The Power of Poetry by Sarah FitzHenry

In my career, I’ve come to realize that the rumors about print and reading going out of style are just that – rumors. If you are lucky enough to work with children and books, you know that young people’s passion for stories is as strong as ever. But even I wasn’t completely confident about the current role of poetry in young people’s lives. Do middle schoolers in 2017 really connect with Langston Hughes? Will my students still be inspired by the words of Maya Angelou?

For those of you questioning just like I did, let me share what I learned on a sunny March afternoon moderating an event for the Virginia Festival of the Book  – poetry is as powerful as it has ever been. It still has the ability to bring a hush over a room crowded with thousands of people. It still creates an irresistible rhythm that transforms…