Paint Me Like I Am: Teen Poems from Writerscorps

by Bill Aguado and Richard Newirth

Book Overview

Today my name is colorful.
Yesterday my name was dead souls.
Tomorrow my name will be lively spirits.
My friends think my name is fire.
The police think my name is burden.
My parents think my name is symphony.
Secretly I know my name is anything I want it to be.

Paint Me Like I Am is a collection of poems by teens who have taken part in writing programs run by a national nonprofit organization called WritersCorps...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0064472647
• ISBN13: 9780064472647
• Release Date: February 2003
• Publisher: Harperteen
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 4.9" x 6.9"
• Age Range: 13 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 8 and higher

Customer Reviews

Froggy

I never felt bored while reading this book, I felt like I could relate to almost every poem that was going on. Every statement I interpreted it a different way but it all related somehow. I thought the author did a really good job at this poem, and the lay out of it. I would recommend this book to anyone. Adult or teenage, guy or girl. It was an absorbing book, full of excitement

The poems are great!

I'm 16 yrs. old and I absolutely love this book of poems. There isn't really a subject that a teenager would bring up or think about that isn't in Paint Me Like I Am. It even gives you activities you can do with poetry. I would give this book to anyone, it to me is even a book that most adults would even enjoy I know for a fact that my mom loves it!

Paint Me Like I Am

In her foreword, award-winning poet Nikki Giovanni urges readers to remember that: We need poetry...We deserve poetry We owe it to ourselves to recreate ourselves And find a different if not better way to live WritersCorps has been bringing poetry and literacy to at-risk youth in Bronx, NY, Washington D.C. and San Francisco since 1994. The poems in this collection show some of the writing exercises used and vivid examples of excellent poetry from many of the youths in the program. Anyone interested in writing should begin with this book. The exercises invite creative expression through a writing journal, imagining oneself in a room and describing feelings, among other activities. While writers will find plenty to inspire them, reading through the poetry from the Writerscorps teens will leave no one untouched. Stories of pain leap from the carefully chosen words of poetry in titles about immigration, fights and abuse. Also strong are examples of hope, celebration of nature, friends and life. Everyday tales of hip-hop shoes, friends, jazz and dirty hands are also included. It's all there. From the title poem by Delia Garcia, San Francisco: Can you see the face telling you paint me happy, Paint me with life, but most of all Paint me free. --- Reviewed by Amy Alessio

Paint Me Like I Am

Paint Me Like I Am features the teen poems selected from the over 40,000 people who have participated in the WritersCorp program. Centered in San Francisco, Washington D. C. and New York, WritersCorps is a program that encourages established poets to share their skills and motivation in improving the lives of economically disadvantaged youths. Having started in 1994, WritersCorps had a large field of poems to choose from and the quality and breadth of poems reflects its broad base. The poems do reflect teen issues such as young love, angst and struggles with authority figures, but they also reflect larger poetic issues such as love of family, nature and place in the universe. The quality of writing in this volume is very high. In addition, the volume is decorated with light grey backgrounds that vary from graffiti to faces. There is a strong introduction by world class poet Nikki Giovanni and quotations and poetic tips by famous authors throughout. With its strong, contemporary urban feel and high quality writing, Paint Me Like I Am is highly recommended for all poetry collections and should be strongly considered for any teen section.

Amazing!

This book filled with insipring poems helped me a great deal to get a new bright perspective in life. It talked about life and friends. Highly reccomend it to any teen wanting to read poems to explore his or herself.