Student’s Poem Showcased in Poetry Contest

Third Former Taite Puhala is now a published poet. Her poem, "Vertigo," appears on the first page of a teen poetry contest article this month in VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates), the library magazine serving those who serve young adults.

April is poetry month, and her poem was selected from the work of 109 teen poets based on depth of thought and use of poetic devices such as imagery, extended metaphor, word play, careful word choice and sound devices.

Taite has been writing poetry for a couple of years. “I'm driven very strongly by art for the sake of art,” she said. “If even one person reads my poem and pulls something out of it, I consider it a success. But even just creating something is enough. I like being able to turn my thoughts into art.”

the girl looked dizzy

i don’t say this because of any

sway to her walk, like a cornfield

spit upon by the mountains, or

a stumble in her feet, like a stone

kicked by a curious child, or

any way her eyes fixed upon

the living sidewalk as it gurgled

and gorged on flowers as they

struggled to break the plane of the sun

but her fingers would curl into a weak fist,

when she thought no one would see, invisible as

she was,

searching for some hand that was no longer there.

a sure sign of vertigo.