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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

A student reflects on the memories they made while backpacking.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When Instagram becomes an unsightly battlefield.

A poem about staying true to yourself during a challenging transition

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

A poet imagines a better and more harmonious world.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A powerful poem that lifts up Black women.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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