“Knock On Sky”, a collection of poetry and prose written by Ann Arbor teens, is an annual compilation published by Red Beard Press. Run out of the Neutral Zone, Ann Arbor’s teen center, Red Beard Press is a youth-run publishing company that has published the works of a wide variety of writers such as Martin Espada and Ann Arbor Youth Poetry alum Aimée Le.
Ross Gay, a creative writing professor at Indiana University and New England College, is considered by many to be at the forefront of contemporary American poetry. He read several of his own poems at the release on Thursday evening. “I’m always blown away when I see young people – high school aged people – doing really interesting, creative, positive work,” he said of the teen poets at the book release. High school students from all around Ann Arbor read short stories and poems that appear in the book.
“Knock On Sky” boasts a wide variety of writing not only by contrasting poetry with prose, but by showcasing the distinct styles of Ann Arbor youth writers. Youth writing in Ann Arbor is often only viewed through the lens of the ever-successful high school poetry slams. “Knock On Sky” displays the varied styles of writing that Ann Arbor teens are capable of. The short stories featured in the compilation show the writers’ ability to escape into another world. Ranging from poignant to hilarious to downright obscure, the prose in “Knock On Sky” never fails to hold interest.
The poetry in the compilation is just as distinctive. While some poems from the book were read at the Ann Arbor youth poetry slams, others are new pieces of writing that differ from slam style poetry. The poems are a lens through which writers examine the world around them, from Urban Outfitters models to technology.
At the book release, Gay spoke of the contemplative pace of poetry. “It’s about slowing down. It’s almost about stopping time. It’s like an interruption in time so we can really meditate really hard on just two guys hugging in front of a hospital. Like, let me just make that long, let me change time,” he said. The poetry in “Knock On Sky” upholds Gay’s belief that poetry examines and scrutinizes the world.
“I want to be transformed in the process of writing a poem … if that happens, it’s a success,” said Gay at the book release. The poems he read commonly focused on distinct moments or patterns that would otherwise go unnoticed. “One of the things that I hope to do in my poems is to pay attention to the things that often don’t get paid attention to,” he said.
Listen to Ross Gay’s poem “The Lion and the Gazelle”:
The Lion and The Gazelle
Listen to Rachel Kerby’s poem:
Listen to Adam Hagopian-Zirkel’s Short Story “Convergence”:
For more information about Red Beard Press, visit www.redbeardbooks.com.
