This text provides a guide for teachers and poets on how to inspire young people to become practising poets. Part One focuses on Jordan's classroom and workshop methods for teaching poets whilst Part Two features interviews with contemporary poets who discuss their influences.

June Jordan is Professor of African American Studies at the University of California at Berkeley. Her many books include Haruko/Love Poems, Technical Difficulties, and IWas Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw The Sky.LaurenMuller is a graduate student in the English Department at the University of California at Berkeley. She has taught with June Jordan for four years.