or two of their pieces.

“How I feel sharing my poetry all depends on my audience. If it’s with people I’m close with, it gives me a sense of community and safety,” president Marshall Acquaroli said. “It lets me feel heard and understood, but if the audience is people who don’t like poetry it’s a lot harder, and I avoid sharing more personal pieces.”

The spoken word club gave members a chance to perform an audition piece for their poetry competitions coming up. They were recorded and given multiple chances to perform, allowing them to choose their favorite piece.

Students not in the club also had an opportunity to share their work. Although they didn’t get the chance to audition, they were still able to share their poems to the audience and fellow performers.

“I joined the spoken word club as writing has always been a great outlet for my emotions. Poetry specifically allows me to express and materialize my thoughts and feelings,” sophomore Gabrielle Hoffman said. “Sharing my poetry makes me feel quite vulnerable as the things I write are very personal. I have learned that by sharing my poetry I find that other people can often relate to my pieces.”

Students have been taking part in this club for a few years now, and have been trying to grow in the MSD students’ eyes for a while now.

“Our event was barely publicized this year,” Acquaroli said. “The morning announcements forgot to put us on the days we requested them to.”

Growing as a club, Acquaroli hopes for a large future in poetry not just for herself, but for other the members in the club

Raising over $50, the event was a huge success in not just collecting money but also giving students a chance to express themselves through poetry.