by Maddie Levans
On March 5, Junior Zoe Prats will be competing in the Poetry Out Loud State Finals competition, reciting “Mrs. Caldera’s House of Things” by Gregory Djanikian, “Onions” by William Matthews, and “Chorus Sacerdotum” by Baron Brooke Fulke Greville.
Prats, during her selection process for her three required poems, found sentimental meaning in each one. Her first poem, “Mrs. Caldera’s House of Things” by Gregory Djanikian, reminded her of her childhood. She said, “[The poem’s] imagery reminded me of my childhood visits to my notoriously kooky aunt, whose house was full of strange trinkets.”
Her second piece, “Onions” by William Matthews, reminded her of a childhood love of onions, but she also sees the deeper meaning to the poem: “I believe the author wishes to convey that happiness is everywhere and stays with us like the smell of onions on the hands of someone who has been dicing them,” she said.
The final poem she selected, “Chorus Sacerdotum” by Baron Brooke Fulke Greville, has a different tone than her other two. It “is a kind of formal complaint in which the author addresses the divided nature of man” said Prats, “This kind of rational thinking is unique for a poem and is what attracted my attention.”
Prats is looking forwards to the competition. She said, “My nerves are sure to be a wreck the day of,” but as of right now, she is not nervous for the competition. She is eager to represent York Suburban on a statewide platform, and looks forwards to performing her pieces.
“Performing for others has always brought me great pleasure. Solo performances are especially exciting because they provide a unique opportunity for me to personally connect with an audience of any size” she said. She also said the competition leading up to the state finals has been very modest. She describes her competitors as “very respectful, but mostly very nervous.”
“To me, recitation is all about telling a poem in a way that allows the audience to understand it, but more importantly, to identify with it. The goal is to help them discover something about themselves or the world that they hadn’t previously noticed. The author put his ideas on the page, but only one with great wisdom and maturity can recite it in a way that moves an audience. Attention to detail and a love for and understanding of language definitely assist one in this endeavor.”