How often do you get to read poetry from the brain of a real teen? Everyone reads young adult books, but they’re written by adults so here’s your chance to read poetry from a teen, expressing themself. My work is inspired by prompts given to me by mentors or random thoughts and questions I have about life.
Visual Poetry
To Those Who Hide in Words
This project sums up the type of writing I typically read and write myself. It is meant to be suspenseful and vague, which is why the words are so limited. I like giving the reader a lot of space to interpret my work in ways that are unique to them, which is why details about the characters and setting are not specified.
The Science of Silence: An Exploration of the Absence of Sound
In a Halloween-esque manner, this poem explores silence, ritualistic elements of insomnia, and isolation. What it means, however, is up to you to interpret.
Part One of Thirteen of 13 Ways of Looking at Being Female-Bodied
I sat in Port with my legs curled up on the floor, leaning up against my bunk bed.
Scars
Acne is not permanent; it will go away eventually. But there are also scars that can’t go away—they stay with you forever. In my piece, I decided to elaborate on this concept by explaining that not all scars can disappear, but we have the opportunity to embrace them, love ourselves for who we are as human beings, and not let society dictate our beauty.
You are found guilty for your lies. Death Sentence From Truth is Punishment.
As a teenager grows into adulthood they begin to understand the consequences of their words. They no longer have bliss, and the people around them continue to remind them of it.
codetry
We have used computer code as a form for poetry that also reinforces its content. By deploying functions and conditionals to drive narrative, we interrogate the value of art vs. other modes of expression.
Bee
On a warm spring’s day, I walked down the street and I saw a bee. I wondered what other functions it had besides pollinating.
The Human Stages of Life
A collection of poems, letters and photographs detailing what it’s like to go through the five stages of human life—childhood, adolescence, adulthood, aging and death—from the perspective of a young girl.
‘Twas Not The Angel On My Shoulder
A riddle in the form of a poem and an answer in the form of flash fiction.
A Generational Blessing
Oftentimes I tend to focus on generational curses, the bad traits I’ve received from my family. My piece reflects on this and the generational blessings passed down.
the body: an examination
This poem comes from a page of “The Power to be Affected,” a philosophy essay by Michael Hardt. It is a work that first resonated with me at age 14.
Lover
This poem depicts a dysfunctional relationship in which the protagonist feels constricted by the person they love, but nevertheless wants to be with them. The color schemes and backgrounds used heighten the emotional complexity as well as the aesthetic of the piece. This poem was inspired by many books I have read in which the characters have an unusual romantic relationship, and I wanted to show the intricacy of the emotions the characters feel.
Erasures of Star-Spangled Banner & Lift Every Voice
These pieces are erasures of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the national black anthem. My mentor gave me prompts to erase both of them, side by side, after noticing the differences between them.
Armed Allegiance
My erasure poem “Armed Allegiance” represents the immigrant experience. I moved from Mexico to America when I was young, and I know how hard it is to adapt to a new place. The Naturalization Oath is important to me because it reflects the sacrifices my parents made to give me more opportunities in life. I know many undocumented immigrants dream of becoming U.S. citizens and see it as the ultimate achievement. I also wanted this poem to convey how important it is for me to make my parents proud and show them that their hard work was worth it.