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Poetic voices found in these choices
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Published: April 12, 2009
Poetry is the journal of the sea animal living on land, wanting to fly in the air. Poetry is a search for syllables to shoot at the barriers of the unknown and the unknowable. Poetry is a phantom script telling how rainbows are made and why they go away.
-- Carl Sandburg, "Poetry Considered"
Welcome to the poetry edition of Young Reading! Since April is National Poetry Month, we bring you books of poetry, about poetry and of poets for the next two weeks. Both of us choose ee cummings as the author of our favorite poems. Hannah's pick is "l(a," an odd, short verse about a leaf falling in loneliness while Monica's favorite is "In Just," a "mud-luscious" spring poem. We hope you'll find new favorites today or next Sunday in these collections.
EMILY DICKINSON: My Letter to the World and Other Poems. Illustrations by Isabelle Arsenault. KCP Poetry. Ages 10 and up. $17.95.
Quirky Emily Dickinson -- lover of dashes and clever phrases. Has America had any writer quite like her? She wrote more than 1,700 poems, many of which have become iconic American poetry selections. This slim, tall book features a collection of Dickinson's seven best-known verses, such as "I'm Nobody! Who are you?/ Are you -- Nobody -- Too?" Beautifully illustrated, this makes a fine gift for poetry lovers.
A VOICE OF HER OWN: Becoming Emily Dickinson. By Barbara Dana. HarperCollins. Ages 12 and up. 346 pages. $16.99.
Only the truly literary will enjoy this book, which can grow tedious in places, despite delving into the mysterious Emily Dickinson. The author spent almost a decade researching the spinster poet, and her preparation shows. The book is full of intimate details about Dickinson's life in Amherst, Mass.
Dickinson's family life is an interesting study in itself. The family dynamics with her father as the mood-setter (or mood-muzzler) may have been typical for a New England family in the 1800s, but Dickinson's relationship with him colored her decisions. She never married, lived in her father's house her entire life and refused to see people in later years. Despite her reclusive state, she loved nature and children and even fantasized about romantic love. She had a very private sense about her poetry; and very few were published while she was living.
Also read EMILY. By Michael Bedard. Random House. Ages 7-10. $16.99.
TELL THE WORLD: Teen Poems from WritersCorps. HarperCollins. Ages 12 and up. 116 pages. $16.99.
It's important to note that Emily Dickinson found her poetic voice in adolescence. Like Dickinson, many teens identify with poetry -- whether written, song lyrics or even the rhythmic poetry of rap. This poetry anthology is written by many different teenagers. The poets write about their different cultures and experiences. Poems about family, school, hopes, feelings, home and thoughts give the reader insight into these teenage authors' lives, family cultures and backgrounds.
Tell the World draws poetry lovers into thought-provoking verse, with depth enhanced by the fact that they were written by middle- and high-schoolers. This anthology would be great for classrooms and should be on every teacher's wish list.
WALT WHITMAN: Words for America. By Barbara Kerley. Scholastic. Ages 7-10. $16.99.
A biography of one of the best-known poets in history, this wonderfully illustrated book outlines Whitman's life starting when he became a printer. Snippets of his most famous poems are featured in the text.
Whitman was an older man when the Civil War began. His brother, George, fought for the Union and was injured. Whitman ventured to many Union camps and hospitals in search of his wounded brother. The soldiers he met along the way inspired several books of poetry, including Drum Beats. This excellent biography is perfect for history and poetry lovers. Excerpts of some of his most famous works are included at the end.
A KICK IN THE HEAD: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms. Selected by Paul Janeczko. Candlewick. Ages 8-12. $9.99.
An award-winning clever guide to several different styles of poetry, this paperback introduces many t poetry forms in ways to help the reader understand how to construct a poem. Examples of well-done poems accompany the instructions on writing a particular form. Authors range from anonymous to Shakespeare. Fabulous illustrations accompany each poem. This is a great, easy to understand book for aspiring poets.
THE CUCKOO'S HAIKU and Other Birding Poems. By Michael Rosen. Candlewick. All ages. $17.99.
This book goes through each season's most popular birds. Each bird is described in a quirky haiku, and more details are provided throughout the pages. Watercolors of every bird add remarkable visuals in case the descriptions are not enough. Birdwatchers, this is a must-have to accompany your birding books. Otherwise, if you like birds, poetry, or both, this is the book for you.
And for babies, HAIKU BABY. By Betsy Snyder. Random House. Ages 0-2. $6.99.
Monica and Hannah Young can be reached at Monica Young and Hannah Young can be reached at cyoung9@triad.rr.com. View book reviews at the Journal in Education site at www.jie.journalnow.com.
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