Lifelines

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

In the gracefully written preface to this challenging and thought-provoking anthology, Marcus expresses the hope that the reader will ``be touched by the urgency and ardor with which the poets . . . have set about the mysterious work of examining their own life stories for traces of yours and mine.'' His superb selections are indeed likely to communicate both urgency and ardor. As the subtitle suggests, the book is divided into sections: poems about childhood, adolescence, middle age and old age are organized under the headings ``Small Traveller,'' ``I Am Old Enough,'' ``On Such a Hill'' and ``In the End We Are All Light.'' Stark black-and-white photographs introduce each section. Brief biographical notes at the end of the book identify the poets, who are drawn from diverse parts of the world; although the majority are contemporary, a few poets are from different eras (Omar Khayyam, William Blake, Li Po, Shakespeare). Like bits of multicolored string woven into an intricately patterned cloth, the poems in each section are varied in style and substance--some funny, some achingly poignant, some expected and familiar, some new--yet they cohere as a beautifully designed whole. Ages 11-up. (June)

The ALAN Review - Mike Angelotti

The fundamental theme of Lifelines is simply put in its subtitle: "A Poetry Anthology Patterned on the Stages of Life." Not only does Leonard Marcus sequence sections of the collection chronologically, beginning with a selection from Monkhouse's "To a New Born Child" and ending with a group of epitaph poems, but also he includes writers present and past, and cultures U.S. and abroad. You will recognize Yehuda Amachai, Emily Dickinson, Mel Glenn, and Maya Angelou as well as the most prolific "Anonymous." One of her/his works is most notable in its brevity and relevance to the readers of this review: "God made the bees, The bees make honey; We do the work, The teacher gets the money." The poems are characteristically short, simple, and powerful. The mini-bios are a perfect classroom complement. Surely, there is something here for all ages, and what a marvelous collection to teach and read from. To finish, a 1741 churchyard epitaph: "She drank good ale, strong punch and wine,/And lived to the age of ninety-nine." Anon.

School Library Journal

Gr 6 Up-Marcus looks at the stages of life through classic and contemporary poetry, both American and foreign. Only two things are shared by all people: birth and death. Some of the poets craft metaphors to discuss these realities. More of the works, however, magnify the smaller events along the way: holding a baby, giggling, shooting pool, or writing a letter. The book is divided into four sections that mirror age transitions, and includes such masters as Maya Angelou, James Wright, E.B. White, and William Carlos Williams. The poems span back as far as the 8th century, but most are from the 20th century. Mostly narrative, the lines share views enhanced by culture, era, and individual beliefs. A brief biography of each poet is included, allowing readers a glimpse of the writers' own lifelines. The selections are short and accessible, even for readers who haven't bypassed many of life's stages. They address the perennial questions faced daily and offer a view of the forgotten past and a prophesy of what may come.-Sharon Korbeck, Milwaukee Public Library

Hazel Rochman

This is a splendid anthology, but it will appeal more to adults than to young people. The poems are arranged in categories, from birth through childhood, youth, middle age, old age, and death. Of course, kids do remember and wonder and imagine about all these life stages, but many of the selections are sophisticated, with a mature point of view. There are great poems here, classical and new. Most are from the U.S., a few from abroad and in translation. Marcus has selected well-known poems (such as Brooks' "We Real Cool") as well as some seldom anthologized, including beautiful pieces by children's writers Liz Rosenberg and Nancy Willard. The succinct biographical notes are excellent, with a line or two of literary criticism that places each poet in context.