12. Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems

Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems by Kristine O'Connell George; illustrated by Debbie Tilley (Clarion Books, 2002).

Genre

Poetry

Review

A series of poems detailing one student's first year of middle school.  O'Connell George touches upon all of the anxiety and adventure of middle school.  The poem "Identity" sees the narrator trying hard to determine what name she'd like to go by, while "School I.D. Card" captures the feelings of anxiety over body image that many middle school students experience.  But the narrator also begins great friendships, finds mentors among her teachers, and starts a romantic relationship. 

Opinion

The poems are simple yet evocative of the range of feelings experienced by middle school students.  O'Connell George does a superb job of showing how the small pressures of middle school can feel enormous (and also lead to immense happiness).  The poem "Math" is a wonderful example:

5
5 squared
5 to the second power

Mrs. Bollo hands back my math quiz.
doom
doom squared
doom to the second power 

Mrs. Bollo explains, making it clear --
says, "I'm glad you're in my class this year.
Your work shows potential."
Happiness
Happiness squared
Happiness exponential! (p. 26)

O'Connell George's poems also present students with free verse works (even though they occasionally rhyme, O'Connell George's poems do not appear to follow traditional metric patterns).

Ideas

The book would be an easy introduction to free verse poetry.  It would also make a wonderful part of my (continuing) Middle School Survival Kit display; the emotions and situations it deals with are nearly universal to middle school students.  At the same time, it deals with them in an entirely different way than Are You There God? It's Me Margaret or Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life.

References

O'Connell George, K. (2002). Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems. New York: Clarion Books.