Beyond Poetry

After witnessing his 10-year-old brother get killed in a crossfire between rival gang members on Philadelphias north side in August of 1994 Junior and his family relocate to Brookes Rowe on the south side of town. He tries to cope by making new friends but is rejected by his peers. They mock and humiliate Junior 14 at school and around his neighborhood. He finds solace in poetry but feels overwhelmed by the complexities of his community. Meanwhile the police force is conveniently inept at solving the skyrocketing homicides in Juniors part of town. His rage spirals out of control at school one day when a bully pushes him over the edge. He retaliates gets expelled and is forced to enroll into Medgar Evers Secondary School; one of the toughest institutions in South Philly. Junior befriends an enigmatic staff member Casey who takes an interest in the boys poetic gifts. Juniors story is a fight for survival and the pursuit of happiness.Beyond Poetry is an immersive combination of storytelling poetry and African-American literature told in retrospective detail. Jarelles novel reads like a motion picture with 1990s vibes on every page.