{"id":580322,"date":"2026-02-10T17:27:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T17:27:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/580322\/"},"modified":"2026-02-10T17:27:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T17:27:11","slug":"ready-set-slam-bronxwrites-young-poets-compete-at-the-bronx-music-hall-new-york-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/580322\/","title":{"rendered":"Ready, set, slam! BronxWrites young poets compete at the Bronx Music Hall\u00a0 \u2013 New York Family"},"content":{"rendered":"

Racial identity, gratitude and the overwhelming state of current events are just a few of the topics explored by the young poets of BronxWrites<\/a> \u2013 an initiative founded by the arts and social justice platform GlobalWrites. Their work culminates in two competitions \u2013 a group in February and an individual final in May.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While the individual BronxWrites finalists performed at Lehman College over the years, the group finals took place at Joe\u2019s Pub in the East Village for decades. This year, the group poets will be able to compete in their home borough for the first time in 28 years when they grace the stage of the Bronx Music Hall on Thursday, Feb. 12.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is part of our vision of making sure to celebrate in the borough,\u201d Ellen Hagan said, head of the poetry and theater departments for the DreamYard Project<\/a> \u2013 an arts and social justice organization dedicated to working with Bronx youth and partners with BronxWrites. <\/p>\n

\u201cThat was the idea to bring it to Bronx Music Hall, so that our students and families and everybody can be a little closer to home.\u201d<\/p>\n

BronxWrites collaborates with several schools across the Boogie Down ranging from elementary to high school with one particular legacy school, P.S.\/M.S. 95 near Van Cortlandt Park, which has worked with the organization for 25 years. The program was utilizing teleconferencing to connect students around the world \u2013 from Alaska to Japan \u2013 long before Zoom became a household name.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a few who have gone on to become teachers and writers and there\u2019s a few from two years ago that were really excellent poets and they work with social action and justice,\u201d fifth-grade teacher Nick Merchant of P.S. 95 said. <\/p>\n

\u201cSo yeah, I definitely see that there\u2019s been a ripple effect.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Derlon Norales Bermude, 10, from P.S. 46, performs his poem \u201cHow Amazing\u201d during last week\u2019s semi-finals of the BronxWrites Poetry Slam competition and will move on to the finals. Photo by ET Rodriguez<\/p>\n

Once a week from October to May, teaching artists from DreamYard instruct students on the elements of poetry from format to literary devices to writing original poems and finally, memorization and performance.\u00a0<\/p>\n

One student moving on to the finals, from P.S. 46 near Kingsbridge Road, is 10-year-old Derlon Norales Bermude who wrote, \u201cHow Amazing It Is.\u201d In his poem, he expresses extreme gratitude for the simple things in life; like the smell of nature, a hug from your family, that feeling one gets from a new pair of sneakers and the joy of friendship.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI would like people to know that I was raised having cousins without fathers and mothers and I want people to know that they should have love for their family and they shouldn\u2019t take their family for granted,\u201d Norales told the Bronx Times in a touching moment of sincerity.<\/p>\n

The poems are graded using a rubric divided into three sections: the poem itself, interpretation and performance. Each section has several sub-sections which include, but are not limited to: judging if the message is effectively conveyed. <\/p>\n

Does it include figurative language? Is it memorized? Does the poet speak loudly and clearly? However, tapping into personal matters and finding their poetic voice are also key components of the BronxWrites program and just as crucial.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the things the regular classes really focus on is the intellectual side of writing; the revision, the editing and being right and having the right answer all the time,\u201d said DreamYard teaching artist Andr\u00e9e Greene. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m getting them out of that a little bit . . . feeling like you can say anything, that\u2019s the voice I want.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Greene went on to describe her own struggle with finding her voice as a writer, especially being raised by a family of teachers where using correct grammar and formal ways of speaking was emphasized.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cSo finding that thing in my head that I know is separate, that is different, that is not necessarily following the rules was a little more difficult. I really had to work really hard to listen to myself, and I think that\u2019s always the key. You have to listen to yourself and accept yourself,\u201d Greene added.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Naelys Payano, 10, from P.S. 46, waits to see her score after performing her poem \u201cI\u2019m From D.R.\u201d during last week\u2019s semi-finals of the BronxWrites Poetry Slam competition. She will be moving on to the finals. Photo by ET Rodriguez<\/p>\n

Much like 10-year-old Naelys Payano, who received the highest score in her school, also at P.S. 46, with her poem, \u201cI\u2019m From D.R.\u201d Payano performed with pride while depicting the unique beauty of the Dominican Republic.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am from an island kissed by sun\/where merengue drums say life begun\/from salty air and coconut trees\/and ocean dances with a warm wind breeze\/ I am from platanos frying at dawn\/ from cafe caliente strong and drawn,\u201d read parts of her poem.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI love poetry because every time I write a poem I like to put something about D.R.,\u201d Payano said. \u201cPeople should know that poetry is not that hard, it\u2019s actually very fun.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Out of more than 100 performers, about 30 will move on to the finals where they will perform with their peers and family members in the crowd, which can be specifically daunting for students who suffer from anxiety or are overwhelmed by self-consciousness. <\/p>\n

Alicia Cole-Quinlan, a fifth-grade teacher at P.S. 46, who works in an Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) setting, that melds general education students with those who have learning disabilities, emphasized the importance and power of self-expression.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was interested in seeing how it will play out with students who have different needs and just seeing their ability to still be creative and express themselves has been very encouraging to me,\u201d she said. \u201cEveryone has a right to express themselves regardless of how people may perceive you or however people may perceive your abilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tickets to the BronxWrites finals on Feb. 12 are free with registration, which can be found on Eventbrite<\/a> courtesy of DreamYard Project, Inc.<\/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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