I Am Wings: Poems About Love

by Ralph Fletcher, Joe Baker

A collection of poems chronicling a relationship between two young people, from first glance through final goodbye to the stirrings of possible new love.

Genres: Poetry, Young Adult

48 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1994

About the author

Ralph Fletcher is a friend of young writers and readers as well as writing teachers. He has written or co-authored many books for writing teachers includng Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide, Teaching the Qualities of Writing, Lessons for the Writer's Notebook, Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices, and Pyrotechnics on the Page: Playful Craft That Sparks Writing. Ralph has worked with teachers around the U.S. and abroad, helping them find wiser ways of teaching writing.

Ralph's many books for students include picture books (Twilight Comes Twice, Hello Harvest Moon, and The Sandman), novels (Fig Pudding, Flying Solo, and Spider Boy), poetry (A Writing Kind of Day and Moving Day), and a memoir, Marshfield Dreams: When I Was a Kid. His novel Uncle Daddy was awarded the Christopher medal in 2002. He has also written a popular series of books for young writers including Poetry Matters, Live Writing, and A Writer's Notebook. Ralph lives with his family in New Hampshire. He is a strong environmentalist who believes we all must work together to live in a more sustainable way. His other passions include travel, good food, dark chocolate, growing orchids, and sports.

Reviews

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s rare that poems about love, especially teenage love or first love escape being really cheesy. Most of the great love poems that we hearken to were written well before this century and most were written the century before that. Love, as a concept, as a subject of poetry has become very tired, old, used and cliché. This is unfortunate considering that it’s one of the most profound, complex, and beautiful elements of human life.

All that is to say that this novel is not much of an exception on being cheesy, but past the verse itself, the story being weaved from poem to poem creates something somewhat interesting and unique. Also, I do appreciate poetry written for the young adult genre, because there is very little of it. This book is a quick light read that I recommend to those who want to reminisce about first love or look toward it. It’s lighthearted and fun, much like the way first love feels.

Lindsey Miller, www.lindseyslibrary.com

[The Reading Countess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Master Ralph Fletcher has written a poignant tale of first love. I Am Wings will appeal to most high school angst-ridden teens. However, the 1994 publication date is showing its age: the cover picture needs a face lift.

[Annette Steele · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was interesting to see love from a young male point of view. It didn't really wow me though.

[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book was amazing! It captured all areas of love in a beautiful and poignant way. I don't normally even like poems that don't rhyme, but Ralph Fletcher's have earned even my love.

[Emily Behrends · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good book and it hit the key ideas of love and its true meaning. If you're in to poetry about love this is a good one to read.