Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems by Naomi Shihab Nye

 

Everything Comes Next: Collected & New Poems

by Naomi Shihab Nye

Poetry

Summary:

        This is a collection of poems written by the highly esteemed poet Naomi Shihab Nye. Nye was the Young People's Poet Laureate from 2019-2021. The poems in this volume are divided into three sections: "The Holy Land of Childhood," "The Holy Land that Isn't," and "People Are the Only Holy Land." Some of the poems are obviously related to each section, and some are more loosely related. 

Justification:

        Poetry is a great genre to introduce to struggling readers. Many children's poems are short, and though the themes explored can be deep and enriching, many times the words used are simple. Students who enjoy reading poetry may also feel more open to trying to write poetry of their own. The academic uses of poetry are endless, and this is a great volume to include in a poetry collection.

Style and Language:

        Nye is a highly esteemed poet of several decades, which shows in this volume. This volume is full of wisdom wrapped in simple words. Nye has a way of taking the entire human experience and whittling it down to the simple moments that can be found every day. This volume is great because not only is it wonderful entry-level poetry for children, but it is also poignant poetry for all ages. 

Tone:

        The tone of this collection can be summed up overall as reflective. Nye comments on a lot of different themes within this book, and the tone can be different for each of them, but the common thread between all of them is reflection. It is clear that Nye has spent a lot of time thinking about what it means to be human.

Setting:

        As this is a collection of poems, there is a multitude of different settings, but each of them feels very real. Within this book, there are modern locations such as a school, a home, or a doctor's office. There are also locations that highlight nature, such as a lake, a field, and a bird's nest. Each location means something significant to the subject of the poem, which is fascinating to read about. 

Nye, N. S., & López, R. (2022). Everything comes next: Collected & New Poems. Greenwillow Books.