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Speaking Me
A Youth Anthology
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Author: Pam Osbey
Publisher: Osbey Books, Inc.
Size: 6 x 9 inches, 87 pages
Format: Perfect Bound Trade Paperback
Categories:
-Poetry
-Teens
ABID: 9780975266243
ISBN10: 0975266241
ISBN13: 9780975266243
2 copies available.
AuthorsBookshop price: $6.00
Retail price: $10.00 -
You save 40%!
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Speaking Me Website
Osbey Books, Inc. Website
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Speaking Me is a very intimate collection of thoughts of young writers between the ages of 12 and 18. As they bare their souls, these young poets, writers, and lyricists spill their personal thoughts on pages for all to see. The collection is about expressions, healing, and positive vibes that will be creative and unique. The platform for this anthology is set the stage for young voices to express themselves through spoken word, lyricism and short stories that center around deeply reflective expressions of their souls and spirits. From the thought provoking, “A Single Shard” where a young woman’s bout with cutting herself opens you in an very uncomfortable way or the personal rantings of a New York youth slam poet, you world will be impacted by the words of the next generation of writers unafraid and bold to let their pen strike hot fire on paper and unleashing into the world.
This book features work by young writers from New York, Chicago, California, and Connecticut including Erika Dickerson, Gabriel C. Tyler, Carmen Li, Jenny Perez, Marah Langellier, David Cousins, Jr., Zakiya Zemmott, Michelle Cole, Bryent Edwards, Milton Brawner, and others.
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| Literary Lovers Book Club of Atlanta, GA: | Speaking Me is a collection of poems from teens all over the U.S. This is a wonderful platform for teens to express themselves in a positive way about relationships and what they see in their daily lives. The teen writers in this anthology open up and discuss personal issues that affect all teens and do so in a way that can be related to by other teens. The raw talent included in this anthology adds to the character of the collection as these writers are creative and courageous in explaining their trials and tribulations in poems and short stories.
This is a must have for your teens and tweens! A way to open communication with your teens as well as possibly encouraging them to speak on the things going on in their lives as these writers have!
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| APOOO Book Club: | Speaking Me: A Youth Anthology is a collection of prose, poetry, and short fiction penned by teens and young adults that is awakening, inspiring, and very much needed. In Forgetting Yeye, by Carmen Li, a young girl grieves not only the loss of a dear family member but also the memory of him. With lines like:
Both our eyes were wet; the only difference was that you had drops of water, the size of grapes, because you had to leave the world. I had them too because you, my Yeye, were leaving us behind.
There is no denying they need to be heard.
In Gabriel C. Tyler's poem, Red Black Green, he revels in his culture, transforming his skin color into art and music. His passion for his ethnicity is displayed in lines reading:
For we transcend limitations
We intricate revolution
We notes in the key of jazz
We the silky voice that strums the valves of the trombone...
There is no denying they need to be heard.
Other themes that are intricately woven through Speaking Me touch upon suicide, love, anger, confusion, and cries to be heard. Who better to hear them than other youth and their parents? There were a few grammatical errors but overall it was a good read. If you want a glimpse into the minds of today's youth, Speaking Me would be a good starting point.
Reviewed by Darnetta Frazier
APOOO BookClub
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| APEX Reviews: | Speaking Me is an interesting collection of poetry and short fiction by young writers between the ages of 12 and 18. Compiled by Pam Osbey, Founder of Osbey Books, Inc., the opus serves as a metaphorical microphone to amplify the concerns that typically accompany teen angst. Touching on such issues as domestic violence, child abuse, and - naturally - love, the tone of Speaking Me alternates between wistful innocence and fervent passion, leaving little room for tepid middle ground.
Most impressive about the tome is the surprising power of the politically-charged pieces peppered throughout. Defying the ages-old stereotype of disaffected youth, Speaking Me packs quite a few polemic punches regarding the "The System" and all its various flaws. Consider this passage from "Dear Mr. President", written by Zakiya Zemmott:
"textbooks teach you and [sic] youth
that the enemy is at the bodega
as dominicans and colombians
when in all actuality the drugdealers [sic] hide behind suits
as democrats and republicans
dear mr president my truth cant be silenced or blinded
I'll carry my voice on high and seek the revolution"
And this passage from "Red Black Green" by Gabriel Tyler:
"We reppin that red Black green
That Black history
That African ancestry
The skin trapped in ebony
The rigid chains that bond us to past tense slavery
To our ancestors who tussled endlessly sacrificing their lives...
They created, defined, and illustrated, greatness
So we cannot comply with anything less than great
So we refuse to be labeled by stereotypes"
To ignore the heartfelt passion of pieces such as these would be remiss.
One drawback to the anthology is the sporadic lack of comprehensive editing. The use of creative dialect notwithstanding, more editorial attention could have been paid to numerous pieces with obvious grammatical errors. Such errors often interrupt the flow of the pieces, dampening the forcefulness of their delivery.
Nonetheless, Speaking Me is a compelling read with insightful jewels of unfiltered wisdom. For a raw, unleavened slice of Young America, pick up a copy and read at your own discretion. |
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Visitor's Notes:
Post a note! Read this book? Tell us what you thought. Want to read it? Tell us why. Know the author? Tell us a funny story. Comment on how pretty the cover is. Whatever you have to say about this book, we want to hear it!
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Sasha C.:
This excellent book was raw at times and poetic at others. It doesn't look at teen age writers from a limited view; a variety of thoughts and emotions surface in the different pieces. One of my favorites was the highly visual "Heartbeat" by Mary Williams:
"Don't make me guess your intention; if all you do is confuse you'll lose my attention. On stage they're singing a song called frustration. We both hate it but we both know all the words. There has never been an accurate way to express how it feels. I'm starting to realize that perspective is the hardest thing to live with. I hope we're not starting a pattern here but emotions aren't mistakes and you can't learn from them."
All the poems by Jeanette Anderson, especially "Upon Watching Born Into Brothels" have great depth beyond that of the typical teenage writer. If you want a good read and some strong voices this is the book for you.
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Felicia Madlock:
5 Stars...
Ms. Osbey needs to be commended for being a voice for today's youth. Speaking Me is a wonderful collection of poetry that allows teens the freedom to speak. The title speaks volume to the content that lies inside. The poems are painful, gritty, and honest. I dare anyone to read Speaking Me with an open mind and open heart. Teens, sharing their world, through their words.
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Ilysse Weisenfeld:
I read the anthology and found it to be an exciting peek into the minds of teenagers. The work was poignant and heartfelt, with no traces of teen angst frequently found in such work. The writing was varied--it wasn't all the same type of writing, or even the same theme. I highly recommend it.
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Kandi:
I thought a lot of the poems were good. I couldn't really pick a favorite one. I did love the stories though, they were really good.
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Sojourner Ahebee:
Speaking Me; An Anthology
Osbey Books, Inc.
Paperback
ISBN-978-0-9752-6624-3
Teen Poetry/ Short Stories
5 Stars
Speaking Me, edited by Pam Osbey, is an anthology primarily of poetry and a few short stories and full of the exuberance of youth. Many of the writers in this unique collection are teens and they share lessons and explore very honestly some of the difficult realities teens, regardless of class or ethnicity, deal with daily.
I had such a strong emotional response to the short story “A Single Shard” by Ericka Dickerson. It deals with some of the family hardships teens face like the deterioration of the family, prostitution and teen suicide. The author’s style of writing was simple, yet very direct and powerful.
“Red Black Green” by Gabriel C. Tyler is one of my favorite poems in Speaking Me. This poem addresses issues of racism, stereotypes, expectations and self-love. I love reading this poem aloud because it speaks a personal truth to me, but it is full of rhythm and energy. Here are a few lines:
…So we refuse to be labeled by stereotypes
And seen as just crack heads and hypes
Just babies raising babies
We will not be limited to being boxed up and locked up,
Idleness
For we transcend limitations
We intricate revolution
We notes in the key of jazz….
Other poems like “Bruised Heart” by Tamasia Johnson which address physical abuse by a lover or “ You Say Sorry… Little Girl” by Marah Langellier which challenges readers to see a homeless girl as theirs are just a few examples of talented young people voicing their concerns using the power of poetry and other literary forms.
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Chandra Clark:
Speaking Me is a rare glimpse into the heart of youth writing. Engaging, passionate, and diverse, you will hear your own voice within its pages, no matter your age.
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