{"id":135391,"date":"2026-02-16T19:37:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T19:37:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/135391\/"},"modified":"2026-02-16T19:37:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T19:37:08","slug":"young-voices-take-center-stage-at-28th-annual-bronxwrites-poetry-slam-finals-bronx-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/135391\/","title":{"rendered":"Young voices take center stage at 28th annual BronxWrites poetry slam finals \u2013 Bronx Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Layla Finnegan, 13, touched on the problematic past and present of America with her poem, \u201cThe Pledge of Allegiance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Photo by ET Rodriguez<\/p>\n

There were nerves, laughter and snaps of approval, as 20 young poets took the stage for the 28th annual BronxWrites poetry slam finals sponsored by DreamYard at the Bronx Music Hall last week.\n<\/p>\n

Hosted by Ellen Kagan, head of the poetry and theater departments at DreamYard, the elementary school students went up first, 10 in total, and all from P.S. 46.\n<\/p>\n

Saraliz Martinez wowed the crowd with her booming voice and in-your-face presence as she recited her poem, \u201cThe Place Inside My Peace.\u201d She touched on cultural pride, as many other poets did, and elicited loud cheers from the crowd when she praised a standard dish of rice and beans, which Martinez said was her favorite food.<\/p>\n

She mentioned feeling some negativity from classmates in the semi-finals, but with encouragement from her friends, she dusted off the haters and performed with power. She was seen in the crowd twinkling her fingers towards the stage. Students in the sidelines were doing the same.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a way to send good vibes,\u201d Martinez said.\n<\/p>\n

Some poets got on stage and forgot their words, but took a beat and made sure to work through it to the end. Some even had a swell of tears in their eyes as they stood in front of the mic, but as soon as they spoke, their confidence soared.<\/p>\n

\"\"Ellen Kagan, head of poetry and theater at DreamYard, adjusts the microphone for one of the poets. Photo by ET Rodriguez<\/p>\n

A brief intermission separated the elementary students from the middle school as Roberto Bautista and Vereny Canela hosted with exuberant personalities and a comedic rapport. As Canela prepared to recite a poem of her own, her phone started to blare, \u201cMommy\u2019s calling.\u201d She picked up the call on stage and told her mother she\u2019d call her back because she was in the middle of presenting.<\/p>\n

A moment of comic relief in the midst of hard-hitting poetry.\n<\/p>\n

Each section began with \u201csacrificial goats\u201d \u2014 poets who are not competing, but work to break the ice for the audience and performers. There were three in total, including Noah Lara, 13, from P.S.\/M.S. 95. His candid and tell-all poem recounted the harrowing truth of a traumatic event he experienced a few short months ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still can\u2019t talk to him\/ but for a different reason\/ they believe that he did it\/ it could be true\/ but I refuse to believe it\/ that a young person like him\/ could do such a thing,\u201d read parts of his poem. While Lara didn\u2019t dive into specifics, the periphery of his story was enough to incite a disquiet in the crowd that could be heard through sympathetic grunts and the sucking of teeth.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt allowed me to get a lot of anger out of the situation,\u201d Lara said. \u201cWrite poetry. Do what you love.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

When the middle-schoolers took the stage, the content veered towards issues of social oppression and the presence of ICE in what used to be a long-standing sanctuary city.\n<\/p>\n

Layla Finnegan, 13, from P.S.\/M.S. 315 made poignant observations with her poem, \u201cThe Pledge of Allegiance.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI pledge allegiance\/ to a flag\/ the promise I first made\/ but didn\u2019t understand\/ it taught me the words\/ before it taught me the truth\/ it taught me to respect it\/ before it taught me who it forgets.\u201d The poem goes on to highlight torn-apart families and young girls who learn silence before protection. She touches on slavery in America and on being brave enough to question authority.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s always been outspoken. She always liked to stand up for what\u2019s right and stand up for her community,\u201d said Finnegan\u2019s mother, Rohani Abdallah, who was brimming with joy at her daughter\u2019s fearless performance.<\/p>\n

\"\"Maxwell Mensah, 14, touched on slavery and the genocide of Native Americans with his poem, \u201cTrail of Tears.\u201d Photo by ET Rodriguez
\n\"\"The competing poets of P.S. 46 pose for a photo on the stage of the Bronx Music Hall. Photo by ET Rodriguez<\/p>\n

The two DreamYard teaching artists, Andr\u00e9e Greene and Daemond Arrindell, also recited poems of their own. Arrindell was part of Rashid Johnson\u2019s performance series at the Guggenheim Museum last summer. A panel of five judges deliberated over the win and in addition to their rubric, they were also judging on how honest the poems were; if they truly resonated with the voice of the poet.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo many heartfelt moments, particularly from like the young boys of color,\u201d Nicco Diaz said, one of the five judges and a teaching artist with DreamYard and served as the chief of staff at the famous Nuyorican Poets Cafe. \u201cIn today\u2019s climate, it\u2019s so hard to be vulnerable as a man and so for them to be talking about really deep issues and to go on stage, it was remarkable to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the end, Porfiria Fernandez\u2019 fifth-grade class at P.S. 46 won for the elementary students and Nick Merchant\u2019s eighth-grade class from P.S.\/M.S. 95 won for the middle-schoolers.\n<\/p>\n

As some of the performers appeared noticeably deflated, Arrindell could be heard shouting to the students, \u201cThe point is not the points, the point is the poetry.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

The individual poetry slam competition will be hosted at Lehman College in May as part of DreamYard\u2019s DreamFest.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re still poets after the competition,\u201d Arrindell added.
\n\"\"Each poet received a participation medal, but P.S. 46 and P.S.\/M.S. 95 took home the trophies.Photo by ET Rodriguez\n<\/p>\n

Reach ET Rodriguez at\u00a0etrodriguez317@gmail.com<\/a>. For more coverage, subscribe to our\u00a0newsletter<\/a>\u00a0and follow us on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>!\u00a0<\/p>\n

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