Gwendolyn Brooks is an African American writer of what she sees, hears, smells, feels. Her poems are sparse and deceptively simple, with easy rhyme schemes and clear, simple language. Her messages are real and evocative however, especially in this collection, as she roams through her neighborhood in poetry, allowing all to have a voice. Her poetry notices the small things, like the comfortable nonconversation of 'The old marrieds", and the yearning of a young girl in 'a song in the front yard'. This collection would be a good addition to a high school library, there are a few adult themed poems. This collection would be a wonderful poetry addition to Langston Hughes. ( )