“Wings” by Molly Raynor
from Volume 1: From Scratch (CD recently released by Volume, Ann Arbor's youth writing project)
      Molly Raynor is a young poet who competed in Brave New Voices 2001, the National Youth Poetry Slam Festival held earlier this month in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Her poem is a truly excellent exemplar of the slam genre, without regard to her youth. It's written in the 3rd person, but as emotionally affecting as a 1st person narrative. Molly's voice traces the upward arc at line endings characteristic of some slam performances, but the poem is not merely typical: the attention to language in her writing makes it a stand-out.

• Coleman Barks, “Spring Morning”
• Ernie Cline, “Tech Support”
• Langston Hughes, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” and “Trumpet Player”
• Sylvia Plath, “On the Decline of Oracles”
• Lizzie Wann, “Patricia Said”