I love that poetry for adults breaks boundaries in its appeal to teens. It was great to hear e. e. cummings read last night in a booktalk. I had considered an Emily Dickinson collection for mine and I think it could have worked just as well as my final choice. Poetry is mostly timeless because there are almost no language or vocabulary barriers; and since it can be interpreted in so many ways it allows for an individual connection. That is EXACTLY what teens are looking to do when they read so poetry can serve as a great choice for reluctant readers all the way through literary buffs.
The connection to music is also a crucial element of what makes poetry so powerful to teens. They all have their favorite music and the majority of it has lyrics so they are exposed to poetry whenever they listen to the radio or their Ipod. I love that Sandy read a poem written by a classic poet and a song by Beyonce to illustrate the connection. Next time I have a group visiting the branch I'm stealing his idea and reading lyrics to their favorite music!
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Holla! I totally agree with you on this one. There is something about poetry that all teens love--not sure if it's the content or the format or the ease at which it can be understood that you described, but yes, they love it. Maybe it's the length? Maybe is the rhyme and meter? Maybe it's the tie to music? Who knows? Whatever it is, they love it.
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