In some ways our poems are our kites. We write them and we fly them in the public sky so that people can admire their beauty and their grace. They are a message to all who care to look up and read them. Some of them fly easily and carry on the wind. Some of them flop and fall to the ground.

When a poem lifts and sustains flight, it is an exhilarating experience. ...The poems we have selected from the eight hundred and fifty poems submitted for this anthology are kites that risked exposure before audiences at a variety of locations. The conditions were right. The poems soared and their flight endured. They are beautiful enough to catch the eye, buoyant enough to fly free on their own and interesting enough to make a lasting impression.

Among the voices published here are many new poets who have never previously weathered the experience of publication. Mentored poets and recipients of Friendly Street prizes are also included. We hope you enjoy this collection, and revel in the aerial dynamics of the poetry.