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A review by embot77
Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems by Naomi Shihab Nye
4.0
"Everything Comes Next" by Naomi Shihab Nye presents a mixed bag of poetic reflections that veer from the mundane to the profound. In this collection, Nye exhibits a knack for capturing the essence of everyday life through her verse, although some poems resonate more deeply than others.
One such piece that stands out is "Courage," a poem that embodies Nye's impulse to utilize concrete language as a vehicle for conveying abstract feelings. By focusing on a single word, Nye invites readers to visually and physically engage with the concept of courage. This approach is particularly commendable as it provides a unique perspective and contributes to making emotions more accessible, especially for individuals with conditions like alexithymia.
Throughout the first section of the collection, Nye demonstrates a consistent activity of taking abstract feelings and rendering them concrete through vivid imagery and personification. This technique effectively engages the senses, making the emotions tangible and relatable. Readers are transported into Nye's world, where feelings take on a life of their own and resonate on a visceral level.
By the end of the third and last section, I was left to think about my parents and my mortality. From reading poems about the speaker's dead father before and after he died, I am encouraged to reflect and pursue a more intimate relationship with what I love before they're gone and before I regret not doing so.
"Everything Comes Next" has the potential to appeal to late elementary and middle-grade readers due to its accessible language and relatable themes. Nye's poetry explores universal experiences such as friendship, family, emotional connections, and more, making it relevant to young ler and older readers navigating their own journeys of growth and understanding.
However, while the collection offers moments of insight and beauty, it occasionally falls short in terms of consistency and depth. Some poems feel overly simplistic or lack the depth needed to leave a lasting impact. Additionally, the scattered nature of the themes may leave readers wanting a more cohesive narrative thread to tie the collection together.
In conclusion, "Everything Comes Next" by Naomi Shihab Nye is a solid entry into the world of poetry for late elementary and middle-grade readers. It offers moments of inspiration and reflection, with poems like "Courage" shining as examples of Nye's ability to transform abstract emotions into tangible experiences. While not without its flaws, this collection serves as a gentle introduction to the power of poetry and the complexities of the human experience.
One such piece that stands out is "Courage," a poem that embodies Nye's impulse to utilize concrete language as a vehicle for conveying abstract feelings. By focusing on a single word, Nye invites readers to visually and physically engage with the concept of courage. This approach is particularly commendable as it provides a unique perspective and contributes to making emotions more accessible, especially for individuals with conditions like alexithymia.
Throughout the first section of the collection, Nye demonstrates a consistent activity of taking abstract feelings and rendering them concrete through vivid imagery and personification. This technique effectively engages the senses, making the emotions tangible and relatable. Readers are transported into Nye's world, where feelings take on a life of their own and resonate on a visceral level.
By the end of the third and last section, I was left to think about my parents and my mortality. From reading poems about the speaker's dead father before and after he died, I am encouraged to reflect and pursue a more intimate relationship with what I love before they're gone and before I regret not doing so.
"Everything Comes Next" has the potential to appeal to late elementary and middle-grade readers due to its accessible language and relatable themes. Nye's poetry explores universal experiences such as friendship, family, emotional connections, and more, making it relevant to young ler and older readers navigating their own journeys of growth and understanding.
However, while the collection offers moments of insight and beauty, it occasionally falls short in terms of consistency and depth. Some poems feel overly simplistic or lack the depth needed to leave a lasting impact. Additionally, the scattered nature of the themes may leave readers wanting a more cohesive narrative thread to tie the collection together.
In conclusion, "Everything Comes Next" by Naomi Shihab Nye is a solid entry into the world of poetry for late elementary and middle-grade readers. It offers moments of inspiration and reflection, with poems like "Courage" shining as examples of Nye's ability to transform abstract emotions into tangible experiences. While not without its flaws, this collection serves as a gentle introduction to the power of poetry and the complexities of the human experience.