Words & Words & Feeling: Poetry Collections

Maybe you just want to dip in and out of a poetry collection, finding one or two to suit your mood. Or possibly you'd like a themed collection that will take you on a poetic journey. Then again, you could want something contemporary and diverse, with other options besides poetry. Whatever you're craving, there's a book for it. Here are three poetry collections, traditional, modern, and unique.


Please Excuse This Poem: 100 New Poets for the Next Generation by Brett Fletcher Lauer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A solid collection with plenty of variety, these 100 poems are comfortably current. The diversity in content and form lends itself to at-random choosing of a poem (or poems) to read, and there is a feeling of presence on each page - these aren't the tired old guy poems of yesterday. Author questionnaires at the end of the collection add to the contemporary feel.


Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty by Christine Heppermann
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This collection of poems is tied together by the contrasts and intersections of traditional fairy tales and modern teenage girls. Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty all make appearances, along with other princesses, witches, and fair maidens - each showing there is more to the story than what fits between "Once upon a time," and "Happily ever after."

#Notyourprincess: Voices of Native American Women by Lisa Charleyboy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Poetry is only a part of this collection of works by First Nations women, which also includes artwork, essays, and interviews. The juxtaposition of text and images is powerful, as is the variety of contributors - though more would always be nice. Because of the format, this reads like a literary magazine - aka, I didn't read cover-to-cover, but paged through, flipping back and forth as different illustrations and stories caught my eye. There are lots of ways this collection could be used for both pleasure reading or in an educational setting, but ideally it's only a starting point for more reading!


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