Poetry

This novel-in-verse--at once literary and emotionally gripping--follows the unfolding friendship between two very different teenage girls who share a hospital room and an illness. Chess, the narrator, is sick, but with what exactly, she isn't sure. And to make matters worse, she must share a hospital room with Shannon, her polar opposite. Where Chess is polite, Shannon is rude. Where Chess tolerates pain silently, Shannon screams bloody murder. Where Chess seems to be getting slowly better, Shannon seems to be getting worse. How these teenagers become friends, helping each other come to terms with their illness, makes for a dramatic and deeply moving read. "An emotional and innovative novel.... There is so much pathos and humor in these two hospital beds." --E. Lockhart, author of We Were Liars "A story told with the utmost economy of language--intense, compelling, and satisfying." --Susan Patron, author of the Newbery Medal winner The Higher Power of Lucky "Riveting, humanizing and real." --Kirkus Reviews, Starred "A raw, unsentimental perspective on the fight to keep an illness from overpowering one's identity." --Publishers Weekly

Humans express love in countless ways--through physical actions, emotional reactions, or heartfelt words. Capturing the perfect words to show a person's love can be challenging, yet poets have done it for hundreds of years. What is love to a poet? Author Paula Johanson discusses eight poems and poets, with chapters on William Shakespeare, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Emily Dickinson, and five others. Accompanied by biographical information on the poet and end-of-chapter questions for further study, Johanson closely examines each poem, including detailed analysis of form, content, poetic technique, and theme, encouraging readers to develop the tools to understand and appreciate poetry.

Nature poetry discovers the deep connection between humanity and nature. Beyond describing the wild beauty found in nature, the poetry discusses nature's impact on humans and people's impact on nature. Author Sheila Griffin Llanas explores eight poems and poets, with chapters on William Wordsworth, Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, and five others. Accompanied by biographical information on the poet and end-of-chapter questions for further study, Llanas closely examines each poem, including detailed analysis of form, content, poetic technique, and theme, encouraging readers to develop the tools to understand and appreciate poetry.

Tupac Shakur's most intimate and honest thoughts were uncovered only after his death with the instant classic The Rose That Grew from Concrete. His talent was unbounded, a raw force that commanded attention and respect. His death was tragic -- a violent homage to the power of his voice. His legacy is indomitable -- remaining vibrant and alive. Here now, newly discovered, are Tupac's most honest and intimate thoughts conveyed through the pure art of poetry -- a mirror into his enigmatic life and its many contradictions. Written in his own hand at the age of nineteen, they embrace his spirit, his energy...and his ultimate message of hope.

An extraordinary collection of 129 poems by contemporary poets from 68 countries, with an index by country.