What do you think?
Rate this book
Tell the World
Through poetry we tell the world who we are, where we're from, what we love, what we think, how we feel, and why we hope.
With a foreword by hip-hop artist and celebrated urban poet Common, Tell the World is a stunning collection of poems by teens who have taken part in workshops run by WritersCorps, a national alliance of literary arts programs for youth.
Their words represent the thoughts, hopes, and dreams of teens everywhere, offering both insight and empathy.
With a foreword by hip-hop artist and celebrated urban poet Common, Tell the World is a stunning collection of poems by teens who have taken part in workshops run by WritersCorps, a national alliance of literary arts programs for youth.
Their words represent the thoughts, hopes, and dreams of teens everywhere, offering both insight and empathy.
- GenresPoetryYoung Adult
144 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2008
3 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
WritersCorps
11 books18 followersWritersCorps is an alliance of creative writing programs in three cities — San Francisco, the Bronx, and Washington, D.C. — with a mission to transform the lives of youth through the written word.
Since its inception in 1994, WritersCorps has helped more than 40,000 young people nationwide improve their literacy and self-sufficiency. With its award-winning publications and local and national events, the organization has become a national model in arts and literacy.
Since its inception in 1994, WritersCorps has helped more than 40,000 young people nationwide improve their literacy and self-sufficiency. With its award-winning publications and local and national events, the organization has become a national model in arts and literacy.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
Read
September 21, 2018This book helps me understand the different troubles people are going through. This book includes different poems about life changing experiences people have been through around the world. If you like romance and heart-warming words this is a good book for you.
October 11, 2018
This book was any amazing choice for me it was so strong worded and one of the best poetry books I have read. The author Writers Corps was good I might be looking forward to more books by him. This book was amazing because he is kind of say to tell the world. In this book there are different parts. Some of them are "Tell the World what we Do" and others just "Tell the world" and the most important one to me was "Tell the World who we Are" These sections brake up and talk about the topics. The topic about "Tell the World who we Are" was my favorite because he described and showed emotion in character in some of the poems.
May 6, 2012
Andrea Talarico
Poetry
Tell the World is an anthology of poems funded by Writerscorps, an organization that puts artists in underserved areas to teach literacy and creativity to underprivileged students. Thus, this collection represents a cross-section of minorities and white students alike. Sherman Alexie wrote the introduction, and focused on the idea of identity. Many of these poems are about teens trying to explain who they are and what lives inside of them. The sections are broken up into these categories: Who we Are, Where We’re From, What we Love, What we Think, How it Feels, and lastly, Why we Hope. There are some beautiful, heart-rendering pieces here, such as the collaborative poem “A Land of Our Own” from San Francisco’s Downtown High School which works with the repetition “This is the year…” as in “This is the year she walks away/ From the last punch he throws.” It reads like a wish list from teens who have never had their wishes heard, and it seems entirely appropriate to find it in a book titled “Tell the World.”
Poetry
Tell the World is an anthology of poems funded by Writerscorps, an organization that puts artists in underserved areas to teach literacy and creativity to underprivileged students. Thus, this collection represents a cross-section of minorities and white students alike. Sherman Alexie wrote the introduction, and focused on the idea of identity. Many of these poems are about teens trying to explain who they are and what lives inside of them. The sections are broken up into these categories: Who we Are, Where We’re From, What we Love, What we Think, How it Feels, and lastly, Why we Hope. There are some beautiful, heart-rendering pieces here, such as the collaborative poem “A Land of Our Own” from San Francisco’s Downtown High School which works with the repetition “This is the year…” as in “This is the year she walks away/ From the last punch he throws.” It reads like a wish list from teens who have never had their wishes heard, and it seems entirely appropriate to find it in a book titled “Tell the World.”
March 19, 2022
This is a beautiful little collection of poems written by youth in NYC, DC, and San Francisco. They write with joy and pain and their life experiences. I believe all have low socioeconomic backgrounds. These poems moved me so much that I googled one of the poets with a unique name and found out she works in the mental health field. Well done Writers Corps.
March 14, 2018
Beautiful poetry from young teens to young teens.
May 15, 2018
Beauty and rawness
July 14, 2019
I stumbled upon this book in order to check off a box on a book bingo chart. Very eye opening perspectives from some inner city teens.
Read
November 12, 2009Poetry by teens from DC, San Francisco and the Bronx. I liked a few of the poems. One was Right Now, and the poet made a list of all of the things that are happening right now. Example: A lion is eating a gazelle. Someone is drawing a picture of Jesus. Woah! It's true!
A liked another poem about growing up and remembering beautiful tangible things like paper and ribbons.
Another poem is about how impossible it is to learn English. It's like your house burning down, finding water in a desert, surviving somewhere that has no air, seeing your boyfriend with another girl, wanting to walk but not having legs and other such impossible things.
Oh, someone wrote an essay that made me understand graffitti for the first time. Thanks, I was always wondering about that and could never quite understand.
Oh and this is the gem. I was thinking a poetry book can have one poem to speak to me. I think one is enough. It's called rules are simply by Liana Castro 17.
It says "rules are simply ideas created by bland minds that crave a softer touch than I posess." Also "let's create a world where we can do as we please where I can hold onto the clouds and jump from rooftop to rooftop. Let's talk in another language and whisper sweet words that taste like caramel when they fly from my tongue to your soul let me kiss your fears as you grasp my dreams with your bare hands.
Sigh.
A liked another poem about growing up and remembering beautiful tangible things like paper and ribbons.
Another poem is about how impossible it is to learn English. It's like your house burning down, finding water in a desert, surviving somewhere that has no air, seeing your boyfriend with another girl, wanting to walk but not having legs and other such impossible things.
Oh, someone wrote an essay that made me understand graffitti for the first time. Thanks, I was always wondering about that and could never quite understand.
Oh and this is the gem. I was thinking a poetry book can have one poem to speak to me. I think one is enough. It's called rules are simply by Liana Castro 17.
It says "rules are simply ideas created by bland minds that crave a softer touch than I posess." Also "let's create a world where we can do as we please where I can hold onto the clouds and jump from rooftop to rooftop. Let's talk in another language and whisper sweet words that taste like caramel when they fly from my tongue to your soul let me kiss your fears as you grasp my dreams with your bare hands.
Sigh.
December 3, 2008
Reviewed by Steph for TeensReadToo.com
This anthology from WritersCorps incorporates poems written by teens from three major cities across the United States: San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and the Bronx.
These poems aren't all delightful with happy endings. They talk of teen issues and troubles; most deal with immigrating to the U.S. and the differences between here and their homes.
With a foreword by Sherman Alexie, this small anthology book of teen poets quickly guides the reader through real struggles and dilemmas that teenagers face.
TELL THE WORLD is an eye-opening book of poetry that is sure to enlighten any who read it.
This anthology from WritersCorps incorporates poems written by teens from three major cities across the United States: San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and the Bronx.
These poems aren't all delightful with happy endings. They talk of teen issues and troubles; most deal with immigrating to the U.S. and the differences between here and their homes.
With a foreword by Sherman Alexie, this small anthology book of teen poets quickly guides the reader through real struggles and dilemmas that teenagers face.
TELL THE WORLD is an eye-opening book of poetry that is sure to enlighten any who read it.
December 3, 2016
"How you write it Reveals what you want And how badly you want it."
This is a really unique collection from WritersCorps. While there's a gambit of poems, I was especially struck by how young many of the authors are. It goes to show that people of all ages have a voice that should be shared. It also emphasizes how important it is for kids to be able to shape and understand their identities and feel like they have a place in the world.
I think it's so great that WritersCorps helps kids find that place. This is really a way for people to be reminded that they matter. This collection isn't traditional, calm, poetry and that's part of what makes it great.
This is a really unique collection from WritersCorps. While there's a gambit of poems, I was especially struck by how young many of the authors are. It goes to show that people of all ages have a voice that should be shared. It also emphasizes how important it is for kids to be able to shape and understand their identities and feel like they have a place in the world.
I think it's so great that WritersCorps helps kids find that place. This is really a way for people to be reminded that they matter. This collection isn't traditional, calm, poetry and that's part of what makes it great.
January 13, 2009
Teen poems of exceptional vitality, strength and grace from the celebrated national arts and literacy program, WriterCorps. Adults writers of verse & novels in verse could learn a lot from the life in these poems.
May 19, 2009
A decent collection of student poetry. A bit uneven at times, especially as it included writing prompts that were often not followed very well. The book does provide some good examples of writing to inspire other young people.
April 16, 2015
This was incredible. Teens ranging from 12-19 years of age, from all walks of life, writing on a variety of topics. I used to write poetry at that age but couldn't come close to the extraordinary quality of these young men and women. Brilliant, brilliant piece of work!!
May 6, 2011
INSPIRING. GREAT POEMS.
March 21, 2016
Wonderful poems written by at-risk youth in DC, San Francisco and New York. What a special treat for our Remann Hall readers to enjoy in April - National Poetry Month.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews