Poetry Speaks Who I Am: Poems of Discovery, Inspiration, Independence, and Everything Else

From the creators of the New York Times bestseller Poetry Speaks to Children, comes this inspirational anthology book of poems for middle grade readers.

Poetry Speaks Who I Am is filled with more than 100 remarkable poems for teen boys and girls, making it the perfect addition to any classroom. With poems about who teens are and who they are becoming, they'll find poems that make them laugh, that make them angry, or poems that speak directly to them.

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!

Poetry Speaks Who I Am is dynamic, accessible, challenging, classic, edgy, and ultimately...not quite perfect. Just like you.