WENDELL - The media center was dark. The poets dressed in black and a jazz trio played while the audience snapped their fingers as applause for the poetry.

This was Wendell Middle School's poetry jam - part of a book fair and literacy night event in which parents could chose three sessions from six offerings including the poetry jam designed to help their children excel in literacy.

"This night is to bring families together to celebrate a love of poetry and learning," said media specialist Linda Dextre, who planned the poetry jam.

Students waited on tables and offered the audience free coffee, soft drinks and cookies while Christian Fairley,15, played the keyboard, Derrick Wiggins, 13, beat the drums and R.J. Putney blew his sax, as a backdrop for the poetry.

"As the wind goers by the branches sway. The bushes rustle and the flowers lay. ...," read Nyasia Ingram, 12. Ingram also read a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Each of the nine poets performing read their own work and the work of a poet.

Ingram comes by poetry easily and likes to write poetry.

"When I was in the shower, I made up a poem about washing my hair," said Ingram. "I wanted to present my poetry to somebody else. My parents enjoy it when I read it to them, so I decided to read in the poetry jam.

Dextre said jitters ran high.

"They were so nervous the first time out," she said. "I told them, 'You've written a poem. That's something to be proud of. Go out there and be proud.'"

Kenrick Mekoba who read a poem he wrote about college said he loves to read poetry. His favorite poem is Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken."

"College is a day for higher education," read Mekoba, "that every human being wants in this nation. A place to feel like you're free and let me be me. ..."

"The jam motivated me to be able to speak out on the poetry that I have," said Mekoba. "I enjoyed reading it."

Seventh grader Destiny Thomas, 13, read "My Life of Terribleness."

"My life of terribleness is always going to be like this I can sing, cry laugh at all. But nothing is going to change my life at all. ..."

The crowd snapped their fingers.

Jada Flemming read a rhyming poem about three pigs that belonged to a bowling team and the Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes' "I Dream a World."

Caylon Stokes wrote about the cycle of life in her poem "Life." "It's fun to write poetry," said Stokes, who has been writing verse since second grade. "It makes me feel good."

"It's a good way for her to express her feelings," said her mother Shannon Woodson of Wendell.

Putney took a break from the sax to read his poetry.

"I like the rhythm of it," he said. "I also like the deeper meaning." His favorite poet is Frost.

"If he had all his poems right here, I'd probably read them in a day," he said.

Principal Mary Castleberry said the literacy event combined with the book fair was an opportunity for parents to get involved in their children's learning. The evening started at 5:30 with a hot dog dinner. Parents registered for classes that ranged from EOG prep, vocabulary instruction, help with reading comprehension and reading aloud and the poetry jam. Castleberry said participants got a chance to buy raffle tickets for a number of donated items and a corn hole game made by students. Proceeds will go to buy military families care baskets. The project is an extension of one the school undertook at Christmas time when students raised $5,000 to buy items for military families.

Hope Mekoba, 12, liked her first poetry jam.

"I enjoyed the poems," she said. "It's nice to see how brave people are to get up there and read in front of everyone."