By Terri Schlichenmeyer
A, B, B, A.
That’s not only how you spell the name of a popular music group. That’s also how a poem might be structured, if it rhymes, or it might be created in other ways. That’s the thing about poetry: it’s all how you perceive it when creating it and reading it. So why not think about putting these great poetry books on your shelf this month…?
When you spend time with poetry, you expect a certain kind of relationship between author and reader. That’s only part of what you get in “The Space Between Men” by Mia S. Willis (Penguin Poets, $20). It might also change the way you feel.
Here, Willis – a poet, historian, and educator – explores culture, Black history, and what it’s like to be Black, Southern, and queer. When those various experiences come together in poetry here, it invites readers to consider the width and depth of the spaces, and their mere existence.
If short but image-fueled poetry appeals to you, this book is worth a good look.
Poetry can take your thoughts in many directions, including thoughts about yourself. If you’re hungry for soul-searching, then try “Is This My Final Form?” by Amy Gerstler (Penguin Poets, $20).
Life doesn’t follow a straight line. Some things are two things at once and situations can change, which are two points that seem to be everywhere inside this book. Is this a series of biographical poems with a twist of imagination, or are the poems in here a collection of new perceptions and ways to embrace what could be? Read, and think about it because it’s up for a reader’s interpretation. However you perceive these poems, you may chuckle sometimes. For sure, you’ll want to read them again and think anew.
And finally, if your child loves the beauty of poetry and wonders how to create poems, then “The One and Only Rumi” by Rabiah York, illustrated by Maneli Manouchehri (Penguin, $18.99) is a book to bring to the table.
Here, children will learn the story of Muhammad, a wise young boy whose life changed when Genghis Khan came to his village. Muhammad was only allowed to fill a bag with possessions and he knew he’d miss the birds and the friends he’d made at home. His father said it was unlikely that they’d ever return.
Yes, there were other birds and other friends in his lifetime, but Muhammad never forgot the first ones and “he never stopped listening” to the wind or the sound of the leaves or the laughter of others. He grew to become a man, a teacher, and a poet, as your 8-to-12-year-old will see in this beautifully illustrated, beautifully told book.
If these collections about poetry and life don’t quite fit what you need, be sure to ask your favorite bookseller or librarian for more. They can help you find poetry, silly rhymes, great biographies, and collections of verse that are perfect volumes with which to spend hours. In the meantime, give these poetry books an “A.”
