Last year, sophomore Edel Healy decided to express her love for poetry recitation by initiating the Poetry Out Loud club at Xavier. This year, Edel has made her club proud by advancing to the State Finals as one of the top nine students out of 11,000 competitors.

Edel’s passion for poetry began at a young age while growing up in Ireland and has blossomed into something much more than just another hobby.

“I have been reciting poetry since the age of four and therefore have developed a growing passion for such an art. My brother, who graduated from Brophy’s class of ‘15 partook in Poetry Out Loud, and after watching every recitation performed by him and meeting those apart of such a fantastic organization it sparked my interest in the competition,” said Edel.

Although not seeking fame when she entered the competition, Edel achieved just that during the Central Regional Competition, where her highly ranked performance earned her the title of state finalist.

“I partook in this competition because of the love I have for poetry. Therefore, when it was announced that I would be a state finalist I was utterly shocked. The Central Regional Competition was fierce with over twenty other schools competing from across the region of Phoenix. I really did not believe that out of 11,000 students in Arizona I would be one of the top nine being represented in the State competition,” said Edel.

At this high caliber of competition, Edel had to draw inspiration from personal experience in order to deliver a memorable and worthy performance.

“While reciting poetry I view each poem as a story rather than words that just convey literary elements. I choose to recite poems that speak to me personally and poems that can possibly speak to the audience I am performing for,” said Edel.

Edel’s experience in Poetry Out Loud has been all at once fulfilling and surprising. She was particularly pleased to find that all the contestants were connected by a deep love and appreciation for the art of poetry.

“While speaking with each contestant and getting to know them, I realized that we all share a divine passion for this art and that to me was just amazing,” said Edel.

The Poetry Out Loud State Finals was held on March 11, when the top nine performers in Arizona competed for the state title.

“I am not yet sure what to expect, but I am very excited to not only represent Xavier but Phoenix as well. Those who will go on to compete against me are such outstanding poetry students that there will be high competition,” said Edel before the competition.

Although Edel did not win the State Finals, she plans to continue her journey in competitive poetry recitation into the future.

“I do have plans for poetry and literature in my future. I believe that poetry is the perfect opportunity to internalize a poem and share a performance with your own interpretation of another’s words. Poetry is fun and exhilarating and I look forward to embracing every opportunity to express poetry,” said Edel.