Francesco Levato

ACM has released its 50th issue, an issue dedicated to our hometown of Chicago. To be perfectly honest, we never thought we’d make it to a 50th issue. ACM has never been known for fundraising skills, financial acumen, or an airtight organizational structure. Mostly we’ve just been known for being independent since 1977 and for publishing young and exciting writers as frequently as we can manage it on a shoestring budget. We like it that way. So when we realized that we were in fact still around and viable and putting out our 49th issue, it struck us that the best way to celebrate that nice, round number was to set about celebrating our roots and publishing a Chicago issue.*

"The Poetry Center of Chicago is proud to present another year of poetry from the talented students in our Hands on Stanzas program. This year, 3,100 students at 32 schools across the city improved their literacy, and were creatively empowered through the reading, writing, discussion and presentation of poetry. These poems are poignant, provocative, funny, and emotional. They represent the authentic experiences of these young poets and we are proud to give them voice."

<p>From the introduction: &quot;Poetry as Social Engagement.&quot;</p><p> &quot;Through distilled verse and hard imagery, I expose the effects of our social, cultural, and political practices on the human condition. My poetry explores the twisting of language for both political and personal gain. Growing up in domestic violence taught me about structures of power and dominance, about the use of violence and fear in order to control, and about the role of language in breaking the spirit.&quot;<br /></p>