the way a poem begins you can never tell if the words are already written or if
if the words are already written or if
if the words are already written or if they form as you speak meaning is
they form as you speak meaning is
they form as you speak meaning is derived from ways reverberating through
derived from ways reverberating through
derived from ways reverberating through the air and gestures form from
the air and gestures form from
the air and gestures form from convenience the way a poem is structured
convenience the way a poem is structured
convenience the way a poem is structured you are supposed to question its form
you are supposed to question its form
you are supposed to question its form each word a new opportunity to learn
each word a new opportunity to learn
each word a new opportunity to learn about the craft of your choosing you
about the craft of your choosing you
about the craft of your choosing you form the canvas and the brushes your
form the canvas and the brushes your
form the canvas and the brushes your hands your sound your voice the way a
hands your sound your voice the way a
hands your sound your voice the way a poem pulses you pulse with the heartbeat
poem pulses you pulse with the heartbeat
poem pulses you pulse with the heartbeat the rythm not quite in time the rhyme
the rythm not quite in time the rhyme
the rythm not quite in time the rhyme not quite right you form the dips and
not quite right you form the dips and
not quite right you form the dips and valleys and the highest peaks of truth
valleys and the highest peaks of truth
valleys and the highest peaks of truth and you realize so to us everyone beside
and you realize so to us everyone beside
and you realize so to us everyone beside you
you
you to write a poem is to form a bond with
to write a poem is to form a bond with
to write a poem is to form a bond with the page and the person in front whose
the page and the person in front whose
the page and the person in front whose eyes become your own and whose memories
eyes become your own and whose memories
eyes become your own and whose memories become your acrylics and clay you add to
become your acrylics and clay you add to
become your acrylics and clay you add to these emotions and wisdom cherish dreams
these emotions and wisdom cherish dreams
these emotions and wisdom cherish dreams and fascinations you read other poems
and fascinations you read other poems
and fascinations you read other poems and start to wonder whether poems are
and start to wonder whether poems are
and start to wonder whether poems are written by people at all these words
written by people at all these words
written by people at all these words closer to themselves than to those of
closer to themselves than to those of
closer to themselves than to those of conversations you realize that a poem is
conversations you realize that a poem is
conversations you realize that a poem is a reaction a lesson a glance from the
a reaction a lesson a glance from the
a reaction a lesson a glance from the perspective of one apart from you to be
perspective of one apart from you to be
perspective of one apart from you to be a poet is to choose to tell and to
a poet is to choose to tell and to
a poet is to choose to tell and to present a choice it is reactionary and
present a choice it is reactionary and
present a choice it is reactionary and raw and to speak as a poet is to act a
raw and to speak as a poet is to act a
raw and to speak as a poet is to act a truth the closer to reality you bring
truth the closer to reality you bring
truth the closer to reality you bring your words the more they become your own
your words the more they become your own
your words the more they become your own you avoid cliches and one-off fits
you avoid cliches and one-off fits
you avoid cliches and one-off fits finding purpose in the original and the
finding purpose in the original and the
finding purpose in the original and the mundane you seek experiences and people
mundane you seek experiences and people
mundane you seek experiences and people and you find your craft and proves the
and you find your craft and proves the
and you find your craft and proves the more you read you believe in the art and
more you read you believe in the art and
more you read you believe in the art and the poem begins to form to write a poem
the poem begins to form to write a poem
the poem begins to form to write a poem is to imagine alternate worlds crafted
is to imagine alternate worlds crafted
is to imagine alternate worlds crafted by words you write each phrase with the
by words you write each phrase with the
by words you write each phrase with the precision of a watchmaker finding flaws
precision of a watchmaker finding flaws
precision of a watchmaker finding flaws in the pairings and triplets carving
in the pairings and triplets carving
in the pairings and triplets carving tragedies into blocks and stanzas making
tragedies into blocks and stanzas making
tragedies into blocks and stanzas making sure to space out your line so they can
sure to space out your line so they can
sure to space out your line so they can stand on their own
stand on their own
stand on their own when you release the poem begins to flow
when you release the poem begins to flow
when you release the poem begins to flow until the lines are no longer dividers
until the lines are no longer dividers
until the lines are no longer dividers but transitions from one person to the
but transitions from one person to the
but transitions from one person to the next and hands become steps from which
next and hands become steps from which
next and hands become steps from which you whisper your sorrows and regrets hi
you whisper your sorrows and regrets hi
you whisper your sorrows and regrets hi my name is Sharon Lin and this year I
my name is Sharon Lin and this year I
my name is Sharon Lin and this year I was a 2017 york city youth poet laureate
was a 2017 york city youth poet laureate
was a 2017 york city youth poet laureate for the past year my role has been to
for the past year my role has been to
for the past year my role has been to educate middle and high school students
educate middle and high school students
educate middle and high school students about creative writing and poetry as
about creative writing and poetry as
about creative writing and poetry as well as to advocate for literacy in our
well as to advocate for literacy in our
well as to advocate for literacy in our education system one problem I
education system one problem I
education system one problem I consistently encountered among emerging
consistently encountered among emerging
consistently encountered among emerging and amateur writers is a lack of
and amateur writers is a lack of
and amateur writers is a lack of confidence in putting out their work as
confidence in putting out their work as
confidence in putting out their work as a young artist myself I found it
a young artist myself I found it
a young artist myself I found it incredibly difficult sometimes to have
incredibly difficult sometimes to have
incredibly difficult sometimes to have other people critique your work but it’s
other people critique your work but it’s
other people critique your work but it’s one of the steps that’s absolutely
one of the steps that’s absolutely
one of the steps that’s absolutely crucial to developing as a creative
crucial to developing as a creative
crucial to developing as a creative individual poetry is an art form that is
individual poetry is an art form that is
individual poetry is an art form that is always changing and always has been in
always changing and always has been in
always changing and always has been in the poetry classes I’ve taken
the poetry classes I’ve taken
the poetry classes I’ve taken we’ve gone from sonnets some Shakespeare
we’ve gone from sonnets some Shakespeare
we’ve gone from sonnets some Shakespeare all the way to postmodern minimalism and
all the way to postmodern minimalism and
all the way to postmodern minimalism and even so whenever I ask my friends about
even so whenever I ask my friends about
even so whenever I ask my friends about poetry most of them just answer isn’t it
poetry most of them just answer isn’t it
poetry most of them just answer isn’t it just Emily Dickinson Edgar Allen Poe or
just Emily Dickinson Edgar Allen Poe or
just Emily Dickinson Edgar Allen Poe or some other Victorian age poet with
some other Victorian age poet with
some other Victorian age poet with eloquent phrases and flowery languages
eloquent phrases and flowery languages
eloquent phrases and flowery languages modern poetry occupies a niche that’s
modern poetry occupies a niche that’s
modern poetry occupies a niche that’s very rarely traversed in modern
very rarely traversed in modern
very rarely traversed in modern literature apart from the dedicated
literature apart from the dedicated
literature apart from the dedicated poetry community there are a few who
poetry community there are a few who
poetry community there are a few who actively engage with modern poetry and
actively engage with modern poetry and
actively engage with modern poetry and yet it contains such a rich compendium
yet it contains such a rich compendium
yet it contains such a rich compendium of opportunities to engage with
of opportunities to engage with
of opportunities to engage with perspectives apart from yours especially
perspectives apart from yours especially
perspectives apart from yours especially those pertaining to issues such as
those pertaining to issues such as
those pertaining to issues such as social justice perhaps the most
social justice perhaps the most
social justice perhaps the most interesting thing about poetry is that
interesting thing about poetry is that
interesting thing about poetry is that it’s one of very few genres of
it’s one of very few genres of
it’s one of very few genres of literature where real meaning and
literature where real meaning and
literature where real meaning and emotional meaning can be gleaned from
emotional meaning can be gleaned from
emotional meaning can be gleaned from the work even for those unfamiliar with
the work even for those unfamiliar with
the work even for those unfamiliar with the medium itself this is especially
the medium itself this is especially
the medium itself this is especially prevalent in performance and spoken word
prevalent in performance and spoken word
prevalent in performance and spoken word poetry where there’s a direct
poetry where there’s a direct
poetry where there’s a direct correlation between the effect of the
correlation between the effect of the
correlation between the effect of the poem and the audience engagement my
poem and the audience engagement my
poem and the audience engagement my personal journey as a youth poet
personal journey as a youth poet
personal journey as a youth poet laureate and a poet probably began in
laureate and a poet probably began in
laureate and a poet probably began in the later years of high school I’d
the later years of high school I’d
the later years of high school I’d always written poem
always written poem
always written poem from as early as I can remember but I
from as early as I can remember but I
from as early as I can remember but I never considered myself really
never considered myself really
never considered myself really well-versed in the media I didn’t even
well-versed in the media I didn’t even
well-versed in the media I didn’t even consider myself a writer for a long part
consider myself a writer for a long part
consider myself a writer for a long part of my life and the mere thought of
of my life and the mere thought of
of my life and the mere thought of performing something I had written on
performing something I had written on
performing something I had written on stage terrified me even so it was around
stage terrified me even so it was around
stage terrified me even so it was around senior year of high school when I signed
senior year of high school when I signed
senior year of high school when I signed up for a spoken-word competition for the
up for a spoken-word competition for the
up for a spoken-word competition for the first time I did it on a whim and I
first time I did it on a whim and I
first time I did it on a whim and I didn’t really know much about the world
didn’t really know much about the world
didn’t really know much about the world of spoken word poetry but I started
of spoken word poetry but I started
of spoken word poetry but I started watching videos of other performers
watching videos of other performers
watching videos of other performers whose names I’d gleaned from different
whose names I’d gleaned from different
whose names I’d gleaned from different chat books I’d read or ads I’d picked up
chat books I’d read or ads I’d picked up
chat books I’d read or ads I’d picked up on New York City subways I found that
on New York City subways I found that
on New York City subways I found that their level of stage presence and
their level of stage presence and
their level of stage presence and literary prodigy was something that I
literary prodigy was something that I
literary prodigy was something that I didn’t think I could ever achieve but I
didn’t think I could ever achieve but I
didn’t think I could ever achieve but I was too naive at the time to really care
was too naive at the time to really care
was too naive at the time to really care what was a more immediate issue it for
what was a more immediate issue it for
what was a more immediate issue it for me was the fact that it wasn’t enough to
me was the fact that it wasn’t enough to
me was the fact that it wasn’t enough to want to be a poet in my mind poetry and
want to be a poet in my mind poetry and
want to be a poet in my mind poetry and writing were tasks were things that only
writing were tasks were things that only
writing were tasks were things that only people with privilege and gifts could do
people with privilege and gifts could do
people with privilege and gifts could do and this is especially true because I
and this is especially true because I
and this is especially true because I came from a first generation immigrant
came from a first generation immigrant
came from a first generation immigrant family where my parents constantly told
family where my parents constantly told
family where my parents constantly told me not to pursue the arts because they
me not to pursue the arts because they
me not to pursue the arts because they were deemed impractical nevertheless the
were deemed impractical nevertheless the
were deemed impractical nevertheless the date of the performance eventually came
date of the performance eventually came
date of the performance eventually came and I found myself on stage reminding
and I found myself on stage reminding
and I found myself on stage reminding myself to focus on delivering the poem
myself to focus on delivering the poem
myself to focus on delivering the poem I’d written I spoke at length about the
I’d written I spoke at length about the
I’d written I spoke at length about the lack of asian-americans in Hollywood and
lack of asian-americans in Hollywood and
lack of asian-americans in Hollywood and later
later
later that night I found out that I had been
that night I found out that I had been
that night I found out that I had been named the New York City youth poet
named the New York City youth poet
named the New York City youth poet laureate for the year it was incredible
laureate for the year it was incredible
laureate for the year it was incredible standing alongside mahogany all brown
standing alongside mahogany all brown
standing alongside mahogany all brown ocean Vong and so many other renowned
ocean Vong and so many other renowned
ocean Vong and so many other renowned poets joined by our mutual passion for
poets joined by our mutual passion for
poets joined by our mutual passion for poetry and literature it’s perhaps for
poetry and literature it’s perhaps for
poetry and literature it’s perhaps for this reason why at poetry competitions
this reason why at poetry competitions
this reason why at poetry competitions poets are always told to gain an
poets are always told to gain an
poets are always told to gain an intimate relationship with their
intimate relationship with their
intimate relationship with their audience
audience
audience poetry is simply one of those art forms
poetry is simply one of those art forms
poetry is simply one of those art forms that benefit immensely from being able
that benefit immensely from being able
that benefit immensely from being able to express yourself through your
to express yourself through your
to express yourself through your connection with an audience it’s for
connection with an audience it’s for
connection with an audience it’s for this reason as well that so many
this reason as well that so many
this reason as well that so many different themes such as trauma
different themes such as trauma
different themes such as trauma abandonment
abandonment
abandonment and life-altering decisions are often
and life-altering decisions are often
and life-altering decisions are often most poignant in poems as a youth poet
most poignant in poems as a youth poet
most poignant in poems as a youth poet laureate I discovered that poetry can
laureate I discovered that poetry can
laureate I discovered that poetry can bring so much more than just literary
bring so much more than just literary
bring so much more than just literary and artistic merit to one’s life
and artistic merit to one’s life
and artistic merit to one’s life according to the Yale Center for
according to the Yale Center for
according to the Yale Center for emotional intelligence there’s actually
emotional intelligence there’s actually
emotional intelligence there’s actually a statistically significant positive
a statistically significant positive
a statistically significant positive correlation between conscientiousness
correlation between conscientiousness
correlation between conscientiousness emotional intelligence and academic
emotional intelligence and academic
emotional intelligence and academic success even so emotional intelligence
success even so emotional intelligence
success even so emotional intelligence isn’t something that’s taught in schools
isn’t something that’s taught in schools
isn’t something that’s taught in schools and it’s extremely underdeveloped in a
and it’s extremely underdeveloped in a
and it’s extremely underdeveloped in a lot of students having worked with
lot of students having worked with
lot of students having worked with Facebook’s inspire ed program for the
Facebook’s inspire ed program for the
Facebook’s inspire ed program for the past year I’ve also learned a lot about
past year I’ve also learned a lot about
past year I’ve also learned a lot about the importance of incorporating empathy
the importance of incorporating empathy
the importance of incorporating empathy and emotional intelligence into one’s
and emotional intelligence into one’s
and emotional intelligence into one’s education and I found that while poetry
education and I found that while poetry
education and I found that while poetry may not be a direct path towards
may not be a direct path towards
may not be a direct path towards developing empathy it’s important to
developing empathy it’s important to
developing empathy it’s important to understand how to utilize emotions both
understand how to utilize emotions both
understand how to utilize emotions both in artistic usage as well as in
in artistic usage as well as in
in artistic usage as well as in communication being able to express
communication being able to express
communication being able to express yourself and to be able to engage others
yourself and to be able to engage others
yourself and to be able to engage others in a conversation that is a true power
in a conversation that is a true power
in a conversation that is a true power of poetry thank you
of poetry thank you
of poetry thank you [Applause]
”
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