City of One

Winner of the Silver Medal in ForeWord Magazine's Anthology Category

 This anthology presents the work of over 150 young inner-city poets, reflecting on their experiences with violence and sharing their desires for peace and unity in their families, in their communities and across the globe. Each poet presents a unique perspective and voice; when read together their work becomes a powerful call for peace. Whether in the hands of educators, peace activists, poetry lovers, or other young writers, City of One is a compelling portrait of a generation of youth who use their words to re-envision the world.

  I celebrate this extraordinary book written by young people who believe, as I do, that peace is not only possible, it is unavoidable. — Isabel Allende

 It has been exciting for me to read what  these wonderful WritersCorps poets are writing, those who are going to carry poetry into the future. — Tillie Olsen

 Reading the work from WritersCorps renews my conviction in the importance of writing. I am reminded of the value of telling even the simplest stories, describing the simplest things in one’s life—the tingle of a favorite food, the familiar panorama of homelife, the chalkboard in the classroom. — Justin Chin

 Because these poets are young, because they are newly discovering their own voices, their poems fly up like kites, free of clichés. In a time when human imagination is threatened…to imagine is to work for peace. These brave poems will help us all to find out way to our own imaginings of peace. — Susan Moon

 City of One…conveys to the world that peace is the only option to secure our children’s future. — U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee

 To see the future in America—and its promise in all shades and backgrounds and ideologies—read City of One and prepare to be amazed by these truly gifted writers. — ZZ Packer