Women's History Month, Biblio File, Poetry

WOW: A Poetry Celebration by Alexandra Gomez, Supervising Librarian, BookOpsApril 5, 2011

WOW @ The Library: Celebrating a Centennial of Women’s Poetry

April is poetry month! “What is poetry?.” Is poetry perhaps a garden of expressions blooming in the light of thoughtful thoughts? Wonderful words dancing to the rhythm of rhymes? or Sweet tweets that spring from swayable heartbeats? 

According to Edmond Holmes, “Poetry is the expression of strong and deep feeling.” 

But, anyway that poetry may be interpreted, this short selection of poetic works written by and about women, including Pulitzer Prize winners, will transport you into a journey around the world from the past into the present to find the answer.

 
 
 
 
Voices of great women poets around the world, such as Anna Akhmatova, Maya Angelou, Judith Kazantzis, Gabriela Mistral, Marge Piercy, Irina Ratushinskaya, and Alice Walker will take the reader through centuries of life stages, struggles, and achievements.
 
 
 

 

A selection of poems by this pivotal English literary family reflects their domestic life and perspectives in the Victorian time.

 
 
 
 
This medley of poems brings to light sentiments of love, community, and other matters of life.
 
 
 
 
 
This compilation of the works of a remarkable American poet contains many of her previously unpublished poems.
 
 
 
 
 
An autobiographical mixture of culture, language and identity.
 
 
 

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide, When the Rainbow is Enuf: a Choreopoem

By Shange, Ntozake

Recently made into a movie, the book presents the voices of seven women in a series of 20 poems that portray the struggles endured by African-American women.

  

How to (un)cage a girl

By Block, Francesca Lia

In her autobiographical journey from childhood to adulthood, the author shares inner reflections of self-discovery, as well as her experiences with the outside world, its wonders, afflictions, and the significance of our existence.

 

I Don't Want to Be Crazy

By Schutz, Samantha 

The author shares intense feelings ignited by significant life events throughout her high school and college years.

 

Late Wife Poems

By Emerson, Claudia

2006 Pulitzer Prize winner, Claudia Emerson, delves into the wonders of life and failing relationships leading to the rebirth of new ones.

  

 

Native Guard

By Trethewey, Natasha D.

2007

Pulitzer Prize winner, Natasha Trethewey, intertwines sonnets with family life feelings, notable events in American history, and multiracial stories of her hometown.
 
 
 

A Poem of her Own: Voices of American Women Yesterday and Today

By Alcorn, Stephen and Clinton, Catherine

A selection of 25 poems by 25 notable poets of the world.

  

Versed

By Armantrout, Rae

In her philosophical poetry, the 2010 Pulitzer Prize winner, Rae Armantrout, explores transcendental feelings of life’s unfortunate events. 

 

 

When Did I Stop Being 20 and Other Injustices: Selected Poems from Single to Mid-Life

By Viorst, Judith

A humorous look at the different phases of life is told through the multi dimensional domain of poetry. 

These and other titles in different formats are available at your local library.

 

View all posts by Alexandra Gomez

Comments

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More Women's Poetry

Submitted by Joanne (not verified) on April 6, 2011 - 3:01pm

Check out How to (un) cage a girl by Francesca Lia Block. It's a three part poetry collection which takes a girl from girlhood to becoming a woman.

WOW: A Poetry Celebration

Submitted by Alexandra Gomez on April 7, 2011 - 12:38pm

Questions, comments or/and suggestions are always welcome! Recommended title has been added. Thank you.