WRITE A POEM, SAVE YOUR LIFE

A handbook for using poetry as a journey to self-expression and empowerment.

Poet and educator Heller presents a guide born out of her personal experience of turning to poetry to process multiple emotional and physical traumas in adolescence. In her introduction she describes a nomadic existence of “kicking around with a free-spirited gang of musicians, experimenting with drugs and sex, testing our edges, all of us desperately wanting to figure out who we are and what we believe in.” Poetry was a lifeline: “Working on poetry becomes a reason to live…a way to channel my overwhelming feelings and make…beauty from suffering.” She now leads poetry workshops for students of many ages and backgrounds in schools and institutions, including juvenile detention. The book contains writing prompts designed to bolster writers’ self-confidence and develop their skills. They range from the practical (how to make a blackout poem) to techniques for sparking imagination and creativity (such as using photos of your childhood self for inspiration). Heller’s encouraging and engaging style of writing and her original voice make this work effective for use by and with young people who are grappling with varied life issues. Student poems are included with each prompt. More than a simple how-to manual, this volume is invaluable for use within and beyond the classroom.

Writing advice both practical and inspirational.