Biographers know that the most persuasive argument they can use to convince potential subjects to cooperate with them is: “If you don’t tell your own story, someone will tell it for you.” Three radical poetry teachers politically redefined “someone” as “society,” and used this implied threat to inspire and empower South Bronx kids to find their own voices, write their own poetry, and through that, find their place in a not-so-friendly world. This award-winning documentary follows three of these young poets as they tell their story. Deborah Shaffer, one of four directors and an Oscar winner as well as a local resident, will be on hand to present the film.


“The verite style of the filmmaking refuses to massage the footage and over time reveals the subjects’ true realities, egos, compulsions and confidences. The considerable devotion of time to these talented children living on the fringes of surefootedness and fragility translates to the filmmakers capturing true moments of maddening uncertainty.”—Elliot V. Kotek, Moving Pictures Magazine