NORTHEAST OHIO
​YOUTH OUTLET

NW Ohio

Poetry by ​Naveah

after Knoxville, Tennessee by Nikki Giovanni

​I always liked summer
Best because of the
Frogs at dawn and the
Cicadas at night
It’s very peaceful and
Smells fresh you
Can hear the coyotes
At night and see the
Deer grazing during
The day you hear
The chickens clucking
And the dogs barking
You hear the trees in
The wind and smell
Fresh cut grass while you sit
Outside enjoying the
Sunlight on your skin
​

About Writers in Residence

Naveah is a participant in Writers in Residence, an Ohio nonprofit that teaches creative writing to youth who are incarcerated to empower their voices and assist in their re-entry into society. Writers in Residence partners with juvenile detention centers in Ohio “to reduce the recidivism rates of our residents and participate in the transformation of the juvenile justice system.”
 
According to the ACLU, nearly 60,000 youth under age 18 in the United States are incarcerated in juvenile facilities. Writers in Residence strives to increase literacy levels, build self-esteem, provide positive peer mentorship, cultivate young writers into published authors, and advocate for youth who are incarcerated in Ohio. Learn more about Writers in Residence here and view a fact sheet here.