National Poetry Month  
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Books of Poetry

Books of Poetry

I AM THE DARKER BROTHER: AN ANTHOLOGY OF MODERN POEMS BY NEGRO AMERICANS
edited by Arnold Adoff
First published in 1968, this anthology exposes the quintessential African American, a proud, lonely, vulnerable yet independent human being who has forged out of hardship that combination of endurance, understanding and spirit called soul.

POEMS FROM HOMEROOM: A WRITER'S PLACE TO START
by Kathi Appelt
A collection of poems about the experiences of young people and a section with information about how each poem was written to enable readers to create their own original poems.

FOOLISH/UNFOOLISH: REFLECTIONS ON LOVE
by Ashanti
A collection of Ashanti's favorite poems and reflections, as well as stories about what–or who–moved her to write each piece.

RED HOT SALSA: BILINGUAL POEMS ON BEING YOUNG AND LATINO IN THE UNITED STATES
edited by Lori Marie Carlson
Latino poets tell us, in English and in Spanish, who they are, where they are, and what their hopes are for the future.

LOVE: SELECTED POEMS
by e.e. cummings
This collection of poems by e.e. cummings explores all the terrains of love, lust, romance and seduction.

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YOUR OWN, SYLVIA: A VERSE PORTRAIT OF SYLVIA PLATH
by Stephanie Hemphill
In 1963, young American poet Sylvia Plath died by her own hand and passed into myth. Hemphill interprets the people, events, influences and art that made up her brief life.

MY OWN TRUE NAME: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS FOR YOUNG ADULTS, 1984-1999
by Pat Mora
In this anthology, Pat Mora has gathered the best of her poems with young-adult readers in mind, and has added to them several new poems published here for the first time. Using the cactus plant as her guiding metaphor for our existence, she presents more than sixty lyrics grouped variously into "Blooms," "Thorns" and "Roots."

HERE IN HARLEM: POEMS IN MANY VOICES
by Walter Dean Myers
These fifty-four poems, all in different voices but written by one hand, do sing. They make a joyful noise as the author honors the people–the nurses, students, soldiers and ministers–of his beloved hometown, Harlem.

19 VARIETIES OF GAZELLE: POEMS OF THE MIDDLE EAST
by Naomi Shihab Nye
The author writes about her experiences as an Arab-American, and of visiting the Middle East.

BEND, DON'T SHATTER: POETS ON THE BEGINNING OF DESIRE
edited by T. Cole Rachel and Rita D. Costello
Poems written by adults who keenly remember the turmoil and excitement of their own adolescent sexual explorations but now have the perspective and sense of self that come with growing up.

EARTH-SHATTERING POEMS
edited by Liz Rosenberg
An all-encompassing introduction to poetry from around the world and from many cultures.

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A FIRE IN MY HANDS: POEMS
by Gary Soto
Twenty-one poems about the themes of life. Each is preceded by a personal anecdote.

FREE STALLION: POEMS
by Amber Tamblyn
Amber Tamblyn, best known as an actress, is also an accomplished poet who was mentored by Beat poets such as Jack Hirschman and Michael McClure. Incisive and passionate, these poems represent Amber's unique perspective on universal issues of relationships, loss and self-discovery.

FAITH & DOUBT: AN ANTHOLOGY OF POEMS
edited by Patrice Vecchione
A collection of poems that explores why we believe and why, sometimes, we don't.

CITY OF ONE: YOUNG WRITERS SPEAK TO THE WORLD
from WritersCorps
More than 100 young writers express themselves through a common theme: peace. The exploration ranges from the personal to the communal to the political. These poets and authors have a lot to say about their communities, about the struggle for social change, and about peace in the world.

PAINT ME LIKE I AM: TEEN POEMS FROM WRITERSCORPS
from WritersCorps
Today my name is colorful. Yesterday my name was dead souls. Tomorrow my name will be lively spirits. My friends think my name is fire. The police think my name is burden. My parents think my name is symphony. Secretly I know my name is anything I want it to be.

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