You're Just Jealous Because We're Young and In Love

"Poems are other people's snapshots in which we see our own lives."

--Charles Simic

I Am Wings: Poems about Love by Ralph Fletcher is a collection of poems for young adults, written about young love. The book is split up into two sections: Falling In and Falling Out. While the poems are written about a broad and popular topic, this collection is anything but typical. The poems use vivid imagery and common middle school based scenarios, such as passing a note in class, and transform it into an adolescent experience.

 This collection is best suited for older children, as it touches on emotions and feelings that may not be suitable for a younger audience. This book would be useful when discussing the different types of poems, especially when discussing that poems do not have to rhyme. Also, this collection would be an excellent choice for discussing symbolism and expressive language. For example, Fletcher uses the phrases "star-scarred sky", "prickle of heat", and "slowly bursting down the halls" to describe various scenes depicted in his poetry.

Baker, J., & Fletcher, R. J. (1994). I Am Wings: Poems About Love (Library Binding ed.). New York: Atheneum.

Before Reading: 

Discuss different types of poems and different aspects of poems with students including rhyming patterns, haikus, poems for two voices, etc. Also engage students by asking if they have ever felt connected to something--even if it is not in reference to a person it will still trigger an emotional response.

During Reading:

At the midpoint of the collection--in between "Falling In" and "Falling Out" , discuss how relationships change, both in positive and negative ways.

After Reading:

Discuss the different emotions in the poetry. Inquire to students what they would do if put into similar situations; for instance, if someone left a note for them in a book they were reading.

Writing Activity:

Ask students to write their own falling in love and falling out of love poems. These poems could be about any love--a person, baseball, soccer, boy scouts, broccoli, Willimantic... The "falling in" poem contains positive aspects of their chosen subject, while the "falling out" are the negative aspects.

Vocabulary:

prickle, steady, woven, symbolism, betrayal, mythology, crimson

Web Links!

Tips for Young Writers from Ralph Fletcher

Books for Aspiring Young Writers

Other Poem Selections:

Joyful Noise by Paul Fleischman

Beast Feast by Douglas Florian 

Secrets of a Small Brother by Richard Margolis