Poem in Your Pocket

Fay students in all three divisions celebrated Poem in Your Pocket Day by handcrafting a pocket-sized book and writing a small poem inside to share with others throughout the day. As part of National Poetry Month, Poem in Your Pocket Day encourages people to carry a favorite poem and share it with others, spreading the enjoyment and power of poetry in everyday life.

Creating the pocket-sized poem books became a community project. Upper School English students partnered with Primary and Lower School classes to help younger students assemble their books, select a poem, and carefully copy it onto the pages. Once the poems were in place, students brought the words and feelings expressed by their poems to life with colorful illustrations.

The project offered students an opportunity to explore poetry through a personal lens by seeking out writing that resonated with them. English Department Chair Mary Munkenbeck introduced a traveling poetry cart to Lower School that made its way through classrooms, allowing students to browse a curated collection of works to discover a poem they felt connected to. She encouraged students to choose poems that sparked a genuine emotional response, whether happy or sad, because those connections are at the heart of poetry's power.

Across all divisions, students shared their pocket poems throughout the day. Reflecting on the event, English Department Chair Mary Munkenbeck was delighted by how naturally students shared their poems, noting the joy and sense of connection that blossomed in those spontaneous moments. She noted that having older students help the younger students create their books also made the event feel special. "It all comes back to fostering a community of writers and a love of reading and writing, and we're honoring each other's ideas when we share and practice those important listening skills in return."