A review by engpunk77
The Pain Tree and Other Teenage Angst-Ridden Poems by Mark Todd, Esther Pearl Watson
4.0
Our school librarian had put this on display on top of the shelves in the library in honor of National Poetry Month. I was immediately attracted to it and could tell that this would have some relevant poems to share with my 8th grade students.
UPDATE
After having read them, I feel so LUCKY to have found them! There are some EXCELLENT poems in here! I particularly recommend "The Ice Cream Vendors" (about the cycle of poverty), "Maggot Memories" (about someone who is not successful in our society and feels it won't get much better), "Waste of Time" (about a relationship going nowhere as one partner is cold & distant), "Zombies" (about so-called "friends" seemingly out for your "blood"), "The Hand" (self-centeredness, pride), and by far the best poem (my new favorite poem of all time), "Following Directions"; a 14-year-old captured the essence of what is wrong with public schools and their adoption of standardization and how its cost has been creative thought and originality.
It's appeal to students? SCORE! In one of my classes, a few students were finished early with their poetry analysis work, so I told them that they can choose a poetry book from which to read for the remainder of the class period. I handed this book to one of my male students who definitely thought poetry was uncool, and he sighed when I placed it in his hands. Get this.....after class, he stayed behind until the other students were out the door, and he nonchalantly asked if he could borrow it until tomorrow or Monday..."These poems really do have some good points, actually," he said.
One point for poetry! One point for reading! YES! That's all I can say. These are the moments I live for.
UPDATE
After having read them, I feel so LUCKY to have found them! There are some EXCELLENT poems in here! I particularly recommend "The Ice Cream Vendors" (about the cycle of poverty), "Maggot Memories" (about someone who is not successful in our society and feels it won't get much better), "Waste of Time" (about a relationship going nowhere as one partner is cold & distant), "Zombies" (about so-called "friends" seemingly out for your "blood"), "The Hand" (self-centeredness, pride), and by far the best poem (my new favorite poem of all time), "Following Directions"; a 14-year-old captured the essence of what is wrong with public schools and their adoption of standardization and how its cost has been creative thought and originality.
It's appeal to students? SCORE! In one of my classes, a few students were finished early with their poetry analysis work, so I told them that they can choose a poetry book from which to read for the remainder of the class period. I handed this book to one of my male students who definitely thought poetry was uncool, and he sighed when I placed it in his hands. Get this.....after class, he stayed behind until the other students were out the door, and he nonchalantly asked if he could borrow it until tomorrow or Monday..."These poems really do have some good points, actually," he said.
One point for poetry! One point for reading! YES! That's all I can say. These are the moments I live for.