listen

I love novels written in verse.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson is a beautiful memoir written in magnificent verse. It is poetic and engrossing; I lingered over every page.

I highly recommend this gorgeous book. Get it into the hands of a reader.

You'll read it, and re-read it, and read pages aloud to anyone near by.

"Listen to this…" you'll say, and begin reading:

My fingers curl into fists, automatically

This is the way, my mother said,

of every baby's hand.

I do not know if these hands will become

Malcolm's - raised and fisted

or Martin's - open and asking

or Jame's - curled around a pen.

I do not know if these hands will be

Rosa's

or Ruby's

gently gloved

and fiercely folded

calmly in a lap,

on a desk,

around a book,

ready

to change the world...

Or you will read a page over and over again, wondering once more about the times you have been the only one like you in a room...

William Woodson

the only brown boy in an all-white school.

You'll face this in your life someday,

my mother will tell us

over and over again.

A moment when you walk into a room and

no one there is like you.

It'll be scary sometimes. But think of William Woodson

and you'll be all right.

An author's Note and photos follow the text… they are a lovely gift from the author.