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When the sun dips in the city, the twilight inspires Dominic Lenox to write.
"The buildings and streets are lonesome," the Fulton fifth-grader pens in his poem, "Dusk in the City." "They hate it when the darkness hits them."
Dominic is one of 50 city students selected to read their poetry in the first Poetry Paths Kids Poetry Reading 6:30 to 8 Thursday night at the Schnader Theatre, Roschel Performing Arts Center, Franklin & Marshall College.
Concurrent with the public reading, Poetry Paths is partnering with the Lancaster Public Library in a public exhibit of some of the students' poems and accompanying artwork, through mid-June.
Dominic joined 250 third-, fourth-, fifth- and eighth-grade students from Fulton, Buchanan, Ross and Washington elementary schools and Lincoln middle school who participated in the Poetry Paths in-school program (there is also a nonschool city streetscape component) under the tutelage of Lancaster County's poet laureate Barbara Strasko.
In October, students from all four corners of the city were handed a poetic license and keys to creativity with Strasko helping jump-start their word wheels, until they were full throttle.
The idea was to write poetry inspired by the city and kids' neighborhoods.
READ: Selections from Poetry Paths Kids Poetry (PDF)
"I have … been impressed by the deep feelings the students have, the way they express them and how quickly they learned what makes good poetry and used this knowledge in their own poems," Strasko said.
With assistance from teachers, presenters and field trips — to sites like Central Market and the Fulton Opera House — Strasko asked the kids to explore Lancaster's history and diversity.
"Poetry Paths has given the students in the city an avenue for expressing their own feelings about their own neighborhoods," she said.
Honest impressions, soulful expressions.
Poetry Paths is about building community.
My neighborhood is kind of silent My neighborhood is almost violent
— Meleik Crenshaw, grade 4
Produced by F&M's Philadelphia Alumni Writers House with funding from the Lancaster County Community Foundation and F&M, Poetry Paths focuses both on incorporating poetry into schools and into actual physical streetscapes.
The idea is to nurture the city through literary and visual arts, said Tashya Leaman Dalen, program coordinator of Poetry Paths.
"(The streetscape piece) will create a place for people to walk and experience the literary arts," she said.
Poetry Paths sites will be put into place in the coming year-and one-half, said Kerry Sherin Wright, director of F&M's Writers House, and the in-school programming will continue annually.
For young writers, the school aspect allows them to create an "out-of-cement" footprint in words.
Others say it is a repeating day, but I say it is a new day here.
It's a new day when the birds and the bugs make a soft noise.
— Hannah Short, grade 5
Hannah Short has the eye.
She sees like a poet, said Strasko.
Hannah is one of 19 students from Fulton who will read their poems Thursday night.
She actually will read two: "A Slave Speaks Out" and "A New Day in Lancaster."
Hannah has been a persistent, consistent poet, always eager to learn more, Strasko said.
"(Poetry) is just so much a part of my life," Hannah said. "I love it."
Poetry inspires her to dream, she said, and then to write down her dreams.
Strasko, who has worked as a poet in the schools for more than three decades, has discovered many talented young writers like Hannah.
"We often hear about what is wrong in education, and I'd like to say that I have been extremely impressed by the reading, writing and thinking skills of the students in the School District of Lancaster and by the excellent teachers in the city," she said.
At a recent rehearsal at Fulton Elementary for the public poetry reading, Strasko gets her poets to practice reading their work.
VIDEO: Students rehearse for the Poetry Paths Kids Poetry Reading
One by one, they grasp a hand-held mic and stand before their peers, who sit in chairs in front of the stage.
Strasko offers tips.
Speak out and to the audience.
Read with feeling.
Pace yourself.
Hannah picks up the mic and reads confidently and with purpose.
I heard of a land where no one judges me by the color of my skin or those that are my kin. …
The students waiting in the audience clap for each reader.
Strasko then directs Dominic, whom she calls a "natural poet," to the mic.
He reads about twilight.
But as for writing …
He likes to bring his words out into the light.
WHAT: Poetry Paths First Annual Kids Poetry Reading
WHEN: Thursday night, 6:30 to 8
WHERE: Schander Theatre, Roschel Performing Arts Center, Franklin & Marshall College, College Avenue between New and Frederick streets
DETAILS: Fifty students from Buchanan, Fulton, Ross, Washington and Lincoln schools will read their poetry. There will be a presentation by Lancaster County's poet laureate Barbara Strasko and a performance by the McCaskey Jazz Band. Refreshments will be served.
COST: Free and open to the public.
EXHIBIT: Concurrent with the public reading, Poetry Paths is partnering with the Lancaster Public Library on Duke Street to create a public exhibit of some of the students' poems and accompanying artwork. The display will be up through mid-June.
