MBHS Poetry Outloud 2026

Students at Morro Bay High School stepped into the spotlight this winter for the annual Poetry Out Loud competition, an event that challenges participants to memorize and perform published poems while conveying meaning, emotion, and intention. This year’s competition showcased not only strong technical performances but also deeply personal connections to poetry, vulnerability, and self-expression.

Junior Dian Lewis earned second place after performing two poems by Kara Jackson: “The World Is About to End, and My Grandparents Are in Love” and “Anthem for My Belly After Eating Too Much.” Lewis said her connection to Jackson’s writing has developed over several years.

“Kara Jackson was actually the same author I chose for my freshman year poem,” Lewis said. “I feel like I kind of just connect with her. She’s really inspiring. She’s a music artist along with being a poet, and I feel like I just connect with the way she writes.”

Lewis said she was particularly drawn to “The World Is About to End, and My Grandparents Are in Love” because of its message of enduring love during uncertain times. Written during the COVID era, the poem reflects on the idea of the world ending while love continues.

“It talks about how the love of this perspective’s grandparents is never-ending,” Lewis said. “It’s an illusion of how the world is supposedly ending, and I really like the message of how her grandparents are still in love with each other, even in the face of possible death.”

Her second poem, “Anthem for My Belly After Eating Too Much,” held a different but equally powerful meaning. Lewis said the poem resonated with her because it addresses body insecurity in a way that is both honest and relatable.

“There’s this one line,” Lewis said. “‘My belly, a country I’m trying to love. My mouth is a lover devoted to you, my belly, my belly.’ It’s a really beautiful way to share that insecurity of your body.”

Lewis explained that while the poem may initially seem humorous, its message becomes more meaningful upon closer reading. “At first, you kind of laugh because it feels immature, like my ‘belly’,” she said. “But then it feels really relatable. Food is fuel, and I can’t change that about my body. It felt very powerful to a younger version of myself.”

This year, Lewis focused more intentionally on her performance technique, particularly her tone and emphasis. “I really worked with Mrs. Dominic to work on my tone and emphasis on words this year,” she said. “I kind of have just been winging it for the past two years, so this year I really tried to focus on what I can do better.”

Despite her experience in theater, Lewis said Poetry Out Loud still pushes her outside her comfort zone. “I’m always scared to perform,” she said. “It’s different from drama because when you’re on stage as a character, you’re playing someone else. Poetry Out Loud is Dian Lewis saying it.”

Lewis encouraged future participants to choose poems that truly speak to them, even if the audience reaction feels uncomfortable. “There’s always going to be people who are kind of mean in the audience, laughing or joking,” she said. “Poetry is a weird medium, and people cope with that awkwardness through laughter. But you should read what you want.”

Senior Astrid Barnett-Davis earned first place after performing “We Are Not Responsible” by Harriet Mullen and “Tomorrow” by Dennis O’Driscoll. Barnett-Davis said she first discovered “We Are Not Responsible” her freshman year and felt its message was especially relevant today.

“I think it has a very important message, especially in this day and age,” she said. “With everything that’s happening with immigration, that poem in particular is really important.”

Barnett-Davis said she focused on delivering her poems naturally, emphasizing pauses rather than dramatic movement. “I tried to deliver them more like I’m thinking of them in the moment,” she said. In terms of her physical performance, Barnett-Davis decided to cut back on gestures: “I don’t really like hand gestures because I feel like they’re distracting.”

Due to Barnett-Davis winning our schoolwide competition, she continued on to the county competition. Competing at the county level pushed her outside her comfort zone due to the unfamiliar environment and judges. “It was very different from the schoolwide competition,” Barnett-Davis said. “Being in the art museum and performing in front of judges I didn’t know was definitely a new experience.”

Reflecting on her success, Barnett-Davis credited poem selection and preparation. “I think the poems worked together in a way that went well,” she said. “Absolutely knowing my poems helped me focus on delivery rather than worrying about messing up.”

This year’s Poetry Out Loud competition highlighted the power of poetry as a form of self-expression, storytelling, and social awareness. Through thoughtful poem selection and emotional honesty, Morro Bay High School students transformed memorized words into performances that resonated far beyond the stage.