Having no background in Urdu poetry, she started reciting her work at open mic events. “My inspiration is life and I think poetry is something that comes to you unannounced,” remarked Mudita.

It was never theirs to begin with . . . they came and took it and now it is taken back . . .that much anyone can see . . . it’s self-evident . . . no further ...

“Poetry allowed me to share my story the way ... It’s for white people, it’s for anyone whose concept of self-identity is so important. My vulnerability can easily help people begin that ...

Questions of identity ... the poems are either too blunt or too metaphoric, lacking a final emotional punch. Vulnerable but also distanced, descriptive yet alienating, emotional yet self ...

Jennae Cecelia imagines that meeting her 15-year-old self for coffee would be a cathartic experience, even if her younger self would probably show up late, wearing sweatpants. “She lets out a ...

A Windsor High School junior will take his demanding stage presence to a national audience, performing poetry that speaks to his identity as a person of color ... come in handy for the real world, ...

For Cecelia, writing the poem was a way for her to embody “my present self meeting back up with my past self and be the person for her that she didn’t have at that time.” She said she has ...