Kiera Valente ’13 | Staff Writer

Walking through Caribou’s door on a Tuesday night, one might notice signs taped to tables warning customers that the room is reserved at 6:30 p.m. for the poetry workshop hosted by English teacher Harry Campion.

Campion hosts the poetry workshop with former student Tom Budday ’99, he said.

“It was after he started coming back and wanting to work with the students that we looked for a more neutral location so students could be more open,” Campion said.

Budday graduated from Grosse Pointe South in 1999 and is currently working on earning his teaching degree at Wayne State University, he said. He is expected to graduate December 2014.

“I have been writing poetry ever since I was in Campion’s class,” said Budday. “One day I came back to say ‘Hi’ and he asked me to present some poetry to the class. We decided to start doing it on a regular basis.”

The poetry workshop used to take place on Monday nights, however, the meetings will now shift to Tuesday at Caribou at 6:30 p.m., Campion said.

“I enjoy going because I get to trade different ideas with many different people who I normally don’t get to talk to,” said April Minetola ’13.

At the workshop, students are given a prompt to write about and then are given the option to share it will the group or just listen, Campion said.

“We start out with a prompt to get the poetry ball rolling,” said Campion. “Some say they didn’t get anything from the prompt and others get really excited; the prompt sparked something for them and it becomes something bigger.”

After students share their responses, everyone is open to share other things they’ve been working on, Campion said.

“People are usually developing something,” said Campion. “We ask who else has something to share and we give feedback on works in progress.”

This year there are around ten students who show up each week for the workshop, Campion said. They are always looking for new people to show up and everyone is welcome.

“The workshop is really fun and I feel really productive when I’m there,” said Annalise Bissa’13. “I get a lot of writing done. And I think the practice makes you a better writer.”

Students do not have to be in creative writing in order to attend the poetry workshop, all students are welcome, Campion said.

“We try to have a very open atmosphere; kids of all social circles are welcome,” said Budday. “You don’t have to be a good writer to come. The whole point of the workshop is supposed to help writers grow.”

For interested students, there will be a poetry slam Tuesday, Feb. 5at Grosse Pointe Public Library the Ewald Branch, Campion said. Visit Campion in Room 293 for more information.