Peek into the mind of a student who considers artistic influences in her life.

When Instagram becomes an unsightly battlefield.

Using dialogue and detailed description, this poet investigates whose voices are heard and whose voices are left behind when injustice occurs.

The stunning and vulnerable poem processes feelings of loss, grief, and hope for the future.

One student explores their online persona and the lasting importance of conscientious social media practices.

A compilation of letters written by three students across one city filled with thoughts on books, sports, music, family, and musings on Valentine’s Day.

A story about how Marcus becomes Marcela.

In this poem, a student reflects on their first encounter with forced assimilation.

A writer implores people to get outside and touch grass because you never know what you might find!

Full of exquisite imagery, this poem explores the idea of second chances.

Through redefining a label, a student reclaims a piece of their identity.

A student reflects on memories of home and what binds her special community together.

A poem about the complexity of love exchanged during the holidays.

A student explores the paradox of how technology is used amongst teenagers.

A personal essay that explores the different shades of the Black Lives Matter movement.

This poem uses analogies to describe all of the pieces of the writer's personal history.

This poet rejects judgement based on the color of one’s skin.

A student is lifted up by the dance of her ancestors.

Even though we may look different, we remain united with one another.

A soccer-filled, feud-fueled memoir.

Liner notes that showcase the meaning and musicality of the Jimmy Ruffin song “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted.”

A bilingual "I am" poem filled with conviction and courage.

A student reflects on the fear and wonder of becoming a mother.

Living in the digital world can create unwanted attachments, as one student laments.

This poem uses a fundamental poetry technique, repetition, to share the writer's future plans.

In this letter from the Essential Words lesson, a sophomore at South High School in Minneapolis gives thanks to Children’s Hospital employees.

A student reflects on his life, stemming from the life of his father.

A student recounts the epic highs and lows of high school track and cross country.

A poem about staying true to yourself during a challenging transition

A poet imagines a better and more harmonious world.

From the forthcoming anthology, Poets in Revolt!, this poem expresses the realization that a cage is not the only obstacle to a bird's freedom.

A memoir that questions the idea of home and how it changes with time.

From the forthcoming anthology, Poets in Revolt!, this poem reminds activists that "to change everything, we need everyone."

In this heartfelt exchange of letters, two students bond over food, videos games, and some scary adventures.

This narrative calls us to see the world through the perspectives of others.

A student recalls their journey on how they discovered their LGBTQIA+ identity.

Smells swirl about a student walking around an ice cream shop.

A student writes to a grandmother she never met.

In this compelling poem, the author navigates her relationship with America as a young African-American woman.

This narrative piece contemplates the struggle of immigrants during the pandemic.

In this poem, a student reflects on their roots and their desire to grow.

The written word is a powerful tool, and this poem shares a few reasons why the author continues to write.

A student looks back on their first day of kindergarten and how they've changed.

A rousing public narrative from an author coming to terms with their identity as a young Chinese American woman and what they represent: the community of Boston's Chinatown.

This poem personifies Earth as a mother coping with the brutalities of climate change.

A beautiful ode to home and self.

This poem gives insight to what it's like growing up Black in America.

From the forthcoming anthology, Poets in Revolt!, this poem explores the aftermath and lasting impacts of school shootings.

In an exchange of letters, three students across one city share stories about where they came from and the places that matter most.

This creative short horror piece explores the mysteries and danger of a night in the woods.

A student reflects on how her relationship's with her parents has influenced her life.

A poet relates her experience as a queer woman in the closet to a peacock in the zoo.

A powerful poem that lifts up Black women.

A student reflects on the memories they made while backpacking.

Black strength, beauty, and pride soar in this poem as a student discusses overcoming brutality and discrimination.

Crawfish, crayfish, or mudbugs. Whatever you call them, the writer of this poem doesn't like them.

Two students across one city bond by writing letters to each other about the people they love most.

The power of public speaking shines through this student's memoir.

A student considers realistic happy endings and the representation of LGBTQIA+ youth through the analysis of two webcomics.

In this poem, metaphor is used to describe who the narrator is.

A student compellingly argues that immigrants deserve respect and to be free of discrimination.

A neighborhood ode filled with sights and sounds of the poet's street.

A student tells the story of how his family has influenced his life.

A bilingual poem that expresses the love of one's culture and people

This piece reminds us that a smile is not always what it seems.

A student reflects on her origins to deconstruct social borders and seize her boundless future.

In this poem, a student’s experiences in two countries meld together as she seeks out her true home.

This creative narrative imagines how the coronavirus views humanity during the pandemic.

A poem to the next president of the U.S. demanding change and advocating for transgender rights.

In this memoir, the narrator recounts the struggle of being the bigger person in a very small space.

An author reflects on their correspondence with their friend from the past.

In this letter from the Essential Words lesson, 10th grader Tala asks essential workers what motivates them to keep going during these difficult times, offering her own views on hope for the future.

In this narrative, the author uses vibrant language to explore their identity, in all its complexity, through different landscapes.

A student explores gratitude and love through sharing food.

In this poem, an echoing question strikes a chord and reveals the tragic loss held within systemic injustice.

This poem uses metaphors and similes to explore many dualities of the narrator's life.

Discover what one student experiences when they tuck their phone away for a whole day.

A poet demonstrates their devotion to love.

In this public narrative, a student illustrates the hardships his uncle has faced to argue for a path to citizenship.

A student describes how volunteering saved him from his online prison.

In this essay, a student threads their identity across cultures, histories, and places, engaging with legacies of violence and the movement of people.

A family interview reveals a mother's painful past and shines a light on her persistence.

In this rousing poem, a student asserts her strength and worth as a woman.

A freshman describes their first day of school on their own.

A student reflects on a small moment and single sacrifice that transformed her outlook on giving.

This student’s powerful piece reveals the essence of racial injustice.

This personal narrative addresses the struggles of students graduating high school during the pandemic.

In this public narrative, a student makes the case for creating community change by building youth centers in her neighborhood.

A student compares themself to the place they live, New Orleans, as both evolve through great obstacles.

In this poem, a student describes their family origins with an intimate point of view

Two students write to each other about where they came from, what they love, and a few mishaps along the way in an exchange of letters.

This bilingual poem explores the harrowing story of a boy working while in school to save his mother.

A powerful poetic piece about the experience of being Black in America.