Runaway with Words: A Collection of Poetry from Florida's Youth Shelters [Paperback]

Joann Gardner (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1997 | ISBN-10: 093807847X | ISBN-13: 978-0938078470 | Edition: 1st

Poetry. Written by participants in the Runaway with Words program, these poems take us into the domain of runaway, abused, and abandoned teenagers. We emerge from these pages with a new understanding of their lives, an appreciation for the resiliency of the human spirit, and a growing respect for the creative abilities of these marginalized youth.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 6-12. Containing poems culled from writing workshops with teens at risk, this uses teenagers' own words to share the joy, anger, humor, and confusion young adults feel. The book is a strange mix of poetry and professional reading, with writing exercises and teacher anecdotes at the beginning of each section. Fortunately, readers can ignore those pages and head straight for the poetry, which is often explosive. One girl directs a poem at herself, writing from the perspective of the baby she aborted. Another writes about the rage she feels inside: "Do I just hold it in until I split, / or do I let it out and slowly die?" Not all the selections are as somber as these. There are also poems about animals, love, and laughter, and there is a freshness and honesty to the selections that will convince students that poetry isn't just for reading--it's for writing, too. Randy Meyer

About the Author

Joann Gardner teaches English at Florida State University and directs the Runaway With Words Program

Product Details

• Paperback: 122 pages
• Publisher: Anhinga Press; 1st edition (January 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 093807847X
• ISBN-13: 978-0938078470
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,626,489 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)