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Poems about a Pandemic - Abbey Park students have a say

The literary response to the pandemic by a younger generation

With the brand new Omnicrom variant causing a resurgence of worry, concern, and despair  - almost everything from business, recreation, family, and our own opinions have been shaped in reaction to the widespread COVID-19 pandemic. From school life to holiday visits and everything in between - one cannot help but feel lost and forlorn, even on our best days.

Yet amongst these stories of woe, one cannot deny the concerted resilience that has emerged because of the pandemic. 

The semblance of a brighter day has indeed been discussed. We have made leaps and bounds since  March 2020 with the evolution of effective vaccines to businesses operating nimbly in the middle of chaos. 

Humanity has persevered.

Still, one cannot discount the countless stories and memories of death, despondency, and the tragic loss resulting from the pandemic during these past two years.

Unsplash
Unsplash

The pandemic will go down in history as a time that has touched many of us and changed how we see the world. Some storytellers will write about the impact of the pandemic, and when we do see a brighter day, their words will always stay etched in time, so future generations can feel what the world once felt.

Four such storytellers are from Oakville and attend Abbey Park High School. 

Words Across The Country - The Unimaginable Call To Action

Moncton, NB, grade 12 student Camden Douthwright issued a call to action to high school students, encouraging and challenging them to write down their thoughts about their pandemic experiences through poetry or prose. The collections would culminate into an anthology entitled "Project Unimaginable."

The idea was created when the pandemic cut short Douthwright's writing class, preventing him from undertaking critical literary pieces, including a literary journal. With fellow student Natalie Millard who helped with the public relations of "Project Unimaginable,"  teacher Mr.Moore and Toronto author Mark Sampson who Douthwright mentioned as instrumental to the editing process, the project went on to receive worldwide submissions, including Germany, USA, Ireland, and Canadian provinces such as Quebec and Ontario.

A number of Abbey Park High School students submitted their work, and several were selected for the initiative.

Abbey Park leaves their mark.

"Project Unimaginable" was published in June 2021, and copies will soon be available at the Oakville Public Library. Abbey Park High School students' contributions make up one-third of the entire collection, which is an incredible acknowledgment of their creativity and thoughtfulness. 

"The featured pieces reflect students' hopes, fears, dreams, and resilience in the face of a somewhat challenging future," said Terri Beckwith - Retired Head of Language, English, and Library at Abbey Park High School. "The work is compelling, touching, and occasionally heart-breaking. Ultimately, the students' writing demonstrates the honesty and perseverance of our young people."

Eight students made it into the anthology. Four have since graduated, and four are still Abbey Park students.

The students currently attending Abbey Park High School are:

  • Leo Hersi - Trapped and Haven to Prison
  • Aizah Malik - Personal Journal Part 1 and Part 2
  • Shehran Mohsin - Songof the Siren - Vilanelle
  • Abigail Garcia Hernandez

"I know that all the mistakes we make today will be worth nothing if future generations can't learn from them," said Aizah Malik, one of the Abbey Park students whose poem made it into the anthology.

"Data tables aren't why people would look back into this time in history; personal stories are. Having literature from a teenage perspective detailing the impacts of quarantine will serve as a reminder to those who haven't experienced it personally. It's not a new concept. We read stories about life during wartime, all the time."

Juan Sisinni on Unsplash
Juan Sisinni on Unsplash

"I wrote two pieces for the Unimaginable Project," explained Leo Hersi, another Abbey Park author.

"The first, titled Trapped, is a sestina which looks at the meaning of being trapped amidst an uncertain future and the implications of quarantine measures. 

"The second, titled From Haven To Prison, is a villanelle which deals with the sudden confinement experienced during the onset of the pandemic. Both pieces deal with the change to our daily lives brought by Covid-19. Initially, strict quarantine and distancing measures may have been hard to cope with. The poems explore the concept of this short-term sacrifice to preserve our future.

"Before being introduced to the project, I hadn't considered writing nor publishing anything. Yet, this seemed like a great opportunity to work with students across the country to share the voice of Canadian youth. It's crucial to provide students and youth in Canada with opportunities to share their opinions and be heard. It's often said that students are the next generation of world leaders, so enabling them to have their say is important."

These authors will go down in history, leaving a legacy in Oakville and be numbered among Canadian authors who left their mark with heartfelt words during one of humanity's most troublesome and uncertain times.

"I think that this project shows Oakvillians and other students that they don't have to be adults to be published, authors. I hope it encourages them to show their work to the world because if I can become a published poet, they can too," explained Shehran Mohsin, addressing the Oakville community. 

"I think gratitude for the healthcare workers who made many sacrifices in their own lives and endangered themselves to help others needs to be recognized. Even if people can't show their gratitude directly, they can do so by following medical advice such as getting vaccinated, wearing a mask, and maintaining social distance."

As the Abbey Park students leave their mark on history with their anecdotal and storytelling prowess, they also give us a reason to believe in the future. One that may be distant but is within reach, as long as we allow ourselves to move forward.

Will Van Wingerden on Unsplash
Will Van Wingerden on Unsplash

The following is an excerpt from Shehran's Villanelle.

Villanelle: Our Heroes

See their bruised faces from wearing masks for hours

From fighting this black swan

For they are our heroes who shine brighter than the stars

Lend your ears to their memoirs

Help them run their marathon

Salute those who risk their lives for ours

Stay at home to save their tears

Share their warnings to be their liaison

For they are our heroes who shine brighter than the stars

When all is said and done we can leave our towers

And for those that have fallen, they will be in our hearts’ pantheon

Salute those who risk their lives for ours

For they are our heroes who shine brighter than the stars

To read Shehran's entire poem - keep an eye out for these young authors as the anthology will be available to read soon at the Oakville Public Library.


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