A love letter to Get Lit

Get Lit is a poetry program at the school that has students respond to a poem with their own original poem. This program offers an invaluable service to the school community, as it allows students to cement their understanding of poetry and to be vulnerable.

The best way to learn anything is by actually doing it. Get Lit forces students to deeply consider technical aspects of a poem, such as metaphors and symbols, as well as try to maintain clarity in the poem’s message. These are the same aspects that tests, such as the AP English Literature and Composition exam, have students focus on.

Get Lit gives students the priceless chance to be vulnerable in front of their classmates in a structured way. Oftentimes, students may feel trapped, alone with only their emotions and deepest thoughts. These emotions need an outlet; bottling them up is unhealthy. Get Lit lets students express these emotions with others in a way that does not come off as a rant, giving students the ability to really reflect on their emotions.

Some may argue that Get Lit forces students into the spotlight in an uncomfortable way. Poems usually come with the stipulation that they reveal something personal about the speaker, so students may feel like they are forced to divulge some hidden nook of their personality. Vulnerability is a skill people will have to learn at some point such as when nurturing a loving relationship. Being vulnerable is not something to shy away from and should be something to embrace.

Get Lit is crucial to the development of students. Through the program, students are able to conquer their fears of being vulnerable and hone their poetry analysis skills.