A poetic glance at one week in March 2003 that defined the struggle of a nation at war abroad and with its people. It follows Youth Poetry Slam Team Coach, Bill Nevins' firing as a teacher, and the silencing of his outspoken Rio Rancho High School Poetry Team. Days later, hundreds of peaceful protesters demonstrating nearby were brutally assaulted by police. Free Speech Zones were enforced at gunpoint. The fabric of the Constitution was crumbling. Yet out of this fire, across the country, arose a diverse community of musicians and poets. Dubbed Poetic Justice, it modeled free speech and supported Nevins and was a testament to our creative spirit, representing a path toward transformation and hope.—Eric Sirotkin