National Poetry Month April 2, 2020
Liz Jorgensen
My High School Students
They look like sweatpants and sleep.
They smell like gym, like Axe and dew.
They taste of rebellion and
sound of gossip and heartache.
Yet when they graduate, they
feel like people—like purpose, like pride.
My High School Students appeared in iTeach Lit. Volume 1, Issue 1. July 2019.
1. What inspired you to write this poem?
I was inspired by my job as a high school English teacher.
2. What do you like about this poem?
I love that it’s written in a Korean form of poetry called sijo.
3. What would you change about this poem?
I would love to have my students write a sijo response to this poem about their high school English teacher!
4. Where, when, and how often do you write?
I try to write every day, both alongside my students and for pleasure!
5. What poetry books are you reading right now?
I am reading The Skinny Poetry Journal edited by Truth Thomas
Links to my memoir: https://www.amazon.com/Go-Gwen-Familys-Journey-Olympic/dp/1782551913
Link to my website: lizjorgensen.weebly.com
