Nye, Naomi Shihab

The Words Under the Words: Selected Poems (A Far Corner Book)

Average customer rating:

Truly Wonderful Stuff
The Language of Compassion
Real life poetry
A warm, intriguing collection of poetry.
Divine poetry without the flowers

The Words Under the Words: Selected Poems (A Far Corner Book)
Naomi Shihab Nye
Manufacturer: Eighth Mountain Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0933377290

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A political, spiritual Palestinian-American from Texas, Naomi Nye illuminates some of the subtler aspects of human experience in this volume of poems drawn from three previous collections. She ponders everything from the donor of a now-broken music box to a little girl clenching her fist against death, using absolute clarity of imagery and a gentle, authoritative voice to make her visions accessible. She also poses such unanswerable questions as "What makes a man with a gun seem bigger/ than a man with almonds?" -- making it a thought-provoking read.

Customer Reviews:

Truly Wonderful Stuff.......2004-12-17

There was not a single poem I didn't like, and most of them I loved. Her poems seem to touch upon the core of things. I feel comfortable with saying I think she is in the same league as Mary Oliver, Hafiz, Stafford, And Rumi.

The Language of Compassion.......2002-07-29

Naomi Shihab Nye is Palestinian-American and currently lives in Texas. Words Under the Words is a collection of works from three earlier books: Different Ways to Pray, Hugging the Jukebox, and Yellow Glove. In this collection, her poetry celebrates the interconnectedness of the human spirit and the ordinary world. A stranger's eyes, once met, become the eyes of a fellow (Eye-to-Eye, p. 11); a serving woman's lined face tells a story of great worth (The Indian in the Kitchen, p.4); and images of Guatemala eulogize the passing of indigenous culture in service to the industrial world (Getting Through the Day, p. 69).

Nye's poetry is informed by her sense of place: Kindness (p.42) could have been written nowhere but from Colombia. Before you learn the solemnity of kindness, she writes, you must see a dead person lying roadside. "You must see how this could be you/how he, too, was someone/who journeyed through the night with plans/and the simple breath that kept him alive." Many of the poems in this book have been written from different Central and South American countries-others in the Middle East, in the United States-there is even a poem about being lost in Kansas.

In an interview with Rachel Berenblat, Nye said she has written poems from childhood. "I liked the portable, comfortable shape of poems," she said. "I liked the way they took you to a deeper, quieter place, almost immediately." It is no surprise, then, that these poems are accessible and harmonious, written in the language of empathy and compassion.

Real life poetry.......2001-03-29

I have always felt that I couldn't "understand" poetry, but these poems spoke to me. I came across this book by accident, but once I started reading it, I couldn't part with it. I felt compelled to buy a copy. The beauty of Ms. Nye's poetry lies in its unpretentious yet eloquent simplicity. The poems are full of everyday events, people, emotions - yet express such profound ideas. They are full of humanity, good-will, and self-discovery. This is a book that would appeal to even the most "unliterary" person.

A warm, intriguing collection of poetry........1998-01-19

The Words Under the Words is certainly one of my favorite books of poetry. Nye writes with a warmth and gentleness that is calming, thought-provoking, and increasingly rare in today's poetry. She seems to have an amazingly accurate and poignant understanding of human emotions and presents these so softly and beautifully that it's hard not to fall in love with the stories that grow from these poems. One of the few books of poetry I've read cover to cover that's maintained a sense of freshness and wonder throughout. It held my interest like a hand. I can't imagine anyone not liking this book. A great read.

Divine poetry without the flowers.......1996-12-14

Ms. Nye brings together so many elements of her life, one is sure to strike a chord with everyone who reads this book. Her words, while descriptive, never fail to invoke more than just their surface meaning. I find it best to read each poem three times, right in a row. The first to absorb the flavor and place, the second to garner the depths and colors that are only implied, and third to bring its meaning home, to own the poem as if it were my own words. Her beautiful style is simple and clear, yet embroidered with care for meaning and love for language. I highly recommend this book to poetry lovers others who enjoy pictures made with words.

Average customer rating:

Thoroughly metaphorical and inspiring!
Poetic fuzzy-headed thinking
A great book.
Highly reccomend!!!
Anti-Israeli pro-palestinian rhetoric

Habibi
Naomi Shihab Nye
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0689825234

Book Description

The day after Liyana got her first real kiss, her life changed forever. Not because of the kiss, but because it was the day her father announced that the family was moving from St. Louis all the way to Palestine. Though her father grew up there, Liyana knows very little about her family's Arab heritage. Her grandmother and the rest of her relatives who live in the West Bank are strangers, and speak a language she can't understand. It isn't until she meets Omer that her homesickness fades. But Omer is Jewish, and their friendship is silently forbidden in this land. How can they make their families understand? And how can Liyana ever learn to call this place home?

Customer Reviews:

Thoroughly metaphorical and inspiring!.......2007-06-01

I was introduced to Naomi Shihab Nye earlier this year as a poet and I was instantly hooked, her poetry was both compelling and inspirational. When I learned that she had written a novel, I wasted no time in reading it.

Once I opened Habibi, I was instantly lured in by the impeccable use of image grammar techniques, especially metaphors. It seems like nearly everything was a symbol of something quite ominous and conspicuous. The plot was truly moving, and, unlike that other person who reviewed this book, I believe it is in no way offensive to Jews. While it did speak of the Jewish community in a way that had a slightly negative outlook, it was overridden by the main character's point of view, who sees no reason to be separate from them, though she is a little wary. I think that is fine though, because it supplies a reality of wanting to learn more about other cultures and races and learning how to live among them.

I also liked the sentences at the top of each chapter. I found this use of foreshadowing far more interesting than the regular use, and the words within them tasted sweet upon my tongue. Some of them were so realistic and bold that I wanted to do away with them, for there meanings were so heavy. Here are a few that I particularly liked: "She opened her mouth and a siren came out" as well as "Water came from the earth and stories sprang from the stones" and "Teach me to sew a vine of stars." I loved these.

Overall, Habibi has several beautiful messages:
1. We must surf the waves on which we are given, or else we will crash
2. The only way to find inner peace is to find peace within your community
3. There is always a balance
4. Things are not always as they seem; unexpected treasures can be found anywhere and everywhere

In conclusion, I think it is an incredible book, and I have no idea how anybody could not like it. The surface supplies a very boring plot, but once you start looking closely, it forces you into emotions, meanings, symbols, questions, and answers that you would never have thought of. I daresay I will continue to read the Naomi Shihab Nye's masterpieces.

Poetic fuzzy-headed thinking.......2007-04-10

As a tutor for middle-school and high-school students, I thought that this book would be an age-appropriate, poetic introduction to the complicated history of Palestine and Israel as told by a teenager. I was appalled to find that this book is very slanted toward Palestinians, portraying Israelis as either ashamed of their actions or brutal, mindless hoodlums. As a feminist, I was also irritated by the non-portrayal of the mother, who is two-dimensional at best. If you must have your students read this book, please pair it with a book written from a Jewish perspective. Or, brush up on your Middle Eastern history, so you can bring some depth and nuance to a complicated problem, and not the simplistic stereotypes as found in this novel.

A great book........2006-12-01

I was assigned to read this book by my LA (English teacher), at first I have to say I wasn't very happy because the book looked really boring, but after I read the first couple of chapters I was really liked the book. The book Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye is about a 14-year-old girl named Liyana who finds out that all of a sudden her family is moving all the way across the ocean to Jerusalem. This is a problem because Liyana has just recently kissed on of her good friends and doesn't want to move away. I think the author Naomi Shihab Nye is a very good writer and writes about simple things in life that just happen to cause huge problems. All of her problems that she writes about in the book are realistic and believable. But what I really liked is that Naomi Shihab Nye made Liyana a believable character and that give a hint of reality in this book. During the book, Liyana goes through many changes and challenges and that's something a lot of girls can relate to and I think that's why I kept reading the book. This is a really enjoyable book, and I would highly recommend this book to someone.(L Chow)

Highly reccomend!!!.......2006-11-30

I was assigned by my LA teacher to read this book, at first i wasn't exactly happy because i thought the book looked a little boring. But when i started reading it I was really intrested in it because it's about this girl who is 14 years old and thats something i can almost relate to. I really really enjoyed this book because its really intresting and something is always happening you can not be bored when reading this book its so good. It has alot to do with family and the problems of a 14 year old teenage girl. I highly reccomend it!!!

Anti-Israeli pro-palestinian rhetoric.......2006-06-13

This book is extremely anti-Israeli and filled with pro-Palestininian rhetoric. Its portrayal of history is either inaccurate or missing. It presents no context for the actions of the Israeli soldiers, just talks about how mean they are. It justifies suicide bombing as the correct response for frustrated people. It gives no explanation as to the reasons for the conflict. It misquotes Golda Meir and provides no explanation for her statement that there was no Palestine, i.e., a country called Palestine before 1948. The story is somewhat interesting, but sorely lacking in context and history.

This Same Sky: A Collection of Poems from Around the World

Average customer rating:

Lost in Translation
Poetry from around the world

This Same Sky: A Collection of Poems from Around the World
Naomi Shihab Nye
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0689806302

Customer Reviews:

Lost in Translation.......2006-05-01

English is a simplistic language when compared to a great many other languages. It simply doesn't have the same potential for subtle nuances, rhyming, and other things of that nature. With that in mind, it's always hit-or-miss as to whether a translated poem will carry the same impact in English as it did in its original language. That, I would say, is one of the problems with this book, and it's not the book's, nor Naomi Shihab Nye's fault.

As the other reviewer said, some of the poems are quite good, some are obscure, and some are downright puzzling, and I imagine those particular ones, in their original language, had a lot more clarity of vision and feeling. The cultural backgrounds are a pitfall, as was also stated, though if a reader has a small knowledge of world history, the captions at the bottom of each poem which state the country of the author's origin are a great help. For example, when reading a poem about scrounging in the jungle, looking for a few scraps of rice, AK-47 in hand, it helps to know if the author is Vietnamese.

That notwithstanding, some of the poems are simply confusing, and I am an English major, and some, also due to the translation, I imagine, seem more like straight-forward prose.

All in all, This Same Sky is a good collection, and it does a very good job representing a broad cross-section of the world. It's just a shame the English language doesn't do the works justice. So, with that in mind, it's the translation's fault that I only gave the book 3 stars.

Poetry from around the world.......2004-04-11

Naomi Shihab Nye has collected over one hundred poems from poets all over the world. The poems are about many things, including nature and families. While the details of the poetry (items, animals and birds) are foreign, the feelings expressed are familiar to us all.

Some of the poems are funny, like the one from Altazor by Vicente Huidobro, many others are sad ("My Life Story" by Lan Nguyen and "Behind Bars" by Fadwa Tuqan). Some poems are puzzling, like "Petrified Minute" by Zoltan Zelk and others make you want to know more of the story behind them, like Ruth Dallas's "A New Dress" and Gu Cheng's "A Headstrong Boy." There are poems that create beautiful mental images, and poems that leave the reader bewildered and vaguely disturbed (Tony Perez's "Volunteer Worker").

While the words have been translated into English, much of this poetry is difficult to understand. Many poems would be almost meaningless for a reader with no frame of reference to place the poem in. The poem "Jerusalem" by the Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai is one that a reader with little knowledge about the history of Palestine would find puzzling. The brief Notes on the Contributors at the back of the volume help explain a little more about the poets, but to truly understand some of the poetry more background information is needed. This collection is not one most children will fully understand on their own.

Between Mothers and Sons: Women Writers Talk about Having Sons and Raising Men
Average customer rating:

Something here for everyone

Memorable reading, great range of experiences

Incredible

Great writing but limited perspective

Between Mothers and Sons: Women Writers Talk about Having Sons and Raising Men

Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers

ASIN: 0684850710

Book Description

The challenge for mothers of sons is to realize that because we do not share a sexual identity, that because we have not grown up in a male body, we cannot presume to understand everything there is to know about our sons' worlds. -- Patricia Stevens

In this absolutely superb collection of mothers' personal narratives, some classic writers, as well as exciting new voices, ponder the conflicts and joys of raising sons. Patricia Stevens's Between Mothers and Sons is the first anthology in which women writers attempt to answer the question that all mothers have contemplated in the course of mothering the opposite sex: "Who is this male child who came out of my body?"

After all, the mother/son relationship is the foundation of all male/female connections. Yet in our culture, it's a relationship that has been far less closely observed than the relationship between mother and daughter.

From the earliest days of nursing to the good-byes as college and adulthood appear on the threshold, from adoptive families to biracial, from Native American to African-American mothers, these pages cover a broad range of experience. These writers collectively explore the delights and frustrations, the deep and often-conflicted emotions they feel in their roles as mothers to their male children.

"Diamonds are forever, but love can easily get lost....I picture the broken pieces of my heart inside me like the shrapnel of a war." In Jo-Ann Mapson's heartbreaking "Navigating the Channel Islands," we read of the intense pain that appears in the wake of her adolescent son's rebellion. On a more comical note, Deborah Galyan's "Watching Star Trek with Dylan" is a must for any mother who has wondered about a young son's love of things mechanical. And Valerie Monroe's bittersweet "Feet" will touch every mother on the planet: "As I unwrapped the slippers and carefully placed them on this rug, I thought, they're his feet, after all. And step by step, they will take him away from me."

Between Mothers and Sons resoundingly, if unflinchingly, celebrates this new journey that we are all making with our boys.

Customer Reviews:

Something here for everyone.......2005-03-07

As with many short story / essay collections, it is hard to review the book overall as the individual contributions are uneven.
In this case, almost all are moving and at least some will touch a heartstring (or raw nerve!) in every mother.
Many play the feminist angle, which I felt may be somewhat misplaced in a mother-son relationship.
A couple I'd already read in other collections (e.g. `Toddler'), including one of my personal favourites, Jonathan Bing by Priscilla Leigh MacKinley, about a mother who lost her sight during childbirth and has to adapt to becoming blind and the responsibility of responsibility of caring for a new baby at the same time ... the thought alone makes me shudder, but she writes about it beautifully and it was a joy to read again.
All-in-all, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

Memorable reading, great range of experiences.......2000-01-22

Each in her own way, the writers in this collection make complex connections -- with their sons and with readers. There's a great range of experiences here for the reader who wants to concentrate on the mother-son relationship rather than on family relationships in general.

I sometimes cried and more often laughed -- but I also thought about my female friends and their sons, and agreed with what I was reading -- then remembered my mother and sisters and their sons, and argued back -- considered my male friends, and understood more than I had before.

The authors had some great stories to tell, and the quality of the writing fully repaid a second (and for some essays, a third) reading. The author's own very moving contribution was my favorite, but months after reading the book, there are many moments I remember.

Incredible.......1999-12-04

I bought Between Mothers and Sons for myself as a Mother's Day gift when my son was 3 months old. I was moved viscerally by the essays contained in this book. Although I do agree with the reviewer from Wisconsin that the collective voice of these essays is limited, I feel that the emotional tumult felt and expressed by these very talented women is universal.

Great writing but limited perspective.......1999-07-14

Stevens has gathered a well-written and insightful collection of essays by very talented women. The challenges of raising sons are presented in sometimes poignant, frequently amusing, and generally thought-provoking ways. But I kept wishing for some other perspectives. All of the women whose writings are collected here seem to be on a single page. They're all feminists; few get any child-rearing help or wisdom from the boys' fathers; most seem to have no spiritual foundation (LaMott is an obvious exception). I would have liked to read a more balanced collection of authors.

Average customer rating:

An amazing collection of poetry
What Have You Lost?
I was moved by this collection of poetry.
Haunting
A Work of Art

What Have You Lost?
Naomi Shihab Nye
Manufacturer: HarperTeen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0380733072
Release Date: 2001-05-08

Book Description

What have you lost? A friend? A brother? A wallet? A memory? A meaning? A year?

Each Night

Images,
dream news,
fragments,
flash
then fade.
These darkened walls.

Here, I say.
Climb into
this story.
Be remembered!

Jay Bremyer

00-01 Tayshas High School Reading List

Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies 2000, National Council for SS & Child. Book Council, 2000 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA), 00 Riverbank Review Magazine's Children's Books of Distinction Award Nominations, Winner 2000 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, and 01 Riverbank Review Magazine's Children's Books of Distinction Award Nominations

Customer Reviews:

An amazing collection of poetry.......2002-03-09

Wow. This book is amazing...This book seems to apply to life, no matter what is going on. The poetry in this book seems to span across so many issues, and so many age groups. I just keep coming back to it.

What Have You Lost?.......1999-12-18

This is a collection of poems about losing things, for all age groups. From losing pencils, keys, toys, parents, siblings, spouses, trust and freindship. A very moving book of poetry. It contains excellent black and white illustrations and I recommend it for students from the 5th grade up, as well as parents and teachers.

I was moved by this collection of poetry........1999-10-23

I purchased this book on a whim for my 9 year old son. He found some of the ideas very sad. We enjoyed talking about the different types of losses. I definately got more out of it than he did. I have enjoyed sharing it with my friends. The poetry comes from many kinds of experiences and is a great all around poetry experience.

Haunting.......1999-09-20

The photographs are haunting and the words stay with you because they are from the heart... definately not to be lost.

A Work of Art.......1999-06-03

Rarely does a book grab hold of me and not let go until I've read and read. The poetry is of the highest quality and the photographs are stunning.

Average customer rating:

incredible
Color Me Amazed
The Poet in All of Us
Richie's Picks: A Maze Me

A Maze Me: Poems for Girls
Naomi Shihab Nye
Manufacturer: HarperTeen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Going Going

ASIN: 0060581891
Release Date: 2005-03-15

Book Description

Life is a tangle of
twisting paths.
Some short.
Some long.
There are dead ends.
And there are choices.
And wrong turns,
and detours,
and yield signs,
and instruction booklets,
and star maps,
and happiness,
and loneliness.
And friends.
And sisters.
And love.
And poetry.

Life is a maze.
You are a maze.
Amazed.
And amazing.

Customer Reviews:

incredible.......2007-06-02

Naomi Shihab Nye has a relationship with words and Emotions that few people achieve in their life, regardless of their age. She is my favorite poet as well as my favorite author and I have never dislike one of her poems.

A Maze Me is no exception. Every poem sends a strong message or fills you with a feeling or new idea. Each poem is written so beautifully that no illustration is needed, as it probes curiosity and imaginitive explanations. In my opinion, Naomi Shihab Nye is very philosophical, and this thinking appears through metaphors that are evenly distributed throughout her literature.

A Maze Me is an incredible set of poems and your life will not be complete until you have read this.

Color Me Amazed.......2006-06-27

This book by the sublime Naomi Shihab Nye is subtitled "Poems for Girls," but I don't think that this charming book should be restricted to one gender. I certainly chuckled, oohed, and aahed a number of times as I read through it. (Still, it WOULD make a great gift for the young girl in your life.)

Shihab Nye has a generosity of spirit that shines through her poetry like a twinkle in a kindly aunt's eye. Here is a little somethin'-somethin' to whet your appetite (excerpted from "Ringing"):

"Now, when I hear an ice-cream truck chiming its bells, I fly
Even if I'm not hungry -- just to watch it pass.

Mailmen with their chime of dogs barking
up and down the street are magic too.

They are all bringers.
I want to be a bringer.

I want to drive a truck full of eggplants down the smallest street. I want to be someone making music with my coming."

The Poet in All of Us.......2006-05-24

Once I read Naomi Shihab Nye's introduction, I felt I was about to turn the pages of something very special. I was right. This unique collection of poems gives the reader a chance to look at familiar life in a new way. Full of nostalgia, intimate and humorous, tender and tearful, this is a book I would love to underline and memorize. I look forward to writing in my own notebook, trying to find the poet in me.

Richie's Picks: A Maze Me.......2005-04-29

"Ringing

A baby, I stood in my crib to hear
the dingy-ding of a vegetable truck approaching.

When I was bigger, my mom took me out
to the street
to meet the man who rang the bell and
he tossed me
a tangerine...

...the first thing I ever caught. I thought
he was
a magic man.

My mom said there used to be milk trucks too.
She said,
Look hard, he'll be gone soon. And she was right.
He disappeared.

Now when I hear an ice-cream truck chiming
its bells, I fly.
Even if I'm not hungry--just to watch it pass.

Mailmen with their chime of dogs barking
up and down the street are magic too.

They are all bringers.

I want to be a bringer.

I want to drive a truck full of eggplants down
the smallest street.

I want to be someone making music
with my coming."

And so she is. And so she does.
A great joy that accompanies a new book of poems by Naomi Shihab Nye is the expectation that she will begin reappearing at national conferences and conventions, reading aloud from her latest collection. The good feeling I've taken away with me from her past workshops is about as close as I get to church these days.

A MAZE ME contains seventy-two of Naomi's latest poems. Younger teens will find these pieces easy to read and relate to. Hopefully, many will be intrigued and inspired by Naomi's ability to create poetry from such sources as a car manual, a newspaper article, a taco sign, "the hair on the head of the girl in front of me in school," Julia Child's patting potatoes, or a vapor trail "X" that a pair of planes have inadvertently left in the sky.

Being a book of "Poems for Girls" there are also the requisite handful of "longing" poems:

"High Hopes

It wasn't that they were so
high, exactly,
they were more
low-down,
close-to-the-ground,
I could rub them
the way you touch a cat
that rubs against your ankles
even if he isn't yours.

So yes I feel lonely without them.
Now that I know the truth,
that I only dreamed someone liked me,
the cat has curled up in a bed of leaves
against the house and I still have to do
everything I had to do before
without a secret hum
inside."

Despite being a guy, I really enjoyed the images and memories conjured up by these poems. Whether reading "Visiting My Old Kindergarten Teacher, Last Day of School," "Turtle" (about the persistent creature that had walked for twenty years), or "Across the Aisle" (about the little girl who coughed "every 30 seconds for seven whole hours" on a transatlantic flight), I've repeatedly interrupted Rosemary's reading on the couch and Shari's grading papers at the kitchen table in order to have an audience with whom to share the poems aloud.
"Big Head, Big Face
(what my brother said to me)

If your head had been smaller
maybe you woulda had less thoughts in it,
maybe you wouldn't have so many troubles.
This is just a guess but seems to me
like a little drawer only hold a few spoons
and you can always find the one you need
while a big drawer jammed with tongs
strings corks junky stuff receipts birthday cards
you never gonna look at
scrambled and mixed so one day
you open that drawer
poke your hand in and big knife go
through your palm
you didn't even know a knife was IN there,
well, that's why I think
it might not be so bad to have a little head
with just a few thoughts few memories few hopes
maybe if only one little one came true
that be enough for you."

Luckily for us, Naomi Shihab Nye has carefully sifted through that drawer to provide an entertaining assortment of poetic images, thoughts, stories, and yoga poses.

19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East

Average customer rating:

Allegorical camaflouge...
Naomi Shihab Nye
poems of beautiful simplicity and loving honesty
"There's a place in this brain where hate won't grow."
subtle stories

19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East
Naomi Shihab Nye
Manufacturer: HarperTeen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060504048
Release Date: 2005-03-15

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As she grieved over the "huge shadow [that] had been cast across the lives of so many innocent people and an ancient culture's pride" after September 11, 2001, poet and author Naomi Shihab Nye's natural response was to write, to grasp "onto details to stay afloat." Accordingly, Nye has gathered over four dozen of her own poems about the Middle East and about being an Arab American living in the United States. Devoted followers of the award-winning and beloved poet will recognize some of their favorites from her earlier collections (The Space Between Our Footsteps: Poems and Paintings from the Middle East, etc.), while absorbing themselves in her new haunting and evocative poems. Nye writes of figs and olives, fathers' blessings and grandmothers' hands that "recognize grapes, / and the damp shine of a goat's new skin." She writes of Palestinians, living and dead, of war, and of peace. Readers of all ages will be profoundly moved by the vitality and hope in these beautiful lines from Nye's heart. (Ages 9 to adult) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

"Tell me how to live so many lives at once ..."

Fowzi, who beats everyone at dominoes; Ibtisam, who wanted to be a doctor; Abu Mahmoud, who knows every eggplant and peach in his West Bank garden; mysterious Uncle Mohammed, who moved to the mountain; a girl in a red sweater dangling a book bag; children in velvet dresses who haunt the candy bowl at the party; Baba Kamalyari, age 71; Mr. Dajani and his swans; Sitti Khadra, who never lost her peace inside.

Maybe they have something to tell us.

Naomi Shihab Nye has been writing about being Arab-American, about Jerusalem, about the West Bank, about family all her life. These new and collected poems of the Middle East -- sixty in all -- appear together here for the first time.

Customer Reviews:

Allegorical camaflouge..........2007-02-12

If people took the time to understand the subliminal, mocking nature of this book, I wonder if they would still rave about it so?
The Biblical analogy of Gazelles, figs, grapes, and the Hebraic etymology they entail, speaks of an amassing of combatants gathered together to comence as destroyers. The shiny new skin of a Goat is quite evil from the same perspective. Shining glistening definitions are worth a look in Hebrew. As well as Goats being seperated from the sheep at the final judgement. The sheep go to the right to Paradise. The Goats are parted to the left and are cast into Hell!
A woman of this level of education, and background knows full well the various curtural meanings and terminologies of certain Biblical paralells, the regional connatations that apply, and is quite the master employing them so they appear more "warm and fuzzy."

Naomi Shihab Nye.......2006-03-21

Nye is one of the best voices of the middle east for young readers. Her poetry and picture books are all evocative, raising issues of family, identity and tolerance. Her work is a rich resource for any teacher who hopes to offer students empathy and insight for the middle east.

poems of beautiful simplicity and loving honesty.......2005-12-28

In her introduction to "19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East," Naomi Shihab Nye writes that after the September 11 attacks, "a huge shadow had been cast across the lives of so many innocent people and an ancient culture's pride." (Nye, xv) As an American born girl with a Middle Eastern father, Nye can write from behind that shadow, shedding light on the tormented hearts of Arab-Americans trying to come to terms with September 11th.

When Americans think of the Middle East, we often think only of the hatred and violence of terrorism. It is important, therefore, to read poetry by writers like Nye, who help us to remember that there is love, generosity and beauty to be found there too. Her poems have a beautiful simplicity and loving honesty that can speak to both children and adults.

I especially connected to the poems Nye wrote about the members of her family, such as "For Mohammed on the Mountain" and "My Grandmother in the Stars". The poem about her uncle inspired me to write about family members I hardly know or have never met. Reading Naomi Shihab Nye's poetry reminded me of the great wealth we all have of places and people who are especially deep in our hearts--a richness unique to our own experience that can be a wonderful source of writing material.

Nye is a shining example of a writer who uses her gift to promote a message of peace and understanding in a world stained with fear, hate and close-mindedness.

"There's a place in this brain where hate won't grow.".......2002-09-15

This collection is a perfect example of the ability of a gifted poet to communicate difficult truths simply. Each piece is a work of art and sings in the voices of immigrants and immigrants' children and with the rhythms of life in the Middle East. This is a fantastic book in its own right and a great introduction to the talent and skill of Naomi Shihab Nye.

subtle stories.......2002-04-23

this book was recommended to me by a friend, so i wasn't sure what to expect. i am really glad to have bought it, the poems are like little stories someone tells you on the porch while it's getting dark. very vivid, i felt as if i knew these people...fathers, mothers, grandmothers, schoolchildren, old arab men selling crafts...

The Tree Is Older Than You Are: A Bilingual Gathering of Poems & Stories from Mex

Average customer rating:

Beautiful Book
Beautiful Words and Inspiring Art!
The Tree is Older Than You Are: A Bilingual Gathering of Po
Beautiful Words and Inspiring Art
A Beautiful Book

The Tree Is Older Than You Are: A Bilingual Gathering of Poems & Stories from Mex
Naomi Shihab Nye
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0689820879

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Book.......2003-04-19

This is a wonderful book . The pictures work the imagination and the poems are beautiful. The dual language format will intrigue young readers and just may get them interested in a 'different' language. In addition this will expose youngsters to some of Mexico's rich culture. I know several college professors who have adopted this book to use in their Children's Literature and reading courses. Truth be told, I liked it so much I bought it for myself several years ago and have been 'advertising' it ever since.

Beautiful Words and Inspiring Art!.......2001-09-07

Being a beginning self-taught student in Spanish with a special interest in Mexican Spanish by way of my residency in Texas, I took a chance on purchasing this bilingual book and was more than delighted by what I found inside. The convenient side-by-side text of the poems and short stories makes it easy to follow the translations and improve language skills. However, the real treasures in this book are discovered slowly, as one peruses the glowing artwork by various Mexican artists in conjunction with the inspiring words that seem to interweave themselves into the pictures. This is a book to sit back and savor during personal quiet time, or to read to your children. The melodic rhythms of both the Spanish and English texts rock the heart and soothe the soul.

The Tree is Older Than You Are: A Bilingual Gathering of Po.......2001-08-07

This book may turn out to be my all-time favorite book of bilingual poetry. The frosting on the cake, so to speak, turns out to be the art work accompanying the poetry. Each time I read one of the poems I like it better than the last time. And these are carefully selected, excellent quality poems: with writers such as Octavio Paz, Alberto Blanco, Rosario Castellanos (and many more) how could they not be terrific? A lasting gift for any occasion, especially for someone interested in bilingual stories from Mexico.

Beautiful Words and Inspiring Art.......2001-06-23

A Beautiful Book.......2001-06-10

This was a wonderful book with not only great poems but beautiful illustrations. It is a nice book for anyone who wants to get the feel for Mexican folk writing and art. The poems are simple enough that you can read them without having to know too much Spanish.

The Autumn House Anthology of Contemporary American Poetry

Average customer rating:

A major offering that is sure to delight

The Autumn House Anthology of Contemporary American Poetry
Sue Ellen Thompson
Manufacturer: Autumn House Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1932870067
Release Date: 2005-09-30

Product Description

The Autumn House Anthology of Contemporary Poetry is an exciting collection of work from more than ninety of the best poets writing today including Phillip Levine, Rita Dove, Stephen Dunn, Jean Valentine, Gerald Stern, Maxine Kumin, Tony Hoagland, Denise Duhamel, Nick Flynn, Jo McDougall, Tim Seibles and many others. The volume includes a full-page photograph and short biography of each poet.

Customer Reviews:

A major offering that is sure to delight.......2005-10-15

This is a wonderful collection of poetry that would be ideal for someone wanting to sample poetry or perhaps give as a gift. There is something in the 300 plus poems by 94 of America's best poets that will appeal to virtually any reader remotely interested in poetry. The reader can sample the works of both well known poets like Philip Levine, Ruth L. Schwartz, and Billy Collins as well as lesser known but highly regarded one's such as Tracy K. Smith, Nick Flynn, and Joy Katz. The subjects addressed run the gambit from love, desire, death, and family relationships to a host of other offerings that make this a literal poetry feast of some of the best of the best in contemporary American poetry. A major offering that is sure to delight.

You and Yours (American Poets Continuum)

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"It is not a game. It was never a game."
Poems of Passion and Compassion From Very Open Eyes

You and Yours (American Poets Continuum)
Naomi Shihab Nye
Manufacturer: BOA Editions, Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1929918690

Book Description

In You and Yours, Naomi Shihab Nye continues her conversation with ordinary people whose lives become, through her empathetic use of poetic language, extraordinary. Nye writes of local life in her inner-city Texas neighborhood, about rural schools and urban communities she's visited in this country, as well as the daily rituals of Jews and Palestinians who live in the war-torn Middle East.

The Day

I missed the day
on which it was said
others should not have
certain weapons, but we could.
Not only could, but should,
and do.
I missed that day.
Was I sleeping?
I might have been digging
in the yard,
doing something small and slow
as usual.
Or maybe I wasn't born yet.
What about all the other people
who aren't born?
Who will tell them?

Balancing direct language with a suggestive "aslantness," Nye probes the fragile connection between language and meaning. She never shies from the challenge of trying to name the mysterious logic of childhood or speak truth to power in the face of the horrors of war. She understands our lives are marked by tragedy, inequity, and misunderstanding, and that our best chance of surviving our losses and shortcomings is to maintain a heightened awareness of the sacred in all things.

Naomi Shihab Nye, poet, editor, anthologist, is a recipient of writing fellowships from the Lannan and Guggenheim foundations. Nye's work has been featured on PBS poetry specials including NOW with Bill Moyers, The Language of Life with Bill Moyers, and The United States of Poetry. She has traveled abroad as a visiting writer on three Arts America tours sponsored by the United States Information Agency. In 2001 she received a presidential appointment to the National Council of the National Endowment for the Humanities. She lives in San Antonio, Texas.

Customer Reviews:

"It is not a game. It was never a game.".......2006-02-21

I met NSN through Bill Moyer's The Language of Life series and have been a fan ever since. She is a poetry superstar, but she's not the sort of poetry superstar you'd put on a pedastal. She's the kind you'd invite into you kitchen to talk about current events on a truly fundamental, human level -- over a cup of Turkish coffee. As a poet, I truly appreciate the fact that so much of her poetry is about words, the power of simple words, the systematic public abuse of common words. As a Lebanese American, NSN helps me to look on the Middle East at one remove, like her, and with compassion. Her poetry shows why, if we have only one thing clutched in our hands at the very end of everything, it should be our basic humanity. Now, wouldn't you want someone like that to talk to in your kitchen over coffee? In a conversation that would be all poetry, no less?

Poems of Passion and Compassion From Very Open Eyes.......2005-09-29

"What countries may we/ sing into?/ What lines should we all/ be crossing?" Naomi Shihab Nye writes poems of grace and humor and wit and tension and ache and remembrance and longing - and of everyday life. Such a sweep of huge ideas comes from her intelligent pen! Living in San Antonio, Texas with her child encourages her to observe the fundamentals of living, of loving, of finding the beauty/spiritual in all things. These poems of Part One of this extraordinary collection are about living.

Part Two contains the poetry that speaks most clearly to this reader. While she is always competent to address the darker side of all things in her poems of Part One, in this second body of work she turns her vigilant eye to the horrors of war, giving words to the overwhelming facts of tragedy, death, inequity, and all the unimaginables that escort war in the Middle East - no, in all wars. "There is no 'stray' bullet, sirs./ No bullet like a worried cat/ crouching under a bush,/ no half-hairless puppy bullet/ dodging midnight streets. The bullet could not be a pecan/ plunking the tin roof,/ not hardly, no fluff of pollen/ on October's breath, no humble pebble at our feet....So don't gentle it, please....This bullet had no secret happy hopes,/ it was not singing to itself with eyes closed/ under the bridge." Perhaps it is her Palestinian-American heritage that makes her insight into the ongoing elegy for the Middle East so poignant, or perhaps it is simply that she is a very fine poet, a seer able to paste together the minutiae of living each day with the epoch of facing war head on. She has the gift and we are the better for it. Grady Harp, September 05

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