ONCE EVERY FORTNIGHT, students of St. Joseph’s Convent in St. Joseph meet at a grassy area behind the school under a poui tree.

One by one, young women take the “stage” — one of three brightly coloured concrete benches. They recite original poetry tackling topics of interest to their schoolmates and the national population: romance, heartbreak, disputes with teachers and classmates, social issues.

The students call it “Poetry on the Greens.”

For the past three years, they’ve taken their performance to a bigger stage, organizing a show in the school’s hall that was well-attended one recent Friday evening by paying patrons — mostly students from the schools of the performers, family and friends. The previous years it was called “As I Am” and “Scriptures,” in that order. The last was called “Spotlight.” Most of the performers come from the school’s two-year-old poetry club.

Organizers Rhoshenda and Rhyjell Ellis, a sister and brother, the first a Form 5 student of St. Joseph’s, the second a former student now studying law at UWI, said it’s a way for teens who have been sidelined in the adult scene to showcase and develop their art. Students from St. Mary’s and Trinity College East were invited to perform.

“This is the first opportunity that they have to actually say what they want to say exactly, and nobody could tell them ‘change this’ or ‘change that,’” said Rhoshenda. “What my brother and I wanted was a place where students are allowed to be who they are. When we plan the slams, it is us entirely.”

Other schools have organized similar shows, reflecting the intense interest teens have developed in writing and listening to poetry.  Bishop Anstey High School/Trinity College East stages an annual spoken word event called “Gayiappe.”

Barring a few cases of forgotten lines and awkward delivery, the performances at “Spotlight” were generally strong. Among the most notable presentations were those from Rhoshenda and Form 3 students Shanyce Jessop and Natalyah Maricheau.

One crowd-pleasing piece Shanyce and Natalyah performed together — “Fake Failures” — demonstrated lyrical flow and youthful feminist chutzpah.

“You have so much bobo on yuh face, bobo telling bobo go round,” rapped Shanyce, telling off an invisible “player” who thought he stood a chance with her.

The teen audience seemed engaged for the most part, cheering and screaming for their favourite performers.

The organizers would like to see the art form go to new heights: poetry clubs in more schools, and then …

“We could have a show in Queen’s Hall,” said Rhyjell. “It will be something to look forward to. We’ll have droves of people wanting to come.”

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