With authenticity, integrity, and insight, this collection of poems addresses the many issues confronting first- and second- generation young adult immigrants and refugees, such as cultural and language differences, homesickness, social exclusion, human rights, racism, stereotyping, and questions of identity. Poems by Elizabeth Acevedo, Erika L. Snchez, Samira Ahmed, Chen Chen, Ocean Vuong, Fatimah Asghar, Carlos Andrés Gómez, Bao Phi, Kaveh Akbar, Hala Alyan, and Ada Limón, among others, encourage readers to honor their roots as well as explore new paths, offering empathy and hope for those who are struggling to overcome discrimination. Many of the struggles immigrant and refugee teens face head-on are also experienced by young people everywhere as they contend with isolation, self-doubt, confusion, and emotional dislocation. Ink Knows No Borders is the first book of its kind and features 65 poems and a foreword by poet Javier Zamora, who crossed the border, unaccompanied, at the age of nine, and an afterword by Emtithal Mahmoud, World Poetry Slam Champion and Honorary Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. Brief biographies of the poets are included, as well. It's a hopeful, beautiful, and meaningful book for any reader.

"A Triangle Square Book for young readers."

Departure: July 30, 1984 / Joseph O. Legaspi -- Immigrant / Lena Khalaf Tuffaha -- First light / Chen Chen -- Origin/Adoption / Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello -- Dear America / Sholeh Wolpé -- Second attempt crossing / Javier Zamora -- Bent to the earth / Blas Manuel de Luna -- A hymn to childhood / Li-Young Lee -- Immigrant aria / Rajiv Mohabir -- On being American / Samira Ahmed -- Oklahoma / Hala Alyan -- On listening to your teacher take attendance / Aimee Nezhukumatathil -- The break-in / Hafizah Geter -- #Sanctuary / JoAnn Balingit -- Extended stay America / Janine Joseph -- Choi Jeong Min / Franny Choi -- Muslim girlhood / Leila Chatti -- Fluency / Michelle Brittan Rosado -- Master film / Solmaz Sharif -- The key / Ladan Osman -- Ode to the heart / Ellen Bass -- The sign in my father's hands / Martín Espada -- History lesson / Jeff Coomer -- My father takes to the road / Jeff Tagami -- My grandmother washes her feet in the sink of the bathroom at Sears / Mohja Kahf -- Frank's nursery and crafts / Bao Phi -- In colorado my father scoured and stacked dishes / Eduardo C. Corral -- Learning to pray / Kaveh Akbar -- Naturalization / Jenny Xie -- East mountain view / Paul Tran -- Acolyte / Tarfia Faizullah -- Tater tot hot-dish / Hieu Minh Nguyen -- Pronounced / Carlos Andrés Gómez -- Off-Island Chamorros / Craig Santos Perez -- A new national anthem / Ada Limón -- Portrait of Isako in wartime / Mia Ayumi Malhotra -- Domesticity / Kristin Chang -- The poet at fifteen / Erika L. Snchez -- Someday I'll love ocean Vuong / Ocean Vuong -- Ode to the first white girl I ever loved / José Olivarez -- Talks about race / Mahtem Shiferraw -- Mama / Emtithal Mahmoud -- Split / Cathy Linh Che -- When the man at the party said he wanted to own a Filipino / Marianne Chan -- Ode to enclaves / Chrysanthemum Tran -- Ethnic studies / Terisa Siagatonu -- The day I realized we were black / Yesenia Montilla -- Quaking conversation / Lenelle Moïse -- Atlantis / Elizabeth Acevedo -- The border: a double sonnet / Alberto Ríos -- Las casas across nations / Gabriella Gutiérrez y Muhs -- Mexicans begin jogging / Gary Soto -- Field guide ending in a deportation / Marcelo Hernandez Castillo -- I used to be much much darker / Francisco X. Alarcón -- A habitable grief / Eavan Boland -- Return / Gala Mukomolova -- Adrift / Alice Tao -- Author's prayer / Ilya Kaminsky -- Game of Thrones / Fatimah Asghar -- Oh, daughter / Monica Sok -- Refugees / Brian Bilston -- Home / Safiya Sinclair -- Undocumented joy / Yosimar Reyes -- Self-portrait with no flag / Safia Elhillo.