The Warren Baird English Symposium at Kingswood Oxford is known for its wide selection of notable authors, poets, and playwrights. Each of the remarkable writers that offer KO words of wisdom and great perspectives leave their mark on the school. This year’s Symposium author, Tracy K. Smith, brought forth clarity and a beacon of hope to the KO community.
Initially scheduled for Friday, Jan. 7, Ms. Smith’s visit was postponed due to a rise in COVID-19 cases and pandemic concerns. The excitement for her arrival, however, did not subside. As taught by 2019 Symposium playwright Sarah Ruhl, who also postponed her visit, patience is a virtue. Although disappointed, students were able to genuinely reflect on the importance of Ms. Smith’s work and message.
On Tuesday, Feb. 8, Ms. Smith was excitedly welcomed to campus. The Symposium assembly began with a speech by English Department Chair Catherine Scheffelin. She applauded the various creative avenues that Senior Symposium students took throughout the semester to connect with Ms. Smith and her work. In their artistic interpretations, students were able to capture Ms. Smith’s energy and share it with the entire community.
Senior Symposium students Ashley Taffe and Stella Risinger introduced the 39th Symposium author to the assembly, sharing their thoughts on her poetry and the various activities performed in their Symposium classes. They spoke genuinely and kindly of her craft and her life story.
During her speech, Ms. Smith started with her poem, “Mothership.” She spoke of its connection to her friend, poet Kamilah Aisha Moon, who lost her mother in 2020. Ms. Smith said this poem arose from a search for peace in difficult times in her life. This peace and “glimmer of joy” came from the thought that their mothers would be together.
Throughout her speech, Ms. Smith read many other poems, from “Gospel” to “After Persephone.” Her voice and expression emphasized the importance of her poetry to students. Before each reading, Ms. Smith provided context for each poem. She discussed the ideas that shaped her writing process and the message she wanted to convey through her writings. Her perspective on various topics, from politics to relationships, was shared.
Her take on confidence when faced with criticism was one of passion and inspiration. She emphasized the importance of taking criticism and remaining true to the values and message of poetry. “Praise is great, and in the same way criticism is subjective and not always to be trusted, praise is the same way,” she said. “Finding a way to make this life of writing one that is not rooted in praise and ego-aggrandizement but submissive to what you feel is important, I found to be a healthy direction.”
Ms. Smith closed her assembly by answering questions from the audience. Her last thoughts centered on the idea of writing about personal experiences and the ability to be vulnerable. “I wanted to be honest about my experience of loss, my experience of adolescence, becoming comfortable with a body that doesn’t feel like your body, big experiences, love or heartbreak, conflict within a family that usually we hide from other people,” she said. “I know how much I have been helped by learning from others’ experiences.”
Symposium Teacher Mela Frye thought that Ms. Smith’s visit had a profound impact on the community. She chose Ms. Smith as this year’s Symposium author because she wanted to bring in a poet who could work for the entire Symposium class in terms of students being able to connect with and learn from her writing, and one who would allow students to study more than one genre of writing. Additionally, considering the Black Lives Matter movement and the discussions around race in the summer of 2020, Mrs. Frye felt it was essential to find an individual who could accurately and authentically have conversations about race. Through her poetry, Ms. Smith shared her perspective about being a Black woman in the United States. Lastly, Mrs. Frye wanted a poet to visit because it had been 20 years since the last poet visited KO. By considering all these factors, Mrs. Frye carefully selected Tracy K. Smith.
Ms. Smith was indeed the perfect choice. “I think she radiates wisdom and warmth,” Mrs. Frye said. “I love how she treated the students’ questions very seriously and earnestly. I thought she gave excellent advice about being a writer.” Mrs. Frye thought Ms. Smith’s Symposium visit was the highlight of the school year, and she was surely not alone in this thought.
Senior Symposium student Caroline Boardman believed meeting Ms. Smith was a surreal experience. “To have her talk about her work gave her writing a whole new meaning,” she said. “I really enjoyed Smith’s work because it was very creative. She used a lot of familiar metaphors and concepts but took them a step further, so they felt new.”
Following Ms. Smith’s remarks to the Upper School, she later addressed the Middle School and offered an optional Q&A meeting. This Q&A session was led by student facilitators who prompted Ms. Smith with reflective questions. Among the students, senior Symposium student Charlotte Mandell, like many others, found the entire Symposium experience to be incredible. “Smith was well-spoken,” she said. “She had a very interesting philosophy on life. She seemed to have a very in-depth understanding of growing up and the twists and turns of life. It was so wonderful to see her inspire so many students.”
This year’s Symposium impacted students immensely and provided them with a rich, new perspective. Ms. Smith’s craft was a unique blessing to the KO community, and her remarks were one of genius. Mrs. Frye, Symposium students, and the rest of the KO community will continue to feel the presence of Ms. Smith and her work for much time to come. “Having her visit was the culmination of a really beautiful journey,” Mrs. Frye said. “I feel really blessed that I got to go through this experience.”
