Voices in the Air

November 15, 2017
A rich collection of poems celebrating diverse lives.Poet and National Book Award finalist Nye (19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East, 2005, etc.) here showcases a variety of largely contemporary vantage points. In the prose introduction to this collection of over 90 free-verse poems, Nye invites teen readers to take a break from the lure of digital devices, asking, "With so much vying for our attention, how do we listen better?" and gently reminding all that "quiet inspiration may be as necessary as food, water, and shelter." Inspiration for Nye here often comes from the crossing of cultures and results from the consummate attention she pays to the slightest of natural phenomena ("never say no to peonies") alongside such grave societal ills as the displacement or disenfranchisement of whole peoples, whether happening in Gaza, Baghdad, or Ferguson. Using thoughts from a number of famous literary and historical figures as springboards, Nye presents political issues with ease, seeking always to "translate us / all into a better world," as when she movingly describes the plight of the refugee in "Arabs in Finland": "What they left to be here, / in the cold country, / where winter lasts forever, / haunts them in the dark."Asking tough questions and demonstrating the beauty of the voices on the fringe, Nye once again deftly charts the world through verse: not to be missed. (biographical notes) (Poetry. 13-17)

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January 1, 2018

Gr 5 Up-Nye invokes the voices and spirits of countless inspirational figures past and present in her latest poetry collection. From Bruce Springsteen and Langston Hughes to Yehuda Amichai and Vera B. Williams to her own grandfather and a barber in Honolulu, Nye has utilized poetry as an equalizer and shows, without saying, that raised, wise, creative voices are powerful and vital. Nye frames the collection ever so clearly, first with the title, second with the subtitle, and third with her masterly written introduction. Her intentionality is palpable but never contrived. In a time when many young people feel the need to never slow down, Nye reminds readers that the pause and quiet attention required to read a poem can serve as a kind of meditation in itself. At the end, she provides brief biographical information for each person referenced; each serving not only as an explanatory note, but a teaser for those looking to dive deeper into their lives and work. Nye has given poetry readers a brilliantly constructed, thoughtful, and inspiring collection that can be entered and utilized from countless different angles. Or, one can simply savor each poem (for they stand on their own) and practice the habit of slowing down and contemplating the poem's voice. VERDICT A vital addition to poetry collections.-Jill Heritage Maza, Montclair Kimberley Academy, NJ

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 12, 2018
"People do not pass away./ They die/ and then they stay," declares Nye's brief poem "Voices in the Air," the titular work in her collection of 95 poems. The meaning of the collection's subtitle is twofold: the poems are moving when read aloud, but Nye is also asking readers to take part in a more profound and subtle type of listening, a kind that cuts through the noise and hears what matters. Each poem is inspired by an individual's life or words, including poet Henry David Thoreau; political activist, writer, and teacher Grace Paley; and Caroline Mueller, an organic farmer from Ferguson, Mo. Valuable short biographies of each figure are included in the collection's back matter, which allows for a better understanding of Nye's references. Some poems directly address individuals. In "Train Across Texas" (dedicated to Langston Hughes), she writes: "Langston, what did Texas look like back then." Other allusions are far less clear, left like trails of clues for readers to follow. Despite being divided into three loosely themed sections, Nye's collection invites readers to freely meander through the pages in order to experience each poem on its own terms. Ages 13-up.

December 15, 2017
Grades 9-12 All the voices ever cast out into the air are still floating around, award-winning poet Nye (The Turtle of Oman, 2014) suggests. In this contemplative collection of more than 100 free verse poems, Nye summons them, channeling writers, educators, music icons, and more, from Lucille Clifton and Bruce Springsteen to Hawaiian hairdresser Mary Endo. Over the course of three sections, Nye delivers graceful dedications and intimate recollections, playful musings and sharp rebukes. In the John O'Donohue-inspired Bowing Candles, Nye celebrates the late Irish poet: all poems belong to anyone who loves them. In Oh, Say Can You See, Nye envisions Donald Trump in Palestine: I'd wrap a keffiyeh around his head, / tuck some warm falafels into his pockets, she writes. And in A Lonely Cup of Coffee, Nye admires the redolent / rich / ripe / round of a beverage enjoyed in solitude. These are poems for listeners, as the subtitle asserts, and there's no doubt that Nye's nimble, clear-eyed, and quietly political poemssupplemented by meticulous biographical notesmay make an avid listener out of anyone.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)