*Image from barnesandnoble.com
A. Bibliographic Data: Franco, Betsy ed. Falling
Hard: 100 Love Poems by Teenagers. Somerville: Candlewick Press, 2008. ISBN
9780763634377
B. Critical Analysis: Plot Summary: Who doesn’t
remember falling in love for the first time? All of the new emotions,
rollercoaster feelings and mixture of smiles and tears make a lasting
impression sure to bring back memories for many years to come. In this
collection of love poems, teenagers from all over the world come together to
share, explore and relive the single most powerful emotion of all…love. These
raw and inspiring poems are sure to impact readers and provide insight into the
many faucets of love and the complex world of teenagers.
Appeal: With a subject like love, teenagers and young adults
will flock to this book! Besides the subject though, another redeeming quality
of this book stems from the actual
authors of the poems. Though Betsy Franco did a wonderful job of choosing and
organizing the poems, the real authors are young adults themselves! This will
draw readers in and instantly make them feel more connected to the work. The
age provides a commonality between reader and author that is sure to spark
interest and curiosity. The poems provide a great deal of insight and plenty of
opportunity for imaginations to roam; these too are great ways this book will
appeal to young adult readers.
Meaning: These poems support both concrete and more abstract
meanings. Because love is such a universal emotion (and there are so many
different levels of love) the issues presented in this book can be applied to
broader, unrelated situations as well. This shows evidence of abstract
meanings. Some poems are also built on personal experiences of the author- this
takes on a more concrete meaning as the poems have a strong tie to non-fiction
and actual, real life experiences.
Rhythm and
Sound: It’s hard to describe the
rhythm and sound of these poems because no two poems are alike! Very few of the
poems rhyme and instead depend on other sound devices. Alliteration, assonance
and consonance are most regularly used. Because rhythm can be accomplished by
line breaks and stanzas, these poems do possess a certain readability and
fluency. Though they may not have an obvious beat, these poems will give
readers a distinct rhythm without relying on a sing-song feel. These poems will
be pleasing to the ear (as they are read aloud) and to the mind (when reading
independently).
Language: The main point that makes the language of these poems
so beautiful is the raw emotions that back the words. The language is strong
and high quality- making the poems insightful and complex. This is a great way
for readers to see the different levels of articulation that exists among
people of the same age. Similes and metaphors fill the pages, along with the occasional
personification. These students know how to use language well to get their
message across and do so in a way that will motivate readers to fully utilize
language in their own writings. I was blown away by the vocabulary of some of
these poets; it’s nice to know youn adults still appreciate the English language
(versus the crazy abbreviation lingo that’s taken over texting and emails)!
Imagery: Most often readers will be able to create their own
mental pictures when reading these poems. The occasional sound and smell is
also given. Readers will be able to create an image of the man or woman
described in a poem, as well as able to relive an experience through
outstanding descriptions and immense attention to detail. These poets paid
close attention to the images they were producing and it showed!
Emotional
Impact: These poems are sure to
evoke some serious emotions! When I was reading them, I went from smiling, to
laughing, to crying within a span of two or three poems! With a topic like
love, every reader will have something new to bring to the table and to relate
to. By feeling such strong emotions when reading the poems, students will be
more likely to enjoy and become engaged with the text. Making these types of
connections to a text is exactly what educators hope will happen- by making
emotional connections, readers will be more likely to continue reading and appreciating
literature!
Layout and Organization: The book begins with a table of contents in which
each of the one hundred poems is listed with its page number. Following the
table of contents, Betsy Franco provides readers with an introduction
describing the nature of the poems, their origins and how and why she compiled
the collection. From there, the one hundred poems begin. There are no fancy
illustrations to distract readers while reading these poems, and no strategies (such
as concrete poetry) for drawing the reader in further. The poems are in black
ink on white paper, in a clean and simple way. The poems are appropriate in
length and each gets its own page or pages as necessary. I feel that this type
of clarity will support an adult-like feel to the book. Teenagers don’t want a
picture book- they want a mature and sophisticated read and they’re getting
just that with this collection of poems.
C. Example: Poem:
Love is Like
By: Hector Jasso, Age 16
the sweetness of honey
falling from a beehive.
You have to be careful
not to get stung.
Introduction: Facilitating a class discussion about love would be a
great way to get students thinking and activating prior knowledge about love
(as if love isn’t already on their minds J).
In doing so, we are laying a foundation for students to build upon when reading
these poems or eventually creating their own poetry. After the class
discussion, I would ask students to write one single sentence about love in
their writing journals. Because this particular poem is so short, it would be
beneficial for students to hear and see. Poetry can be short and sweet too!
Ideas for
Sharing: I would like to see this
poem shared by two people, reciting each line back and forth to one another. By
emphasizing each line, readers (or listeners) are sure to get the message of
the poem and really listen to the words.