Since its founding in 1995 by Terry M. Blackhawk, PhD., the InsideOut Literary Arts Project has nourished and published countless young writers at 25 elementary, middle, and high schools in the city. InsideOut inspired The Citywide Poets group and sponsors poetry slams and readings around the city. Amid paying office rent and salaries, InsideOut manages to publish and print 350 anthologies per school. Students submit poetry and art to the publications, and learn details of the publishing process, right down to the graphic design of the cover. Program Director Robert Fanning orchestrates the school residencies and trains resident writers, who are local professional writers and often college students with an interest in teaching and sharing their own creative process. Supported by a talented and hard working staff of artists, writers, graphic designers, and office administrators, Fanning heads up special events and collaborations for the program and makes thedetroiter.com's Kid Lit! possible.

With strong community support the InsideOut Literary Arts Project has thrived over the last decade and will continue to inspire writers in the years to come and we couldn't be more pleased to help spread the word and words about this terrific program. — Eric Novack, Editor

You can learn more about InsideOut at www.insideoutdetroit.org.

 

 

She was crying
On the church bus

She said that
She was scared

She don't know what
Is wrong with her

She was fainting
And she was shaking

She never went
To the doctor

I was scared
And I was crying

I stayed up all night
Thinking about it

Every time I see her
She always talks about it.

Full Moon
Blue Moon

by Tashauna Lando
Central High School

Teacher: Ms. Mosby / InsideOut Writer-in-Residence: Anita Schmaltz

 

your love is like a full moon
that goes over the sea

your love is like a blue moon
that burns inside of me

your love is like a full moon that
I just can't see

your love is like the blue moon
that rains upon me

your love is like the full moon
that any god can see

your love is like the blue moon
known in me

your love is like the full moon
that starts my day and night

your love is like the blue moon
that no one (else) will ever see in life

full moon, blue moon
why did you have to leave me

your love is everything
can't you see

Slow

by Lisa Montgomery
Detroit Open School

Teacher: Ms. LaPere / Writer-in-Residence: Suzanne Scarfone

The sky looks like it is coming down on my hat
the moon is on the palm of my hand
lake is running through the street
tulips are growing on a mountain
the world is low
there is no sound
people move slowly
no one knows why
the world is low and slow

 

All Poems appear courtesy of InsideOut Literary Arts Project. "It" appears in Volume 1 of "Dancing Pictures" the literary magazine of Cadillac Middle School. "Full Moon Blue Moon" appears in Volume 7 of "Lyrical Dexterity" the literary magazine of Central High School. "Slow" appears in Volume 4 of "The World Through Our Eyes" the literary magazine of Detroit Open School.

To purchase a copy of any of the books listed above, or to see more InsideOut publications, visit www.insideoutdetroit.org.