SOLVED. YA novel, modern day, somewhere in the South. Possibly the Carolinas. About a group of students who are forced to take part of a summer poetry class as community service for burning down a Poet's house/barn. The class is taught by that Poet. [s]

[Kayla]

The POV character is a girl, I think it was 1st person. The title might have had something to do with "star/s". The author described the poet as "what if the South had someone as influential as Robert Frost." There's another character who ditches the class but is hinted to have some more meaning behind the scenes. They all get a greater appreciation for poetry and the world around them. Read around 2016/7 so probably published sometime around then, maybe a little earlier.

[Becca]

The Language of Stars by Louise Hawes

[Kayla]

Yes! Thank you so much