Category: Poetry

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2010-2019 English Non-fiction Poetry

Brown Girl Dreaming

Summary:

In her poignant poems, Jacqueline Woodson shares her experience of growing up as an African American during the 1960s and 1970s in both South Carolina and New York. Despite feeling like she was only halfway at home in each place, Woodson’s emotionally charged writing vividly portrays the impact of Jim Crow and the Civil Rights movement on her life. Despite struggling with reading as a child, Woodson found solace in writing stories and discovered her passion for storytelling, which ultimately led her to become a gifted writer.

Year of Release: 2014

Author(s): Jacqueline Woodson

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ISBN: 9780399252518

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2020-today All Available For Free (Open Access) English High school (grades 9+) Online Poetry Print Very Short Length (up to 20 min)

The Hill We Climb

An inaugural poem for the country

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Drawing inspiration from other political and motivational speeches, the poem depict the U.S. as a nation with both struggles and strengths, and argues that progress doesn’t happen overnight, but rather requires patience and hard work.

Year of Release: 2021

Author(s): Amanda Gorman

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Further information (link): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56914101-the-hill-we-climb?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=F8asmHMbY6&rank=1

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Online text: http://contentmanager.med.uvm.edu/docs/the_hill_we_climb/vccyf-documents/the_hill_we_climb.pdf?sfvrsn=44a33335_2

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All CEFR B1 CEFR B2 English High school (grades 9+) Online Poetry

Trees

The poem by Mark Haddon deals with the issue of self-identity and asks the question of how does a person fit into this world? What makes a person a person? It is a poem that should show the good parts of life that are often forgotten within stressful times.

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Author(s): Mark Haddon

Preview: https://samploon.com/trees-by-mark-haddon-poetry-analysis/

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Online text: https://medium.com/poem-of-the-day/mark-haddon-trees-90ba3f24128a

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2000-2009 All CEFR B1 CEFR B2 eBook English High school (grades 9+) Novel Physical Format Poetry

Up from the Sea

This novel-in-verse tells the story of how a Japanese teenage boy, Kai, survived the devastating March 2011 tsunami that destroyed the village he lived in.

Year of Release: 2016

Author(s): Leza Lowitz

Preview: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25387133-up-from-the-sea

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ebook URL: https://www.amazon.com/Up-Sea-Leza-Lowitz/dp/0553534777

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2020-today All CEFR B1 CEFR B2 English Extracts - Well Suited for Teaching With Extracts High school (grades 9+) Medium Length (up to 8 hrs) Novel Physical Format Poetry Uncategorized

Poet X

Poet X tells the story of teenage girl Xiomara growing up in the United States feeling lost and finding herself in the poetry she writes. The poet-style novel describes her family, school, and love life by mediating everyday struggles for teenager coming-off age. Intercultural and intergenerational tensions are evident in the book and challenge heteronormative assumptions of gender, age, and ethnicity.

Year of Release: 2020

Author(s): Elizabeth Alcevedo

Preview: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33294200-the-poet-x

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ebook URL: https://www.amazon.de/Poet-X-Elizabeth-Acevedo-ebook/dp/B07RN4RJVP/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1637328546&sr=8-1

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The chapters are written in verse form and can be used as extracts.



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2010-2019 All Available For Free (Open Access) CEFR B1 High school (grades 9+) Online Poetry Print Uncategorized Very Short Length (up to 20 min)

Masks

A very short poem about feeling different and about the importance of being your true self. Illustrated by the author.

(From the volume: Everything On It)

Year of Release: 2011

Author(s): Shel Silverstein

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ISBN: ISBN 10: 0061998168ISBN 13: 9780061998164

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Online text: https://www.commonlit.org/texts/masks?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=pmd_fVtRlDijt2OPs4sH9XwMt8X6ajdtb.fLhmMrXjgrynw-1634156927-0-gqNtZGzNAjujcnBszQhl

Extract and usage suggestions for teaching:

https://www.commonlit.org/texts/masks?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=pmd_fVtRlDijt2OPs4sH9XwMt8X6ajdtb.fLhmMrXjgrynw-1634156927-0-gqNtZGzNAjujcnBszQhl



Further comments for teachers:

The language of this poem is very simple, but you may want to use it as a starting point for discussions that go far beyond B1 level.

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1946-1999 All CEFR B2 High school (grades 9+) Medium Length (up to 8 hrs) Poetry Print

Five Sugars Please

A collection of poetry about life, family, culture, poetry in general.

Year of Release: 1993

Author(s): John Hegley

Preview: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1338550.Five_Sugars_Please

Further information (link): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rl1efoOEDzg

ISBN: 0413678806

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Lots of videos are available with Hegley introducing poetry and his poetry.

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2010-2019 All Available For Free (Open Access) CEFR B2 High school (grades 9+) Online Poetry Very Short Length (up to 20 min)

Panama

Poem about a person migrating to a country where years later he forgot his mother tongue and all the memories he had of his homeland.

Year of Release: 2014

Author(s): Ethelbert Miller

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Further information (link): https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/e-ethelbert-miller

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Online text: https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/panama-3

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The poem is easy, it has very simple language. More poems by Ethelbert Miller:
Other poems also by Ethelbert Miller: https://www.poemhunter.com/eugene-ethelbert-miller/poems/

Categories
2020-today All Available For Free (Open Access) CEFR B2 High school (grades 9+) Online Poetry Very Short Length (up to 20 min)

The Ladder

The poem tells about the poet’s Irish immigrant ancestors. The images of old clothes and long forgotten personal belongings bring ancestral stories back to the poet.

Year of Release: 2020

Author(s): Campbell McGrath

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Online text: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/01/20/the-ladder

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