Poet Malcolm London, 17, is a senior at Lincoln Park High School and competed in Louder Than a Bomb 2011 as a member of team Youmedia Chicago. 

His piece, Beautiful Sounds, is a reflection on childhood memories. Coming from a dysfunctional family, Malcolm says this is his story… surviving an abusive father and a helpless mother. But as he makes clear, he refuses to feel helpless anymore. 

Though everyone knows the points are not the point – the point is the poetry – congratulations to Malcolm, who was selected as an Indy Finalist in the 2011 competition which celebrated over 600 young writers.