The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
My Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Finished Reading: April 20, 2018
Format: Book
Favorite Quote(s):

"I only know that learning to believe in the power of my own words has been the most freeing experience of my life. It has brought me the most light. And isn't that what a poem is? A lantern glowing in the dark."

"Burn it! Burn it. This is where the poems are,” I say, thumping a fist against my chest. “Will you burn me? Will you burn me, too?"

"And I think about all the things we could be if we were never told our bodies were not built for them."

Review:
Easy 5 stars. I've read ancient and modern books written in verse before, but I think all of them have been epic (like the whole book is one long poem). But not here. Acevedo writes a series of individual poems that all come together into one beautiful story. This was epic in a different way. Some of her poems are for tying the story together, but most are the beautiful kind with triple meanings and gorgeous metaphors and deep "wait-I-need-to-read-that-again" meaning. I was able to connect with it even though I'm not a teen or the child of immigrants or a poet. This is going in the "will reread over and over again" pile. Highly recommended.