Alondra Bodadilla
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — April is National Poetry Month.
The Academy of American Poets established the recognition back in 1996 to raise awareness and appreciation of poetry.
Alondra Bobadilla was named Boston's first-ever Youth Poet Laureate back in 2020.
While she no longer holds that position, she leads writing workshops for young people. "I always liked reading and writing growing up," she said.
But she was also frustrated that she wasn't able to express her emotions the way she wanted until she discovered poetry. "I feel like poetry was a creative way of being able to break down my thoughts into simple form to get a little more creative about my emotional exploration," Bobadilla said.
Calling it the power of poetry, Bobadilla said creative expression can be a powerful tool for young people to examine their feelings around important issues while using their voices to have a social impact.
She said teenagers have a lot to say, and poetry helps them say it. "I feel like teenagers have a lot of emotions, they have a lot of things to say, and I feel like this is one of the best ways to say it."
Bobadilla is the author of a collection of confessional-styled poems and journals entitled “With Clipped Wings” which was published in June of 2021.
WBZ News Radio's Carl Stevens (@CarlWBZ) reports.