From December 1–12, poet and teaching artist Phillip Shabazz led a powerful poetry residency with 7th grade students at Chatham Middle School, guiding students through the craft of writing, the courage of self-expression, and the belief that words matter.
“The pen is mightier than the sword. What does that mean?” He asked the students on the first day.
“Well, I’m thinking it could mean something like words can be a way to fight back or words can be powerful.” one student replied.
Mr. Shabazz starting snapping his fingers after that response and the class giggled.
The poetry residency was about more than just words that rhyme. It was about words that matter! Students wrote about life experiences that were sometimes hard to hear. One student wrote about the death of her grandmother and remembering her favorite smell was that of an orange. One student wrote about his dad having to work to make sure there was food on the table. One student wrote about loving her home but worrying that it could be taken because of recent things happening in the world.
Throughout the residency, Mr. Shabazz introduced students to foundational poetic elements including lines, stanzas, verses, rhythm, meaning, and message all while demystifying the writing process. When students asked how many books he had written, he smiled and replied, “I don’t know… five or so.” When asked how he wrote a book, his answer was simple and honest: “Lots of hard work.” He shared that it took him about a year and a half to write one book, and that he first realized he loved poetry back in 4th grade, in Mrs. Wize’s class, a reminder that writers are often born in classrooms just like theirs.
Each day, students worked through a poetry workbook, gradually building confidence and skill. Early sessions relied on starters and templates, allowing students to experiment by filling in words and short phrases. As the week progressed, scaffolds fell away, and by the end of the residency, students were writing full, original poems that were bold, reflective, and deeply personal. By the conclusion of the week, each student had written between four and ten poems.
When students struggled, Mr. Shabazz would give 1-1 support. “Girl, you know you have things up there you want to say. I believe in you.” He sat down beside the student and would ask probing questions to help pull the words from their minds onto the paper. After seeing this interaction one young teacher said, “He has a way with them. It is magical. I am learning this week too.” These residencies are for the teachers and the students. Our hope is that teachers will also see that the arts can be a new way for students to learn that can tap into students’ creativity and passions. “I have never seen them so engaged.”
One student came in on the fourth day and said, “My mom said that she really loved the poem I wrote, but today I need to write about something funny because she don’t want to cry again.” The student was beaming with pride telling Mr. Shabazz about his families’ reaction to his work the day prior. “My mom made me call my grandma and read her my poem.” another student said. The students were proud of their work.
The residency culminated in a poetry slam held in the school gym, where students shared their work in front of their entire grade level. The gym buzzed with nervous energy as students clutched their papers, waited for the microphone to be adjusted, and took deep breaths before reading aloud. Then, one by one, they stepped forward.
For thirty minutes, the audience heard hopeful words, defiant words, grieving words, and dreaming words. Students wrote about family, loss, fear, courage, the environment, work, faith, and the future. Lines lingered in the air:
“Sometimes the rain reminds me about happy moments like with my friends… or sad moments like when my six-month-old puppy died.”
“I dream a world so beautiful—no pollution, no problems, no conflict.”
“Your voice matters.”
“Be brave enough to encourage other people to be brave.”
Hundreds of eyes watched and hundreds of ears listened as students did something incredibly brave: they stood up and shared their own words aloud.
Afterward, the relief was palpable. “I can’t believe I did that,” one student said. Another shared, “My mom is going to be really proud of me.” What students gained went far beyond poetry skills. They practiced public speaking, literacy, self-reflection, and—most importantly—courage.
Mr. Shabazz’s residency reminded students that poetry is not just something you study, it’s something you live, feel, and use to make sense of the world. His high expectations, constant encouragement, and deep belief in the power of words created a space where students felt seen, heard, and capable.
This residency is one of many steps toward a larger vision: bringing meaningful, artist-led experiences to every school in Chatham County Schools. Experiences like this show what is possible when students are given tools, trust, and the invitation to be brave.
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