Literature for All of Us

Poems

Poetry is a valuable literacy tool and a critical part of our program. Poetry provides a way for young people to develop writing and critical thinking skills, and gain confidence. It is an effective way for connecting with issues that are important to teens. They use poetry as a mouthpiece to express their views about society, making them feel more empowered as citizens.

We celebrate the voices of young people through published poetry anthologies and public poetry readings. Making their writing and voices public is a meaningful and empowering experience for them that makes literacy irresistible.

The Road I Am Walking
by DeEricka, age 17

I am walking towards the future,
not looking back at the past.
Focused on my life ahead
'cause I have grown up too fast.

I am walking towards my dreams
that I plan to make come true;
although it requires a lot of hard work
for me to do what I have to do.

I am walking towards the sky
as crazy as that sounds.
But the only way to go is up
when you're coming from the ground.

I am walking towards the horizon,
that's as far as I can see.
I am walking towards the future,
walking towards a better me.

Click on the links below to read more poetry from Book Group participants:

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"I shared a poem that I wrote about my cousin who lets her man beat her, and when my cousin read the poem she cried because she knows I care about her, and to this day she is not with him."

— student, Illinois Department of Human Services, Teen Parent Services Program

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