Poetry for April

April is National Poetry Month and a good time to see what’s new in our teen poetry collection. Poetry can mean many things – from expressing anger, joy, angst, and fear, to showcasing wordplay artistry. Check out the following titles to see a wide range of styles.
angst.gif
Angst!: teen verses from the edge, edited by Karen Tom and Kiki; illustrations by Matt Frost.
Over 60 angst-ridden poems with great tiles such as “The Whinings of a Middle-Class White Girl” to “Ode to Narcissus.” Although the angry poems make up most of the collection, there are some sweet love poems here as well.
the%2520spoken%2520word.jpg
The spoken word revolution: slam, hip-hop, & the poetry of a new generation, edited by Mark Eleveld.
This book is accompanied by a CD of a mix of poetry with a hip-hop edge. A stand out on the audio CD is “Television” with a refrain of “look at me! Look at me! LOOK AT ME!”
how%20to%20%28un%29cage%20a%20girl.jpg
How to (un)cage a girl by Francesca Lia Block.
An interesting mix of characters from fairy tales and mythology combine to create street poetry using Los Angeles as a backdrop. There is a combination of poetry depicting female suffering tempered with female empowerment to create a unique and ultimately, hopeful, voice.
honeybeepf.jpg
Honeybee : poems & short prose by Naomi Shihab Nye. 82 poems and paragraphs interconnecting all of the elements of life much like a hive of busy bees.
falling%20hard.jpg
Falling hard: teenagers on love, edited by Betsy Franco. Written by teenagers, this collection covers all aspects of romantic love from desire to break-ups.
partly%20cloudy.jpg
Partly cloudy: poems of love and longing, by Gary Soto. Told from the point of view of both girls and boys, this collection is both humorous and poignant.
Enjoy!