By LAURA JEU

George Ella Lyon’s poem “Where I’m From” describes identity in a singular poem. With repeated refrains, it describes the author, her heritage, and her family, alongside the details of her life, childhood, and present self. Utilizing this poem, Franklin County youth created poems that described their identities. Despite all having similar instructions and models, the students produced vastly different works, showcasing the young people of the region in their own words.

Poems contributed by Hayleigh Lowe, Kandence Abbott, Zoie Henry, Sahana Bharath, Celeste Solomon, Alex Carter, and Alexandra Duffey. Click on the image of any poem to enlarge.