By all metrics, this year’s Belmont Hill Poetry Fest was impressive. Twelve finalists performed this year, from Form I all the way up to Form V; each chose a remarkably varied assortment of poems, which, all in all, made for an enjoyable festival. From a range of old classics to some surprising selections, each student clearly put a good deal of effort into preparing for the day. The panel of judges then had to make an incredibly difficult decision: choosing the winners from such a talented group based on their performance. At the end of the day, four students were awarded a Distinctive Recitation: Alex Chen, Max Bushey, Krish Chandar, and Finn Davis. Congratulations to all. Representing Form V were Alex Chen and Jake Ma. Chen’s spoken-word choice, “Anonymous” by Luka Lesson, was modern and powerful; a selection he performed with utmost fluidity. In contrast, Ma offered a reading that is classic by any standard: a passage from Virgil’s The Aeneid in John Dryden’s translation. Form IV also boasted two strong performances: Andrew Agular recited a lesser-known Edgar Allen Poe poem, “For Annie,” a pleasant shift from Poe’s typical dark, macabre themes; Will Greenhill opted for a more unique approach, performing “DeAnn’s Denim” by country singer Zach Bryan, with lyrics that turned out to suit the Poetry Fest contest well. If one form stood out above all else at this year’s festival, it would have to be Form III, whose students grabbed three out of the four Distinctive Recitation awards. Max Bushey performed “Dulce et Decorum Est,” a challenging World War I poem by Wilfred Owen that has a long and prominent history; Bushey performed it effectively. Krish Chandar selected “Unashamed,” by Harry Baker, a rhythm-driven spoken-word piece requiring a precise, rhythmic performer. Finn Davis performed the incredibly long and fast-paced poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, which he carried off with aplomb. Tadhg O’Sullivan closed out the group with “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, another dramatic war poem that he performed with much zeal. Forms II and I also had great performances. Yafet Alemseged performed the short, but always poignant, sonnet “Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley. John Brady took the most iconic of all Henry V’s speeches, St. Crispin’s Day, and made it feel genuine by delivering it with heart. Representing Form I was Jeb Strohacker, who chose “The Heart of the Tree,” by Henry Cuyler Bunner, followed by Ryan Connors with “The End of the Visit,” by David Woo. All in all, the 2026 Poetry Festival was truly engaging and rewarding. It is always exciting to see such passion for poetry among students across all forms at Belmont Hill, and their courage in presenting before the whole school. Congratulations again to Alex Chen, Max Bushey, Krish Chandar, and Finn Davis, and to all twelve participants.
