Pause for Poetry: My Heart is a Poem

‘My Heart is a Poem’ is a wonderful collection of poems, carefully selected to explore feelings and emotions. From happiness to misery, from excitement to anger, the poems here give voice to a wealth of emotions, sharing the experiences of others to help the reader make sense of their own.

There are so many poems here to enjoy, each beautifully illustrated. Whilst the collection is perfect of an individual to browse and enjoy, this collection also offers so much potential for use in school or for adults to share with children struggling to express their own feelings. Coral Rumble’s poignant poem, ‘Ache’, explores being left out of playground games, offering a perfect starting point for reflection and discussion during a circle time or assembly. ‘Stomp’ by Nikki Grimes is an explosion of emotion, empowering the reader with a way to ‘unload my hurt, my rage’ and discover, through using the written word, the ‘power to decide which words matter, which words don’t, and whose.’

‘Sadness’ by Nikita Gill is a breathtakingly beautiful moment of a poem, offering reassurance and hope, reminding us of the importance of acknowledging this emotion and embracing it so it is possible to move on. Personification is also used by Ruth Awolola whose poem ‘Talking to Tomorrow’ captures the giddy joy of anticipation for things to come. 'In ‘Blackbird’ by Rachel Plummer, the reader discovers ‘the secret of flying’.

This is a treasure trove of words which capture our emotions, encouraging empathy and compassion, giving a voice to a wealth of feelings. It really is a collection for everyone- a very special addition to any bookshelf.

My Heart is a Poem: Poetry About Feelings

Poets:

Mandy Coe Laura Mucha Nikki Grimes Naomi Shihab Nye Debjani Chatterjee Coral Rumble Kate Wakeling John Agard Karl Nova James Carter Valerie Bloom Janet Wong Joseph Coelho Ken Nesbitt Jack Prelutsky Nikita Gill Jay Hulme Rachel Plummer Ruth Awolola Elaine Laron

Illustrators:

Annalise Barber Mariana Roldan Masha Manapov Nabila Adani

Little Tiger ISBN: 9781838914400

You can read my review of ‘Courage in a Poem’ here.