April is National Poetry Month!
There is no better time than during National Poetry Month to celebrate the achievements of National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, who was selected by President Biden to read her original poem, The Hill We Climb, at his inauguration on January 20th. Her poem uses images of light and darkness, hope and fear, to describe the two opposing sides of America: those who divide us and those who unify us. In case you missed it, here’s the reading:
The imagination, inspiration and integrity of this poem sparked within me a deep feeling of comfort and hope. I look forward to her other books being published later this year: The Hill We Climb and Other Poems, Change Sings: A Child’s Anthem, and The Hill We Climb.
Gorman’s poem is free verse poetry. Free verse is poetry with no regular patterns of repeated rhyme or steady rhythm. Saying the poem or hearing the poem sounds like a conversation.
There is no need for rhyming words or rhythm in free verse poetry. The use of literary devices such as alliteration, assonance, metaphors, simile, or onomatopoeia is often found. In addition, the pattern of a poet’s syllables and words determine the swing and fall of the voice when reading a literary piece.
Poetry enables young adults to express their often complicated emotions and reflect on who they are and what their place is in the world. Free verse poetry is an outstanding vehicle for piquing interest in popular culture.
The following is a list of poetry books worth checking out:
Shout by Laurie Halse Andersen
In free verse, Anderson shares reflections, rants, and calls to action woven between deeply personal stories that she's never written about before.
Owed by Joshua Bennett
A collection whose focus is on how we might mend the relationship between ourselves and the people, spaces, and objects we have been taught to think of as insignificant.
Black Girl Magic by Mahogany Browne
The author challenges the conditioning of society by crafting an undeniable anthem of strength and magic undeniable for all beautiful Black girls.
Postcolonial Love Poem by Natalie Diaz
Through these poems, the wounds inflicted by America onto an indigenous people are allowed to bloom pleasure and tenderness.
Summer Snow by Robert Hass
Hass's trademark careful attention to the natural world, his subtle humor, and the delicate but wide-ranging eye he casts on the human experience are fully on display in his masterful collection.
Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z by Irene Lathman
Organized as a dictionary, entries in this book for middle-grade readers present words related to creating a better, more inclusive world. Each word is explored via a poem, a quote from an inspiring person, a short personal anecdote from one of the co-authors, a prompt for how to translate the word into action, and an illustration.
Concrete Kids by Amyra Leon
The author takes readers on a poetic journey through her childhood in Harlem.
Read, Recite and Write Free Verse Poems by JoAnn Early Macken
Textbook on how to write a free verse poem.
Everything Comes Next: Collected & New Poems by Naomi Shihab Nye
An introduction to the poet's work for new readers.
Voices in the Air by Naomi Shibab Nye
These numerous free verse poems pay tribute to the essential voices past and present that have the power to provoke us, lead us, and give us hope.
Poetry Speaks: Who I Am by Elise Paschen
An anthology that will stir you to write some poems on your own.
For Everyone by Jason Reynolds
This inspirational free verse poem is New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award finalist Jason Reynolds' rallying cry to the dreamers of the world.
Ink Knows No Borders: Poems of the Immigrant and Refugee Experience by Patrice Vecchione
This collection of poems addresses the many issues confronting first- and second- generation young adult immigrants and refugees.
-by Susan Seidenberg, Ewing Branch
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