Maggie Farren
Maggie Farren is a student at Boston University where she is currently completing her Master's degree in English Literature. She has been published by Pen & Anvil Press, in The Core Journal at Boston University, and The Beacon. She is currently doing research with a faculty advisory on Richard Wright and James Baldwin.
The impact of poetry and the spoken word club
I can say with certainty that Spoken Word Club has been the single most impactful thing in my life so far. When I joined the club I was incredibly insecure and self-conscious, I could not even fathom the idea of sharing something I had written with other people, much less getting up on stage and performing it. However, I did it and then kept doing it for the rest of my time in high school. Spoken Word taught me how to be a better writer, but it also taught me the courage to speak up for myself, which has allowed me to become a better student, friend, and person. I also met incredible people, both mentors and peers, including my best friend to this day. Your teenage years are a scary and uncertain time and it is very easy to feel alone as you try to figure out who you are and what you want to do with your life. Spoken Word Club fostered a community that allowed students to realize they were not alone, that often there were people who were feeling similarly to them, the club also gave us all the foundation to connect and empathize with each other, building a strong and productive community.
Top favorite poets or lyricists
Maggie Nelson, Ocean Vuong, and Richard Siken
Writing Prompts
Create a poem beginning with “I miss…”
Maggie writes, “Driving at night is mostly like soaring” Use _______ at night is like_____________ (Try different combinations until you find something to propel you into a poem. Feel free to replace “at night” with something else.)
Write a poem where you’re nostalgic for some place or some activity (Maggie feels that way about driving and about Oak Park)