Poetry Speaks Who I Am: 100 Poems of Discovery, Inspiration, Independence, and Everything Else for Teens (A Poetry Speaks Experience, Includes CD)

Poetry Speaks Who I Am is filled with more than 100 remarkable poems about you, who you are, and who you are becoming. Dive in—find the poem you love, the one that makes you angry, the one that makes you laugh, the one that knocks the wind out of you, and become a part of Poetry Speaks Who I Am by adding your own inside the book.

Poetry can be life altering. It can be gritty and difficult. It can be hilarious or heart-breaking. And it’s meant to be experienced, so we’ve included a CD on which you’ll hear 44 poems, 39 of which are original recordings—you’ll only find them here. You’ll hear poets both classic and contemporary, well-known and refreshingly new, including:

--Dana Gioia expresses the hunger of a “Vampire’s Serenade”

--Elizabeth Alexander waits for that second kiss in “Zodiac”

--Langston Hughes flings his arms wide in “Dream Variations”

--Marilyn Nelson reads to her class in “How I Discovered Poetry”

--Paul Muldoon’s poem “Sideman,” brought loudly to life by the band Rackett

--And 39 more poems that are immediate and vibrant.

From Lucille Clifton’s “Here Yet Be Dragons” to Edgar Allan Poe’s “Annabel Lee” to “Tia Chucha,” by Luis J. Rodriguez, Poetry Speaks Who I Am is a collection that is dynamic, accessible, challenging, classic, edgy, and ultimately not quite perfect. Just like you. If you’re lucky, it’ll serve as a gateway to a lifetime lived with poetry. At the very least, it'll be a good time. Dive in, and happy hunting.