Young Writers Showcase Talents

By Nancy K. Crevier

Fifteen young people in grades six through ten gathered at the Annual Young Writers’ Salon in the C.H. Booth Library, Sunday, November 22, to read original poetry and prose to friends and family members.

Seated in the softly lit meeting room reconfigured into a coffee house setting, the audience sipped hot cider and nibbled treats compliments of the Newtown Woman’s Club, GFWC Inc. On the tables were lanterns provided by members of another library Young Adult writing group, Liz Arneth’s Poetry Group. Jazz music played in the background, providing a soothing transition between selections

Emcees Nicole Lang and Ryan Murphy offered background on each of the writings, as each reader was introduced. Readers were Emily Ashbolt, Justin Villamil, Rebecca Dutsar, Julia Davin, Sam Svensson, Michelle Zarifis, Vinny Brophy, Haley Ryan, Laura Hunter, Samantha Baumgart, Sarah Clements, Henry Summ, John Carlson, Laura Paik, and Madeline Keane.

The young writers, reflecting on themes as diverse as the seasons, self-examination, and news events, treated the audience to a variety of prose and poetry. “The quality was excellent and covered a wide range of topics — each as individual as the author,” said Young Adult librarian Margaret Brown. For example, Vinny Brophy’s poem “Stars” began as a song, but while stargazing one night, he decided to change it to a poem, she said. Another poem, “Punishment” by Samantha Baumgart, was written in response to a tragic news article.

Sam Svensson’s poem “For a Moment, the Beach,” recreated a sibling experience, and Michelle Zarifis’s “A Little Taste of Winter!” was written in anticipation of the coming season, Ms Brown said.

“Have Pens Will Travel” by Emily Ashbolt offered listeners a bit of advice: writing in pen does not make your words truer — it just makes them harder to take back. Another prose writer, Laura Hunter, read excerpts from a longer work in which everyone can turn into dragons.

“On Purpose” and “Listen” were Sarah Clements’ response to the world’s complications, while one of Haley Ryan’s poems, “I Am,” reflected on questions about herself.

Julia Davin offered “My Moonlight” to the listeners, and Henry Summ shared his poem “Test” with the audience.

“Many [of the readings] were outstanding — I couldn’t possible single anybody out,” said Ms Brown, and added that a binder with copies of all the pieces read each year is kept in the Young Adult Department of the library for the public.