Poetry Speaks Who I Am: Poems of Discovery, Inspiration, Independence, and Everything Else [With CD (Audio)]

A poetry collection that listens as much as it speaks, crafted for every reader finding their voice.

This beloved anthology, edited by Elise Paschen, gathers more than 100 classic and contemporary poems that capture the hopes, heartbreaks, questions, and joys of growing up. Hear, the voices of legendary poets and bold new writers echo the experiences of real teens.

What sets this collection apart:

• Experience poetry aloud: The included audio CD features 44 unforgettable readings (39 by the poets themselves), bringing words to life and making the poems accessible and memorable.
• Bridges generations and styles: Classic poets like Langston Hughes, Emily Dickinson, and Edgar Allan Poe appear alongside contemporary stars including Nikki Grimes, Elizabeth Alexander, Sherman Alexie, and Marilyn Nelson.
• Proven classroom favorite: Widely used in middle and high schools; teachers praise its diversity, accessibility, and the way it ignites conversation and self-expression.
• A lasting gift: Beautifully designed and brimming with poetry and art, this anthology is a treasured present for birthdays, holidays, graduations, or "just because."

Elise Paschen is the editor of Poetry Speaks to Children and co-editor of Poetry Speaks, both New York Times bestsellers. She is the author of several acclaimed poetry collections of her own, including Bestiary and Infidelities, winner of the Nicholas Roerich Poetry Prize. Former Executive Director of the Poetry Society of America, she is the co-founder of Poetry in Motion, a nationwide program that places poetry in subways and buses, and co-editor of Poetry in Motion and Poetry in Motion from Coast to Coast.

Series Editor Dominique Raccah is founder, president, and publisher of Sourcebooks, a leading independent publisher outside of Chicago. Today Sourcebooks is the world's leading publisher of poetry in book-and-audio form, and also publishes nonfiction and fiction. Raccah was the initial visionary of the books Poetry Speaks, Poetry Speaks to Children and Hip Hop Speaks to Children, seeing them as interactive, engaging ways to experience spoken and written poetry. Advisory Editor Elizabeth Alexander is a poet, essayist, playwright, and teacher. Most recently, she composed and delivered "Praise Song for the Day" for the inauguration of President Barack Obama, also published as a book. She has published five books of poems, including The Venus Hottentot, Body of Life, and American Sublime, which was one of three finalists for the Pulitzer Prize and was one of the American Library Association's "Notable Books of the Year." Advisory Editor Brad Leithauser is the author of five novels, a novel in verse, five volumes of poetry, a collection of light verse, and a book of essays. His poetry collections include Curves and Angles, The Odd Last Thing She Did, The Mail from Anywhere, Cats of the Temple, and Hundreds of Fireflies. Among his many awards and honors are a Guggenheim Fellowship, an Ingram Merrill Grant, and a MacArthur Fellowship. Advisory Editor Joy Harjo's seven books of poetry include She Had Some Horses, The Woman Who Fell from the Sky, and How We Became Human. Her poetry has garnered many awards including a Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native Writers Circle of the Americas, and the William Carlos Williams Award from the Poetry Society of America.