Finding Voice in The Poet X: A Teacher's Reflection

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo; a novel-in-verse, 357 pages

    This may be my most favorite read--book 9, thus far, as I continue through the graduate course that requires this blog and the YAL reading stack. As a woman, I could identify with the main character's struggles with body image--along with the double standards for the feminine body and excuses of society for objectifying women. I also felt her struggle with her mother's expectations of her in how I might be projecting too rigid expectations on my own daughter as she begins adolescence.

    Xiomara is a 15-year-old girl in Harlem, New York, who is struggling to find her voice amidst her family's strict expectations and her own desires. She lives with her parents, Mami and Papi, and her twin brother, Xavier. Xiomara's journey begins when she is forced to enroll in a Catholic confirmation class as she questions her faith and place in the world. She also writes about the leather journal her brother bought her for their birthday as the "most impactful day" of her life (as her first draft was of another day/moment) as a first day of sophomore year assignment. Eventually, Xiomara joins her school's poetry club where she finds a new sense of belonging and ultimately, her voice. 

    Xiomara's story is told in verse with her poems serving as a diary of her experiences and feelings. 

Some Notable Awards & Recognition

• 2018 National Book Award for Young People's Literature
• 2019 Michael L. Printz Award
• Pura Belpré Award
• 2019 Carnegie Medal
• 2019 Walter Award, Teen Category
• New York Times Bestseller

Teaching Considerations

    I'd recommend this text for ages 14 and up due to the complexity of themes and tension in the novel. 

 

    While The Poet X is an incredible read, it does touch on complex themes, including religious tension, sexuality, and strict parental expectations. These are topics that should be approached thoughtfully, with room for discussion and student reflection. I'd suggest teachers provide space for students to journal privately before opening up whole-group or class discussion so that they can process their thoughts and emotions beforehand. 

Some ideas to consider for an 8th-12th grade classroom

Authentic Voice and Representation. 

• There are beautiful excerpts that may encourage richer discussion and more thoughtful writing from students, such as, "...Even with my Amazon frame, I feel too small for all that's inside me. I want to break myself open like an egg smacked hard against an edge. Teachers always say that each school year is a new start: but even before this day I think I've been beginning" (pg. 34). Teachers can ask students, "What's happening in this excerpt? What is Xiomara's overall feeling/mood? How do her choice of words create a certain effect? Are there figures of speech? How does this excerpt make you feel? Does this excerpt remind you of anything else you've read or experienced?"
• Or, "Mami leans down: 'Mira, muchacha, go take God. Thank him for the fact that you're breathing." She has a way of guilting me compliant. Usually it works. But today, I feel the question sticking to the roof of my mouth like a wafer: what's the point of God giving me life if I can't live it as my own? Why does listening to his commandments mean I need to shut down my own voice?" (pg. 56) This excerpt can be read aloud to invite discussion around religious expectations or familial cultures.
• This excerpt could be used as well. "If my body was a Country Club soda bottle, it's one that has been shaken and dropped and at any moment it's gonna pop open and surprise the whole damn world" (pg. 105). X grapples with her body throughout the text and makes me think of the next point...
• The underlying theme of body image could be a discussion or writing assignment, too. Xiomara (X) grapples with the her own body throughout the text as she feels like her mother and the world is blaming her for inhabiting it. I was reminded of the hashtag, #thebodyisnotanapology about halfway through as I read X's verse in "The Last Fifteen-Year-Old" on page 151: "And I knew then what I'd known since my period came: my body was trouble. i had to pray the trouble out of the body God gave me. My body was a problem. And I didn't want any of these boys to be the ones to solve it. I wanted to forget I had this body at all."

Holding a poetry slam session. This would be a whole-class authentic assignment; however, I would offer students choice in whether they wish to perform their poem. The poetry could be the main assignment with the performance assessment aspect of a slam poetry second being secondary. The story's plot thickens when Xiomara watches a slam poetry performance on video during class. "Ms. Galiano asks about the themes and presentation style but instead of raising my hand I press it against my heart and will the chills on my arms to smooth out. It was just a poem, Xiomara, I think. But it felt more like a gift" (pg. 77). 

Thoughts and Reflection

    The Poet X is an experience as it validates students' emotions, challenges them to think critically, and encourages them to find and honor their own voice. I think it's a wonderful book with so much potential in the classroom because the best books are the ones that spark conversation and change--exactly what The Poet X has the power to do in your classroom.