Amani Shroff

  

Volume 9 | Issue I | March 2025

Carlmont High School ’26

California, USA

  

I still remember the first time I stumbled upon a Silvia Plath poem at my local library. The raw intensity of her language, the unapologetic power of her words, and the emotional grip she had on her readers left me spellbound. Reading Ariel completely transformed my understanding of feminism. If a single poem could shake my perspective, I began to wonder: what kind of impact could feminist poetry have on the world? I started with the suffragette movement, tracing its evolution into modern feminist poetry. When the opportunity arose to write a research paper, I focused on how poetry serves as a powerful tool for communication and change that enables women to challenge existing structures and claim space in literary and political discourse. However, I was determined to see beyond the gilded reality that early feminist poetry was not without its racial and class limitations. Through a vigorous examination of various poems, I discovered how modern feminist poetry has slowly shattered these boundaries, becoming a space of expression that is accessible to a far more diverse range of women. By studying feminist poetry, I was able to study the voices, struggles, and resilience of women throughout history. The Schola has been crucial in my research journey, providing invaluable feedback to progress and deepen my study. Beyond academia, I find joy in brainstorming jokes with my dad, experimenting in the kitchen with my family, and losing my voice at concerts – each a different form of expression that, in its own way, connects me to the world around me.