Used with kind permission from harpercollins publishers, 10 east. Shortly into my reading of naomi shihab nyes 19 varieties of gazelle, i was distracted by a sudden, severe wind outside that came with no. She has taught writing and worked in schools all over the world, including in muscat, oman. I decided to write an analysis of the poem 19 varieties of gazelle, by naomi shihab nye. It was selected as a national book award finalist in the field of. Naomi shihab nye was born on march 12, 1952, in st. Poems of the middle east by naomi shihab nye 1,179 ratings, 4. Poems of the middle east by naomi shihab nye and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. They inhabit the arid lands of asia from china to the. Naomi shihab nye, awardwinning author of poetry for adults and children, reads from her work, which includes 19 varieties of gazelle. Nye is a prominent poet for adults, as well as a highly regarded anthologist for. Nye is a prominent poet for adults, as well as a highly regarded anthologist for teenagers. Poetic expressions beginning with a work inspired by the events of september 11, naomi shihab nye brings together 60 of her poems in 19 varieties of gazelle.
The words under the words by naomi shihab nye poems. Students read the poetry of palestinianamerican poet naomi shihab nye from 19 varieties of gazelle and other poems available on the internet. Overall, nye shows her dedication to family, peace, love, culture and poetry through her 60 writings in 19 varieties of gazelle, and i hope that everyone can get a sense of the peace that she demands from the world as well as the misinterpretation that the media has set on her culture. Analysis on varieties michael jury university of florida floas, may 14, 2011 michael jury analysis on varieties. Naomi shihab nye is a poet and anthologist and the acclaimed author of habibi. I am joining poetry friday this week with two poems taken from naomi shihab nyes 19 varieties of gazelle, as they fit our current theme that includes middle eastern literature. Collection analysis report for poetry, 910 this report provides data analyses into the titles on this list to help support your efforts to put the right book in each readers hands. Naomi shihab nye 1952for sitti khadra, north of jerusalem my grandmothers hands recognize grapes, the damp shine of a goats new skin. Her collection 19 varieties of gazelle was a finalist for the national book award. She was born to a palestinian father and an american mother. She takes men home and fulfills her job around her sleeping son, only a curtain away. Here is the summary of the poem my father and the fig tree.
This poem talks about the authors father and his favorite plant fig tree. During her high school years, she lived in ramallah in palestine, the old city in jerusalem, and san antonio, texas, where she later received her ba in english and world religions. The poems explore the lives of people in the middle east, in the aftermath of the september 11 attacks. Naomi shihab nye collects poems about her family and life as a. In order to provide for him, she takes on a job as a prostitute working during the night. Then i goggled images of gazelle, and to my amazement they favor deers. My father and the fig tree for other fruits, my father was indifferent. Louis, missouri, to a palestinian father and an american mother. This report is organized by collection analysis by genre, cultural, and curricular areas, quantitative measures, and.
Nye was born in the united states, the daughter of an american mother and a. It was a finalist for the 2002 national book award, young peoples. Louis, missouri palestinian refugee father and an american mother high school years lived in ramallah in palestine, the old city in jerusalem, and san antonio, texas currently lives. Unlike inside out and back again, which i discuss below, 19 varieties of gazelle is not a novel in verse but all the same theres a clear narrative thread to these poems. When i was sick they followed me, i woke from the long fever to find them covering my head like cool prayers. She is a regular columnist for organica and poetry editor for the texas observer. The interesting thing about it is, upon my initial reading of the poem i thought a gazelle was some type of bird.
Night woman analysis empowerment through our individualisim. Review of naomi shihab nyes 19 varieties of gazelle. She began composing her first poem at the age of six and has published or contributed to over 30 volumes. Poems of the middle east by namoi shihab nye published by harpercollins childrens. Her works include poetry, youngadult fiction, picture books, and novels. Shortly into my reading of naomi shihab nyes 19 varieties of gazelle, i was distracted by a sudden, severe wind outside that came with no warning and sent me scrambling for the basement. She was born to a palestinian father and american mother. In the 19 varieties of gazelle the writers father is presented in the poem my father and the figtree. Teaching the poetry of naomi shihab nye scholarly communication. A novel and sittis secrets, a picture book, which was based on her own experiences visiting her beloved sitti in palestine. The first book i was able to find by nye was 19 varieties of gazelle, poems of the middle east. Poems of the middle east by naomi shihab nye greenwillow books, 2002 isbn 0060097655 141 pages 3. To really understand poetry you have to read and reread the poetry a couple of times, and you have to look into the cultural significance of words and images, and you usually have to look up. Naomi shihab nye naomi shihab nye biography poem hunter.
Her other books include poetry collections 19 varieties of gazelle. Naomi shihab nye was born on march 12, 1952 63 years old in st. Poems of the middle east, naomi shihab nye writes that after the september 11 attacks, a huge shadow had been cast across the lives of so many innocent people and an ancient cultures pride. Put together they tell a story of everyday life in palestine, and humanise people were trained to think of as a faceless collective.
Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Fowzi, who beats everyone at dominoes ibtisam, who. Poems of the middle east was a finalist for the national book award. Night woman by edwidge danticat this story is about a single mother who is struggling to take care of her son. Her work has been presented on national public radios a prairie home companion and the writers almanac. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Naomi shihab nye nineteen poems about the middle east and about being an arab american living in the united states. Naomi shihab nye, is an american, an arab, a poet, a parent, a woman of texas, a woman of ideas. Most gazelles are tancoloured, with white underparts and rump patch, a dark side stripe, and contrasting facial markings. Nyes 19 varieties of gazelle 2002 five years ago, the television and news. This poem expresses a lot of information about the fathers personality and. Night woman analysis night woman was truly an inspirational story to me. Ten minutes and a power outage later, the wind had died, leaving only a gentle fall of rain and several stunned people surveying the neighborhood damage. Gazelle, any of several fleet, mediumsized antelopes with slender, evenly developed limbs, level backs, and long necks.
The above is excerpted from 19 varieties of gazelle by naomi shihab nye. Poems of the middle east by namoi shihab nye published by harpercollins childrens these poems show what life is like for arab americans who. Students writing poetry inspired by the work of palestinianamerican poet naomi shihab nye purpose overview. But i am reading tales of a severed head rachida madaniisbn 9780300176285 and 19 varieties of gazelle noami shihab nye and now my poems feel paltry, nothing more than pretty artifice. Awardwinning author naomi shihab nye writes about her experiences as an arab american, her family, the west bank, and jerusalem in this collection of poems of. It was a finalist for the 2002 national book award, young peoples literature. Detailed information for 19 varieties of gazelle poems of the middle east.
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