Dizzy In Your Eyes: Poems About Love

by Pat Mora

cover by Barnes & Noble

Mora, Pat. Dizzy in Your Eyes: Poems about Love. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2010. Print. ISBN:

978-0-375-84375-4.

Poetic Elements

These original poems by award winning author, poet, and speaker Pat Mora, are reminiscent of her life experiences and many are written in two languages (English interwoven with Spanish words and phrases). Each poem by a different teen narrator, were written using a variety of poetic forms. I must admit that poetry has never been my forte; however, in the second or third reading of poems like “Revenge x 3”, the rhythm of Mora’s lines pull me in:

I slipped a note to three—

The same note—Romeo me,

Experienced at poetry.

Mora’s notes on the opposing page explain the Tercet form as a three-line stanza or poem and that the number three is emphasized in the poem.

Appeal

The familiar experiences of love, the theme portrayed throughout Dizzy in Your Eyes will no doubt be appealing to young people and retain their attention. Poems such as “Doubts”, “The Mission”, “On the Edge”, and “Dumped” will awaken a kindred spirit in readers. Many young girls will relate to the poem “Pressure” where a young boy whispers, “If you love me, trust me” or to the rejection portrayed in “The Silence” where a young girl asks her childhood friend to go to the prom but he’s already asked someone else.

Overall Quality

The poetry in this collection stimulate a variety of thoughts and emotions as they are all about love—a universal theme causing an array of emotions ranging from sad, blue, lonely, depressed, and confused…to excited, giddy, happy, and overjoyed. I cried when I read “Far Away” because I was the mother in Mora’s lines:

My mother smoothes her mother’s hair.

I see them far away,

speaking with their eyes, love spilling

                                                                      down

their skin, here and there.

The Poets

This collection of fifty original poems all explore the plethora of emotions that love brings whether it’s for a pet, a sport, music, a boy, a girl, a teacher, or another family member. Mora is a native of El Paso, Texas and has received a poetry fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, a Kellogg National Leadership Fellowship and has received two honorary doctorates.

Layout

Dizzy in Your Eyes includes a table of contents as well as an “About the Author” page. In a “Dear Reader” section at the front of the book, Mora explains how the collection began in free verse; however, her editor encouraged her to try other poetic forms as well to show readers the options and challenges different forms can pose. Mora also included footnotes on the various types of poetic forms used, making this book a perfect classroom tool for teachers and an inspirational tool for readers to try their own hand at writing poetry. The arrangement of the poems were a deliberate effort from the author, who envisioned the book as a piece of music with four movements: “from love’s initial rush and confusion, to love’s challenges, heartaches, and quiet sadness; to external solace that eases the pain, necessary healing; and finally, yes, to falling in love again.”

Spotlight Poem

Revenge x 3

by Pat Mora

I slipped a note to three—

the same note—Romeo me,

experienced at poetry.

All three were sweetly pretty.

Each read my words, smiled slyly.

I felt clever and happy.

My life would be a movie—

calls to make, hands to hold lightly,

poems to write nightly.

But one day, three came frowning toward me,

no hint of beauty. Running, I yelled loudly,

“Your frowns will make you ugly!”

Each crowned me—not that lightly.

“Rat!” they shouted, pounding fiercely,

shouted-pounded, “Triple-header!” furiously.

Poetry Break:

I would introduce this humorous love poem “slam poetry” style as I feel the form and rhythm lend itself well to slam poetry performance. It’s also a poem that boys as well as girls would be receptive to.

Extension Activity: I would let students choose another poem from Dizzy In Your Eyes: Poems about Love to perform with a partner chorally, to music, or slam poetry style.