Time You Let Me In: 25 Poets under 25 By Naomi Shihab Nye

• 04/30/2014
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Time You Let Me In: 25 Poets under 25
Selected by Naomi Shihab Nye
Greenwillow Books (2010)
ISBN 9780061896378
Reviewed by McKenzie Tritt (age 16) for Reader Views (05/10)

Naomi Shihab Nye, a poet herself, has created several honored poetry collections, as well as received several awards for her writing. In “Time You Let Me In: 25 Poets Under 25,” Nye has compiled poets and their works into a collection of poetry about all that life offers. The number of poets, however, is actually twenty-six. Nye claims that she had always been good with words and bad with numbers, hence the addition of another poet.

“Time You Let Me In” encompasses adults from all walks of life, each telling their own story. Some are related in their subjects, talking about love or war, while others are unrelated, relaying their thoughts on shooting ranges and flying. Either way, all the poets wish to give you a glimpse into their world, to learn a lesson, take away a piece of advice, or simply to enjoy honest poetry.

Each poet had their own section in the book, along with a short biography. It was fun to learn of their little quirks and interesting facts. Each person had a different style. Some were serious; others were fun, while still others wrote in both tones. It was enjoyable to switch form one tone to the next, soaking up each individual’s thoughts and emotions.

The poets offer up gorgeous lines like” your blue/is my turquoise and my orange/is your gold” and in the slivered space/a flash between soul.” One of my favorites was called “The Indexer in Love,” which was a cute, creative way of expressing love and all that comes along with it.

I highly enjoyed the ups and downs of “Time You Let Me In: 25 Poets Under 25.” I looked forward to reading a new individual’s poems and seeing how their style was different from others. The poems speak of hopelessness and despair, but also of joy and comfort, creating a thoughtful balance between the opposite emotions. I recommend “Time You Let Me In” to older teens and adults, as some of the content it best suited and understood by older audiences. I encourage those who want to read good poetry or anyone looking for a glimpse of true emotions to pick this up.