Voices in the Air: Poems for Listeners

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.