How a poetry assignment helped this Hamilton high school student to love her own name
'When you sit down to write something, there is a magical process that happens': teacher
For Hamilton student Jena Tawfiq, a Grade 10 poetry assignment turned into a process of self discovery and a memorable family experience.
Tawfiq was one of several Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School students who performed their work at CBC Hamilton for Sounds of the Season, an annual holiday event in support of Hamilton Food Share.
Tawfiq read one of two poems she wrote this fall for teacher Sarah Cobden's English class.
One poem was about her name. When she first started writing, "it did not feel like it was me," she told CBC Hamilton.
The poem starts: "My name is not me. Jena Mohammad Qasem Mohammad Tawfiq Sa'eed Hamdan. Jena is my sister's hand-me-down. The others are my dad, and his dad, and his dad, and so on."
The more she wrote, the more her opinion changed.
"I realized my name really connects me. It's like my family and my culture, my ancestors. It described me a lot more than I thought it did."
WATCH: Student poets from Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School perform at CBC Hamilton
As someone who likes to know "everything about myself," this realization "shook me a bit," Tawfiq said. "I had to take a step back and when I got back to writing, I started loving [my name] even more. … I can be proud of it now."
The poem describes herself as a girl "messy with flaws" who at the same time is also a "warrior," an "activist" and her "ancestors."
Not only has it helped her embrace her name, it also led to a special family moment.
When she first read her poem about her name to her mom, she started crying. Then Tawfiq's mom showed it to co-workers and relatives.
"My aunt and my grandma started crying as well. So I thought it was very heartwarming to see how that brought my family together."
Students learned from Hamilton You Poets
This was Tawfiq's first time writing and presenting poetry. Part of how Cobden's students learned was by doing a workshop with Hamilton You Poets, several members of which also performed at Sounds of the Season.
"I feel like poetry is something that often gets overlooked [in high school]," Cobden said. "I wanted to focus on it more intentionally."
Like Tawfiq, other students wrote a poem about their name and one about what they consider the best food. Cobden said food as a theme "works well with imagery as a literary device. We can draw from the five senses," Cobden said.
Cobden encouraged students to pick something important to their family or culture.
'A magical process'
For Tawfiq, that food was Tim Hortons peppermint hot chocolate. Her poem about it details the experience of going to the drive through and burning your tongue on the first sip — something Tawfiq said she does every time.
It also tells the story of a family taking a trip together to look at Christmas lights. Tawfiq said her mom was raised Catholic but her dad is Muslim and growing up, she didn't celebrate Christmas as much. Despite that, she said, it's become her favourite holiday.
"I didn't think I'd have that deep of a connection to anything to do with Christmas. But then I realized it reminded me of my mom's side of the family and how much my family's changed since we moved here."
Cobden said writing is a process of discovery.
"When you sit down to write something, there is a magical process that happens where you don't control the outcome. I think wonderful things come from that," she said.
In addition to poetry performances, Sounds of the Season also saw community support for Hamilton Food Share.
Ashley Mitchell, the charity's resource development manager, told attendees that the need for food this year is "deep and it's intensifying."
In Hamilton, and around Ontario, people who never needed emergency food aid before are turning to food banks now.
She said fewer donors are giving and there's a need for more government support.
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