VOICES

Introduction Jacqueline Winokur	Front Cover Artwork Lauren Buckman	Back Cover Artwork Lauren Buckman
Writing Poets sometimes take as the subject of their work poetry itself. Poems in this category reflect on sources of inspiration, the craft of writing, the relationship or meaning of poetry to the poet. These are self-conscious poets, writers reflecting on writing, exploring and using their imaginations at one and the same time. Here are five young poets sharing their insights about writing.
Gifts of Poetry Jeanne Kleinberg	To Inspire Theresa Doyle	The Writer Erin Betters
Teach the Teacher Michael Gilman	Projects Page	Visionary Images Melissa Kurkoski

Seasonal Images A favorite subject of poets is nature, in particular, the passage of the seasons. Here we have eight poets who trace the pattern of seasons from images of autumn through the year to the following Indian summer. We see the passage of the seasons in fresh, vivid images-autumn leaves signifying the birth of too-soon snow, seagulls poking at fish like children at spinach, houses christened with frost, ice melting like gold in a furnace, bashful buds bursting forth, golden rays shining pathways from heaven, the birth of a summer sunset, and lime leaves turned lemon. These young poets have captured the essence of the seasons in images and metaphors that surprise and delight us. We see the familiar in new ways thanks to their visions.
Images of Autumn Bethany Scholes	My Place Gennie Wermuth	Winter Allison Glansberg
Ice David Keay	Rebirth Tara Healey	Hope Mary Nagle
Summer Sunsets Anne Funderburk	Projects Page	Indian Summer Ashly Hanna
Whimsy The thirteen poems in this category share with us a whimsical, humorous look at the world. They treat their subjects in fresh, imaginative ways, and many of them resonate musically. Often the rhythm or rhyme of the language contributes to the whimsy. Many of these young poets are writing in the beloved tradition of Shel Silverstein, learning from a master of whimsical, humorous verse.
Fairy Tales Stephanie Hitchings	Daydream Danny Somers	Rabbit Hopper Soup Sarah Barker
My Room is a Mess Nicholas Combs	Quilts Lindsay Lincoln	The Thing In My Attic Dylan Weiss
Time Traveller Ryan Noonan	Ladyslippers Scott Shanahan	Still Sick Cassandra Columb
Taste Buds Ryan McNamara	Peanut Butter Nicholas Verrochi	Imagine Edward Cook & Colin Hecht
Projects Page	A Barn of a Different Color Melissa McCabe	Projects Page
Sadness The poet Georgia Heard recommends that we find our authentic voices in those special, personal places where we care deeply about our subjects. In tapping into inner voices and authentic feelings, poets often face their pain, sorrow, anger, or loss. They express their fears and anguish in language that reaches out to all of us and reminds us of our own sadness. Poetry speaks with a universal language and power, and these eleven poets have captured that language in the following poems.

Daddy Kristen Smith	Restless Courtney Callahan	December 13 Julie Ferrera
The World Kimberly Heller	War Child Meg Wheeler	Back Alley Surgery Tara McGoff
Unfair Kendra Marshalsea	Second Chances Jessica Carvalho	Death Meghan Sarceno
Lifeless Sorrow Caitlin Burbidge	Projects Page	Sadness John Souza
Creatures Cats and kittens, a dinosaur and phoenix. This is the stuff of poetry about creatures of this world and of our imaginations. These five poets introduce us to the creatures of their worlds by painting vivid pictures to help us see them.
Dinosaur Gabrielle Gould	Carrot Cat Lesley Keris	Cute Cat Breanna Reddington
The Phoenix Jessica Ballert	Projects Page	Kittens Ariana Rizzitano
Images of Darkness and Light Some of these poems portray images of darkness, shadows, midnight, mystery, fears. Others rejoice in the light, the fire, the sun, the colors of life. In all, the imagery is powerful and compelling. We clearly see the visions of these eleven poets.
Fear Nikki Wagener	Pinnaclaia Shawn Connor	In the Middle of the Night Victoria Dunham
I Am Fear Stephen Kerr	The 11th Hour Christian Petrangelo	A Flame Alison Barrett
Violet Sunset Asha Jenkins	Never Alone Melissa Walker	Luminary Orb Julie Freyermuth
My Kaleidoscope of Imagination Katelyn Casey	Projects Page	The Spark of the Flame Heather Moskos
Nature Poets have always been fascinated by the natural world. Here a young poet assumes another persona becoming a tree. Others invite us to visit the garden path, the orchard, the forest, the Grand Canyon. We marvel at the sun and romp in the rain. We look and listen intently to the natural world seeing the trees mourn for lost lives, feeling the pain of the orphaned deer. These ten poets help us to explore our relationships with Mother Nature.
Pouring Rain Kevin Connolly	Whose Backyard Sean Dargie	What A Tree Gives Us Joshua Soell
Orchard King Michele Palmer	I Am a Tree Samantha Scholes	Garden Path Kelly Kuhn
The Masterpiece of Nature Christa Stevenson	In the Forest Samuel Urann	Together As One Ashley MacNeil
Projects Page	The Sun Vincent Valant	Projects Page
Relationships The poetry in this group explores the relationships we have with others-with friends, a little sister, a brother, a mother, lovers. Through the eyes of young poets we reflect on others who have come before us and explore connections to those we might misunderstand. The eleven poems in this category speak to the universal need we all have to relate to others.
Hosanna Krista French	Pendulum Kristin Dunn	A Friend Puebla Liberato
A Master's Painting Anna Tincher	Alone Once More To Search Jaclyn Studer	Alone Michelle Smith
My Mother's Hug Katie Bartula	Tyler Scott Reid	Each Day Angela Cogswell
My Point of View Kate Wilkinson	Projects Page	Look Close Jessica Dougherty
Snapshots and Recordings Barry Lane, writer and teacher, in his book After the End: Teaching and Learning Creative Revision tells us that: "Writers are like photographers with giant zoom lenses, observing life in incredibly fine detail, pulling back to make sweeping generalizations, then zooming in again to make those generalizations come alive with detail . . . . " (Lane 32) He calls the results of this process snapshots and thoughtshots. The seven poets in this category demonstrate the craft of keen observation captured in concrete, specific images and vivid sounds. We are there; we see what they see and hear what they hear. Their ability to capture the world in such fine detail helps us all to see more clearly and to share in their visions.
Laundrymat Girl Julie Anne Renz	Bubble Marc Higgins	Stillness of the Woods Amelia Jenks
Hands Natalie Regan	Early Morning Scott Ness	The Barn Lindsay Worcester
Projects Page	A Sudden Flip Meredith Glansberg	Projects Page

Writing

Seasonal Images

Whimsy

Sadness

Creatures

Images of Darkness and Light

Nature

Relationships

Snapshots and Recordings