The Escalon Library recently helped spark interest in a contest to highlight poets of all ages. The writers were able to touch on a wide variety of topics and display the literary talent within the community. Specific topics were assigned to different age groups.
Offering the poetry contest was Jonathon Cabello, and it was sponsored by the City of Escalon and the Library and Literacy Foundation of San Joaquin.
Lily Boyer was the winner of the kindergarten through fifth grade poetry contest. Boyer is a fourth grader at Gateway Academy. She used the topic, A Letter to an Animal, to write a piece titled ‘The Silent Snowy Owl’.
An anonymous high school student took the upper grades prize writing a letter to their past self in a poem titled ‘Younger Self’.
Morgan Brixmith won the adult poetry contest. With the option of writing about memory, time or the human experience, Brixmith wrote a piece titled ‘Echoes in the Drift’.
Along with this competition, there was also an event to highlight two local Poet Laureates, hosted at the library in late April. A Poet Laureate typically promotes poetry and encourages local participation while also writing poems that reflect the life and culture of a particular place.
Jonathan Cabello, an English teacher at Escalon High School, has been appointed as Escalon’s first ever Poet Laureate. Being a teacher, Cabello has the unique opportunity to inspire younger generations to explore the literary practice of poetry as a way to express themselves and show creativity.
Angela Drew is the Poet Laureate of Modesto. Not only has she worked hard to encourage experimentation with poetry to show culture and life experiences, she has also written a book titled ‘Elderberry Wine’ which highlights just that.
The efforts of Cabello and Drew have shown both passion and commitment to instill the appreciation for poetry in their communities.
To help further encourage poetry within the community, a poetry walk is being encouraged on Main Street in Escalon. While supporting local businesses, you can support the work of young writers by reading chosen poems from the contest that are hung inside selected establishments.
Poems are at Poor Example, 1455 Main; Escalon Museum, 1630 Main; Wellness on Main, 1710 Main; Pencie and Ginger, 1725 Main; The Studio, 1735 Main; EscalonFit, 1740 Main; Cromwell and Ney, 1718 Main; Fox and Mane, 1764 Main; Farmer’s Insurance, 1756 Main; The Ivy, 1830 Main; The Shop, 1834 Main.
At the library, 1540 Second St., you can view the display of the poetry competition winners.
These recent events have helped to give a voice to poets of all ages and inspire a connection through creativity and literary arts across the community.
