Does your face fit? compiled by Roger Stevens
A and C Black, 2011. ISBN 978 1 4081 4950 8.
Recommended. Poetry. Humour. Subtitled Poems about fitting in and
standing out, this small book of poems had me laughing out loud and
breathing a knowing sigh at the situations offered. Performance
poet, Stevens, has collected poems from kids he has worked with,
disadvantaged and overlooked in the main, but able to put words
together to form a cohesive moment. Fitting in, isolation, feeling
left out and overlooked are just some of the themes explored in this
series of poems. Who could not feel some affinity with
Feelings?
Feelings?
I don't talk about them.
I write down how I am feeling
In my Feelings Diary.
That helps.
And when I'm fine
I don't write a line.
My diary's almost full.
Bernard Young
It will make people laugh but also stop and think as do many of the
themes in this collection.
Most of the poems are short and all are easily read and digested. In
a classroom, they would all work well, being read out loud and then
used as models for the student's own writing. A website is given to follow
up more poems and what Stevens is doing. It is a busy website full
of interest about Stevens and what he is doing with students and
their poetry. It is a website where child poets can publish their
work, enter competitions and access other works. It is worth
visiting with your class.
Fran Knight