On Monday, May 6th, traveling poet Glenis Redmond has visited Thomas Grover Middle School for the second time since 2018. This year, she visited the seventh grade like last year and gave a speech and presentation of her writing process. During 4th period for the seventh grade (which lasts from 11:00 – 11:40), students who signed up to watch Ms. Redmond’s visit were told to skip their classes and their teacher would know. They then had to go to Mrs. Laurenzo’s room in the seventh grade concourse located in room A-120. In there, the wall dividers were taken down to merge with the next door teacher, Mr. Thompson’s room so that everybody attending the event could be accomodated. Once everybody had gathered to watch Ms. Redmond, the speech started.
During the speech, Glenis Redmond introduced herself and explained herself as a poet. During the speech, Ms. Redmond was notably very witty and cracked several jokes throughout.
She talked about how she gets her inspiration which she often gets from her family and eavesdropping on people. She also recited some poems, some of which are inspired by her family, one by a slave who wrote messages on his pottery and learned to read and write in the printing factory he worked at. The presentation was really interesting that you would wish you wanted some more.
Ms. Redmond’s tips for aspiring poets:
- Read! Read! Read! You want to be a poet, read what other poets are writing with their poetry.
- Always poke your nose into business even if it is none of yours. You might end up gaining inspiration all of a sudden out of nowhere from that.
Grover Middle School's Jagazine 