Sarah Kay provides a treat with this audio offering. The poet herself narrates, and she even presents some of the poems to a live audience. Kay creates spoken-word poetry, meant to be heard. Listen for the stutter of the new reader in “Mrs. Ribeiro.” Whatever is missed from not seeing words on a page, Kay makes up with the lyricism of her voice. She is exuberant and optimistic in each reading, sparking hope even when the subject matter is less enthusiastic. The poems are coming from a deep and personal place and are offered without self-consciousness to the listener. Favorite poems may depend on the listener’s mood and activity: “Montauk” while folding laundry or “Love Poem #137” while falling in love. M.P.P. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
April is National Poetry month, so we’ve got verses and rhymes and metaphors on the brain. Poetry is wonderfully expressive, and features everything from the most intimate of stories to the grandest of adventures. Here are 25 must-reads for the month!