The poem, “Innovation” by Addie Best, in TeenInk’s April 2016 edition caught my attention with its interesting story told in free verse. It was about a little girl named May Primrose Littledale who died when riding her bicycle. Clad in a dress and a hat, she pedaled on her bike until her dress got caught in one of the wheels and she started to choke. Her head “met/ the ground/ that 48-inch wheel dragging her/ round/ and round” when she lost the ability to breathe. Although this story is quite gruesome and depressing, I enjoyed the multitude of lines and the description of the girl.
     I personally enjoyed this piece although it was extremely long, spanning the length of around a whole page of TeenInk (11 ¼ inches, to be precise). This length actually made me enjoy the poem even more because the lines with only one word emphasized the importance of what’s happening and it made sense to have it in that format. If the lines “and you can't/ ride/ a/ bike/ in/ a/ gown” were one whole line,” it wouldn't sound as good as it is when all separate.
     The description of the outfit of May Primrose Littledale (and may I point out that this name is amazing) was also enjoyable. It wasn't some random thing to include in the poem because it helped move the piece forward. Since she wore a dress, she died because the dress was what got stuck in the wheel of her bicycle.  Her hat also didn't help prevent her death because “that pretty soft/ hat/ did nothing for her” when her head met the concrete. I really enjoyed Best’s poem and hope the little girl is okay up there.