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by Diannely Antigua (Introduction by)
Introduction
I first discovered poetry when I was a teenager, alone in my room surrounded by my journals. Poetry proved to be a refuge like no other, a place for me to investigate the complex emotions I was feeling. To say that poetry was essential to my survival would not be an overstatement. Poetry indeed saved me. Much like the poems in my teenage journals, this anthology of New Hampshire teen poets captures the raw, unfiltered expressions of young minds navigating a world that is both breathtaking and bewildering.
Teenagers are more than the sum of stereotypes and expectations-they are creators, dreamers, rebels, and truth-tellers. Their perspectives are urgent, necessary, and brimming with authenticity. In a time when the world feels more connected yet divided than ever, these poems remind us of the shared humanity that binds us all.
The poets featured here each bring their unique lens to universal experiences: love and loss, identity and belonging, triumph and heartbreak. They write about the first blush of romance, the sting of rejection, the complexities of self-discovery, and the fierce determination to carve out a place for themselves.
The sophisticated lines they command will resonate long after reading. In "Tapestry Burning Haibun," Elizabeth Chung explores the BIPOC immigrant experience stating: "I am divided/to keep my mother('s) /American Dream." Similarly, nothing proves as haunting as the imagery in "Prayer for the God We Forgot to Name" by C.E. Victor: "I saw the corpse of it, /liquid black under the moon, / pooling in the divots of the road." Finally, you might even recognize a piece of yourself in the earnest lines of "Hollow" by Breanne Daley: "If I am but a vacant tree/ Nothing more than the humming of mind/May my branches give shelter/ My fruit give flavor/ And my roots give life." Their poetry connects us, creating a bridge between individual and collective understanding.
To the young poets whose work fills these pages: thank you for your bravery. Sharing your words is an act of generosity and strength. To the readers: I hope this collection inspires you to listen more closely-not just to the voices of others, but to the voice within yourself.
This anthology is a celebration of what it means to be young, to feel deeply, and to dream without limits. It's a reminder that poetry is not confined to any one age, style, or tradition. It's alive, dynamic, and endlessly evolving-just like the writers who created it.
Let these poems save you over and over again.
- Diannely Antigua
UNH Nossrat Yassini Poet-in-Residence
