poetry Archives - Page 138 of 293

Your Heart, My Sky: Love in a Time of Hunger
by Margarita Engle (Author)
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Booktalk: The people of Cuba are living in el período especial en tiempos de paz–the special period in times of peace. That’s what the government insists that this era must be called, but the reality behind these words is starvation.

Liana is struggling to find enough to eat. Yet hunger has also made her brave: she finds the courage to skip a summer of so-called volunteer farm labor, even though she risks government retribution. Nearby, a quiet, handsome boy named Amado also refuses to comply, so he wanders alone, trying to discover rare sources of food.

A chance encounter with an enigmatic dog brings Liana and Amado together. United in hope and hunger, they soon discover that their feelings for each other run deep. Love can feed their souls and hearts–but is it enough to withstand el período especial?

Snippet:
Her Eyes Are . . .
Amado

magnets, a force of gravity pulling me downwards,
an ability to draw patterns of movement along
this earth-and-sea surface, like moon tides
or tree roots
sinking.

But love, at first, second, third,
or ten millionth glimpse
is mythical,
isn’t
it?

A 2021 Cybils Poetry nominee

Sonny Rollins Plays the Bridge
by Gary Golio (Author) and James Ransome (Illustrator)
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Booktalk: Sonny Rollins loved his saxophone. As a teenager, he was already playing with jazz stars and making a name for himself. But in 1959, at age twenty-nine, he took a break from performing–to work on being a better, not just famous, musician. Practicing in a city apartment didn’t please the neighbors, so Sonny found a surprising alternative–the Williamsburg Bridge. There, with his head in the clouds and foghorns for company, Sonny could play to his heart’s content and perfect his craft. It was a bold choice, for a bold young man and musician.

Snippet: