Poetry by Kids: FALLING HARD: 100 LOVE POEMS BY TEENAGERS

 



BIBLIOGRAPHY

Franco, Betsy. 2008. FALLING HARD: 100 LOVE POEMS BY TEENAGERS. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, Inc. ISBN: 978-0-7636-3437-7

REVIEW AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In FALLING HARD Betsy Franco has collected 100 poems from poets ranging in age from 13 to 18.  The poets are gay, straight, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual teenagers from all over the world.  This diverse group of teens seems to be just as diverse in their experiences with love and the emotions that come with it.  These real and inspiring poems are sure to impact readers.  The poems in this book are all about different facets of love and provide insight into the complex world of teenagers. 

FALLING HARD has the ability to evoke a wide variety of strong emotions.  A reader could go from smiling, to laughing, to crying while reading just a few poems.  With 100 poems about all aspects of love included, there is something for everyone to relate to in this book.  The language is raw and, at times, vulgar which adds to the strong emotional impact these poems have on the reader. 

There are a variety of poetic types included in this book as well as varying rhyme schemes.  This helps to keep each poem fresh in the readers mind.  The beginning of the book includes a table of contents that lists each of the 100 poems included in the book and which page to find them on.  At the conclusion of each poem the author’s name is listed, if given, along with their age.  The age of the poet adds a whole new complexity to the already deep poetry. 

 

Tilt the halo over my head

I don’t care what the caution tape read

It’s time to get a little dangerous

Let’s fall in love.

 

Forget the scriptures, forget the past

Conscience and common sense never last

It’s time to get a little curious

Let’s fall in love.

~Rachel McCarren, age 15


In a classroom, the teacher could put up the word "love".  The students could do a quick stop and jot of all the things and emotions that go along with love (happiness, rejection, heartbreak, trouble, etc.).  After the students are given some time to think and write down their thoughts, the teacher could read a few poems from the book.  Are they able to connect to the poems read out loud?  Is there another emotion they need to add to their list?  After reading a wide variety of poems about love from the book, are the teens inspired to write about their own experiences with love?  Since the majority of these poems are free verse, hopefully the students will focus on the words and emotions included in their poems and will feel free to write the poetry however they wish.