Voices in the Air: Poems for Listeners – Original Poetry from the Young People's Poet Laureate Celebrating Diverse Luminaries with Hope and Empathy

by Naomi Shihab Nye

“I think the air is full of voices. If we slow down and practice listening, we hear those voices better. They live on in us. Inspiration? We need it every day. We deserve it. It is essential, like food, water, clean air, shelter. Here are some poems celebrating the voices that have changed my life and continue to do so.”—Naomi Shihab Nye

Award-winning poet and author Naomi Shihab Nye has written more than 100 poems inspired by the artists, writers, poets, historical figures, politicians, ordinary people, and other diverse luminaries from past and present who inspire us, give us solace, and create hope.

Featuring black-and-white spot art throughout, as well as brief bios of the “voices,” an index, and an introduction by the author.

Genres: Poetry, Young Adult, Philosophy, Contemporary, Middle Grade, Teen, Cultural

208 pages, Hardcover

First published February 13, 2018

About the author

Naomi Shihab Nye was born to a Palestinian father and an American mother. During her high school years, she lived in Ramallah in Jordan, the Old City in Jerusalem, and San Antonio, Texas, where she later received her B.A. in English and world religions from Trinity University. She is a novelist, poet and songwriter.

She currently lives in San Antonio, Texas. She was elected a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets in 2010.

Reviews

[Elizabeth☮ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Naomi Shihab Nye asks, "Can voices that entered into our thoughts when we were little help us make amends with the strange times we're in?" I think the answer is yes. This collection of poems navigates big questions about the space we are in right now, but without all of the rancor and bombast of a debate. These are poems that pay homage to the writers, musicians, artists and thinkers that provide inspiration to Shihab Nye. She lovingly catalogs each person she references directly and indirectly in her poems. The list in the back is a treasure trove of new discoveries.

You can hear me discuss this book on Reading Envy podcast.

There are so many quiet moments of observation and so many lines that are put together so well. I've marked many favorites. They include:

"Standing Back"
"Showing Up"
"We Will Get Lost in You"
"Woven by Air, Texture of Air"
"Tell Us All the Gossip You Know"
"My Name Is ...."
"Invitation to the NSA"
"Oh, Say Can You See"
"Next Time Ask More Questions"
"Morning Ablution"
"Unbelievable Things"
"United"
"Her Father Still Watching"

[Ron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have always loved Naomi Shihab Nye after discovering her at a reading at the Art Institute in Chicago. This new collection really blew me away - fresh, robust, thought provoking. This is one I will be revisiting over time. She touches on themes of our current culture without ramming them down your throat. Her poems about central figures from her interests in music, literature, and religion are downright inspiring, and will prompt you to learn more about those you might not be familiar with.

[Jeanie Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this collection of poems by a favorite poet! There are many many favorites in these pages and I can envision using them with students in a variety of ways. And the final version promises illustrations I've not even seen yet... can't wait to own a hard back copy.

Some of the poems are love poems to beloved poets: Walt Whitman, Langston Hughes, Mary Oliver, Lucille Clifton and so many more. My absolute favorite of these is about visiting John O'Donahue's home shortly after his death.

Some of the poems express gratitude to writers and artists: John Steinbeck, Mark Twain, Joni Mitchell and many others. My absolute favorite: an ode to Vera B. Williams, author of the masterful picture book A Chair for My Mother.

And then there are poems to activists and ordinary humans like me, illuminating our experiences beautifully. Here is the one I plan to learn by heart:

Next Time Ask More Questions

Before leaning into something, remember
the span of time is long and gracious.
No one perches dangerously on any cliff
till you reply. Is there a pouch of rain
desperately thirsty people wait to drink from
if you say yes or no? I don't think so.
Never embrace "crucial" or "urgent" - maybe for them?
Those are not your words.
Hold your horses and your mania and your
Hong Kong dollar coins in your pocket.
I'm not a corner or a critical turning page.
Wait. I'll think about it.
This pressure you share is a fantasy, a misplaced hinge.
Maybe I'm already where I need to be.

The poems about refugees and victims of violence broke my heart wide open. And those about doing what can be done in these troubling times were a balm. I will return to this collection often.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Powerful, personal, and political A beautifully moving collection of poems and anecdotes.

[Dane Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This poetry anthology title's target audience is readers ages 14-18. As someone with very limited knowledge or experience with poetry, I found this title to be truly unique of what I perceived poetry was. These poems do not feature rhyme schemes or rhythm patters I immediately think of when I think of poetry. These poems are pure, stream-of-consciousness, excellence that have common themes of adventure, independence, and mindfulness. The poems often broke my believed rules of writing, as they would routinely repeat the same word several times to reinforce an idea or feeling. The author, Naomi Shihab Nye, would also give meaning or feeling to her poems by playing with the spaces in between words, sometimes leaving large gaps in between them to perhaps present a pause, or perhaps simply to give visual representation of feeling or emotion. The book's strength is its tones of adventure, that makes the mind wander to exciting, yet peaceful faraway experiences. A weakness is that it is certainly abstract, and the reader will not relate to every poem. I would recommend this to true poetry lovers, but it isn't the easiest introductory poetry book. There were a few illustrations of birds throughout the book, that added to the anthology by enhancing the theme of adventure. 4/5 for its genre.

[RH Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Technically I didn't finish this before it was due back at the library but it's already put permanent grooves in my brain that the needle of my consciousness will skip back to. Such as:

Recently when I had the honor of visiting Yokohama International School in Japan to conduct poetry workshops, student Juna Hewitt taught me an important word -- Yutori -- "life-space." She listed various interpretations for its meaning -- arriving early, so you don't have to rush. Giving yourself room to make a mistake. Starting a diet, but not beating yourself up if you eat a cookie after you started it. Giving yourself the possibility of succeeding. (Several boys in another class defined the word as when the cord for you phone is long enough to reach the wall socket.) Juna said she felt that reading and writing poetry gives us more yutori -- a place to stand back to contemplate what we are living and experiencing. More spaciousness in being, more room in which to listen.

And the title poem of the collection:
People do not pass away.
They die
and then they stay.

[Jacque · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shihab Nye‘s one and two liners of pocket wisdom are everywhere in this book. I’m new to reading books of poetry cover to cover and am still developing an appreciation for them. Like sips of complex wine, each poem needs time to develop on the palate and reveal themselves to you. I learned to reread and reread and pause and reflect then reread again in a way I haven’t practiced since college. These poems are of invisible and lost things, things that have moved past and moved on. They’re about stopping and seeing and listening to those things with love, curiosity, and an open heart.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to memorize the introduction and recite it to everyone I know.

[The Reading Countess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Naomi Shihab Nye is a local poetry phenom. She’s a national treasure who speaks her truth in a plethora of books. She’s my “I Wanna Be HER When/If I Grow Up” model. Her poem, ‘Famous’ is ripe with personification, metaphor, and repetition and is a hallmark piece when teaching poetry.
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So when I spotted a book I hadn’t read by her on the shelves of a bookstore, I immediately snatched it up and read it cover-to-cover. In the store. Sorry, @barnesandnoble
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This book is a must-read. VOICES IN THE AIR is unique in that most of the poems are dedicated toward people, both alive and otherwise. Some are politically charged, some are odes to the beauty and grandeur of West Texas.
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“Little Brother Shot Playing With Pistol” reminded me of @jasonreynolds83 poem just added to poets.org only today, and it got me thinking...What if, after kids have consumed timely articles on current events ala #kellygallagher, they wrote their OWN poem that reflected a current event in our world? What would a student have to say about the world he/she is soon to inherit? How powerful might the voices of the next generation be, and are we willing and able to actively listen to their lense? Hmmmm...
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[Kris Dersch · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, I love her. This is one of my all time favorite poets and there was much in this that was very her. I also really loved all the references to all the other wonderful things to read. This book is worth it just for the back matter that gives all the great reading suggestions.
I have to ding this one on format, though, because that made it hard to get through. The back matter (biographies of poets and other creatives mentioned) is marvelous and does go in the order of the poems which is nice but there's no indication on the pages of poetry themselves if there is or isn't back matter associate with them and it took awhile to realize there was all that back matter...the whole thing could just be much more user friendly. I loved the idea of it, I just didn't feel like it was executed well.
And while I love this poet and her poetry, the poems seemed uneven to me. There were some that seemed...like a more immature version of her than I'm used to is the best way to describe it.
I'm so glad I read this, I would for sure buy this if I found a deal, but I wish I had loved it more.

[Tricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the poem Small Basket of Happiness: “It would never call your name./But it would be waiting somewhere close,/perhaps under a crushed leaf/turned from pale green to gold/with no fanfare…You would slow down a minute./ You would bend.” Like happiness itself, Nye’s poems steal up on us and take us by surprise. This collection, especially, encourages listening: to nature, to other voices, and to the whispers of our own hearts. Without ever being heavy-handed, the poems urge readers to turn away from life’s endless distractions and attend to the timeless. “A peony has been trying to get through to you”. Brimming with affection, wit and steadfast optimism, these are poems we truly need right now.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Voices in the Air: Poems for Listeners by Naomi Shihab Nye is an excellent book. Like most poetry books it did not really have a plot. At first, I thought this would be very disappointing but I found it was actually rather nice in a different sort of way. Rather than me having to remember the entire story to that point I could just pick it up and read it and it made perfect sense whether or not I remembered the last poem. On the other hand, it didn't really build on itself, like what you get with stories with plots; It just kinda was. I liked the high concentration of lessons in it. In a normal book is one or two lessons stretched out across an entire book but with this, it was one or two every poem. All this considered I gave this book a 5-star rating.

[mary stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely book of poetry. Naomi really writes with feeling, and I love how so many of her poems are dedicated to those whom she loves or admires. Sometimes her phrases and words would make my heart glow and goosebumps rise on my arms. She really has a way with words. I wish I could hear her read her poems a loud.

[Maggie]

Lovely, grounded, accessible, and thought provoking.

Here's one, entirely unprovocative, but just right:

A Lonely Cup of Coffee
Far preferable
to a sociable cup
which tastes more
of talk
the lonely cup
redolent
rich
ripe
round
blesses
the quiet mouth

[Dianna Rostad · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful collection of poems!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love "A Lonely Cup of Coffee"

[Jennifer Mangler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book of Nye's I've read, and I definitely want to read more. Beautiful and thought-provoking.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like poetry, you can't go wrong with anything by Naomi Shihab Nye.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read for thinking

[anya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful, but a little too political for my enjoyment. Still, Nye is a very talented poet and this poetry collection may ensnare the attention of many (especially those rather eclectic) poetry lovers!

[Elizabeth Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful read.
I was unaware of the issues related to Palestine and the author gently, yet powerfully, provides insights and stories which are powerful and captivating.

I am sold on this poet!

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this could have been better designed. The short biographies of the people who inspired the poems should have been right next to the poem instead of in an index. It was otherwise distracting to flip back and forth for the people I didn't know. Because of this I much preferred the poems that didn't reference anyone, or spoke about regular people.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

One thing I love about Naomi Shihab Nye's poetry collections is that her introductions are as nourishing as the poetry itself. In Voices, she talks about the need to listen better—how to reclaim a quiet, slower pace in our lives in order to become more receptive.

"Reminding ourselves of what we love feels helpful. Walking outside—it's as quiet as it ever was. The birds still communicate without any help from us. In that deep quietude, doesn't the air, and the memory, feel more full of voices? If we slow down and intentionally practice listening, calming our own clatter, maybe we hear those voices better. They live on in us." –NSN

The 95 poems that follow are organized into three sections: Messages, Voices in the Air, and More Worlds. While I've read several of her collections, Voices in the Air: Poems for Listeners is special to me. Judging by reviews, I'm not the only one who feels that way. I love the range of poems included—the breadth of tone, style, and subject matter—but perhaps most of all, I strongly connect with the book's purpose—

"[to] honor the artists, writers, poets, historical figures, ordinary people, and diverse luminaries from past and present who have inspired her. Full of words of encouragement, solace, and hope, this collection offers a message of peace and empathy." –NSN

This is a book that celebrates inspiration, yes; but for me, Voices in the Air also is also a book of love poems. Not the romantic sort, but poems that honor the deep connection and heartfelt respect for the subjects of these poems. Sometimes grateful, other times searching, Nye's poems are, at all times, mindful conversations with people, places, and events that have accompanied her on her journey thus far. You'll also find biographical notes at the back of the book for each person referenced, as well as recommendations for where you might turn for further exploration.

As I read through these poems again and again, I find myself connecting with Voices on a profoundly personal level. I discovered sources of inspiration that she and I have in common, as well as stories and relationships that echo my own. Listening for the wisdom of these voices, Nye asks questions, seeks understanding, uncovers beauty, comes to terms, and, through her poems, we, too, are strengthened and motivated to open our hearts and live more connected and fulfilling lives.

"The poem is not a closed experience, it remains open. It invites you in, hopefully." –NSN

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high expectations for this collection.

First Line:

Poet Galway Kinnell said, “To me, poetry is someone standing up, so to speak, and saying, with as little concealment as possible, what it is for him or her to be on earth at this moment, p.xi.

There are voices all around us, and in this collection, poet Naomi Shihab Nye, invites readers to pause, take a breathe, and listen.

What Dazzled: Poetry can be challenging to read, otherwise more people would be reading it, right? It would be flying of the shelves like a Nora Roberts mass market paperback. We wouldn’t have to dedicate an entire month to it, right? What I love so much about Nye’s poetry is she’s not trying to trick you or conceal anything. Usually Nye’s poems are about objects, issues, or moments like the joy of having “A Lonely Cup of Coffee” p. 121. One of my favorite poems by Nye (not included in this collection) is “A Valentine for Ernest Mann”

Poems hide. In the bottoms of our shoes, they are sleeping. They are the shadows drifting across our ceilings the moment before we wake up. What we have to do is live a way that lets us find them.

What Fizzled: According to Kirkus review, the target audience for Voices in the Air is ages 13-17. I just don’t see that. Nye’s poems are laced with childhood nostalgia that a 13-17 year probably isn’t craving yet. Some poems taste almost bitter and cynical, which are fine flavors, but not typically ones teens are eager to swallow. It wasn’t until my twenties that I developed a palate for coffee that wasn’t chocolate milk in disguise.

The poems in Voices in the Air take work to unravel. If a teen reader doesn’t know anything about Nye, then they’ll miss the extra layer in the poem title “For Aziz”, Nye’s father. Many other poems refer to other poets and artists and if the reader doesn’t look in the included biography or do a quick search on the internet the meaning can be lost and confusing. I have to know, was this really intended for teens?

Jots and Thoughts: This collection is divided into three sections: Moments, Voices in the Air, and More Worlds.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Each one read like a love letter to the individual she dedicated it to (many of them other authors or poets themselves) - and how lovely is that.

One of the lines that spoke to me: “Telling ourselves a story till it’s compact enough to bear.”

Her poem to Donald Trump - “Oh, Say Can You See” isn’t so much angry as it is an argument for what understanding can give to the world. And it ends with this beautiful line:
“I’d wrap a keffiyeh around his head, /tuck some warm falafels into his pockets, /let him wander alleyways and streets, /rubble and hope mixing together, /nothing oversized, no tall towers, /just beautiful life, mint flourishing in a tin can, /schoolgirl in a fresh dress with a ruffle, mom and dad /staring from the windows—Can you see us? /Can you see any of us at all?”


Another favorite excerpt from “Unbelievable Things”

“Your parents met each other. Anybody met anybody.

Out of all the possible people who might have been born, you were born.

Constant miracles. But who remembers them?

Before the great film critic Roger Ebert died, he said, I believe I was perfectly all right before I was born and I think I’ll be fine later too.

We walk around the block, stride up the hillside. Is it this year or last? Something strange is happening. We’re so anxious but deep down, in the heart place of time, our lives are resonant, rolling. They’re just waiting for us to remember them. They are very patient and quiet. We are here, so deeply here, and then we won’t be.

And it is the most unbelievable thing of all.”

[Briana · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is about many different stories combined together. It gives you a variety of culture and living along with in depth details about the characters along with their feeling.

I would say my favorite thing about this story is how in depth they go with all the characters feeling. I enjoyed reading this book because I felt like the feelings and stories where realistic and very intriguing. The most enjoyable part for me was when they talked about peace and loving the world. Another thing I enjoyed was that they kept the short stories with similar topics together and how they created a picture in your mind about what was happening just by using their words.

Although I did enjoy parts of the book I was not a huge fan of it. The stories where to short and it seemed as if the book left almost all the short stories on cliffhangers which I do not like. It also seemed like they moved on to quick with certain topics and it did not really make any sense.

Although I enjoyed how the poet used a lot of feelings and true stories to give the readers an enjoyable time I was not a huge fan of the book but I would recommend this book to people who like to read many different stories at once that have similar themes and to people who enjoy reading books that express a lot of feelings.

I would rate this book a two out of five because of the fact I did not find it very enjoyable.

[Liaken · Rating 3 out of 5]

How many stars? I used three, but I don't really know. There is a strong political undercurrent, there are many poems dedicated to very specific people, and there is an enormous font size, for some strange reason (is it because this was somehow intended for teens? and is that why the poems felt less ... less involved than usual? I don't know ... heading back out of this parenthetical). I couldn't really get into this collection. I kept backing away from the political ones (not what I was wanting) and feeling insufficiently rooted for the dedicated ones. Many others just didn't land for me, either. But it seems that there are plenty who resonated with it, so that's good. The idea is, I think, to find poetry that gets you and then to eat as much of it as you can (from my experience, this will help more poetry start to find you). There's more than enough to go around, so don't spend your one wild and precious life on poetry that doesn't feed you. This book didn't feed me. But I'll try Nye again later, when the political climate has shifted.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

1) Benevolent
2) Tender
3) Comforting
Enjoyment: 4

She's up to it again...The delicious in the diurnal. All we miss in the noise of life. Be sure to read a few of these poems out loud, letting her words mingle with your voice like falling parachutes, falling safely to the ground.

"Your day is so wide it will outlive everyone.
It has no roof, no side." -p. 80, Woven by Air, Texture of Air

Shihab Nye is listening, literally, to a world of memories, imaginings, desires, and reflections. She has collected here all her friends and their meaningful voices. On page 147 there's even a poem called Barbershop that takes place Kalihi and inspired by an article in the Honolulu Star Advertiser about Mary Endo, a woman experiencing her last day of work. Don't miss perusing the concluding section, Biographical Notes, where she lists these individuals and their literary and creative contributions.

[Brandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m sure poetry aficionados would love this book. Objectively, it seems to be an excellent collection of poems by a respected poet (though truthfully I don’t really have the expertise to evaluate it in that way). But y’all, this just wasn’t my jam. I prefer my poetry more narrative. I’m just not interesting in thinking deeply to decipher meaning from your words. Tell me a straightforward story please. Also, while I understand and respect the author’s incredulity about the public library weeding books in “Unbelievable Things,” as a librarian that whole section makes me cringe. Weeding is an important part of maintaining a library collection, and outside of archival libraries/collections, they should not be places where books go to die. Some poems I particularly enjoyed from this collection include: “Oh, Say Can You See,” “Anti-Inaugural,” “Summer,” “Mountains,” and “To Jamyla Bolden of Ferguson, Missouri.”

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great ideas for young poets who are searching for subjects for poetry. The idea that there are voices all around us urging us to hear them and write is a great one. I love Naomi Shihab Nye's poetry. When she writes for young people, she often writes too simply. I find her poems for adults have universal appeal and are universally accessible. I've shared them for years and years with 8 to 10 year old students who've loved her work. Often choosing one of her poems to memorize for our annual poetry sharing. I think that high school students would find them too simplistic. The students that age I know are reading Kim Addonizio, W.S. Merwin, Elizabeth Alexander, Li-Young Lee, Ross Gay and Kevin Young. I still love her work, and I wonder if she had any ability to let the publisher know her target audience.