Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems (Poetry)

Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems, by John Grandits 

(Poetry/Intermediate-Advanced reader)

Blue Lipstick is an engaging, often humorous collections of concrete poems written from the perspective of Jessie, a spunky high-schooler. Exploring, relationships, sports, style, and identity in creatively set poems, this book makes reading an active and immersive experience.

This book clearly falls into the poetry genre because it "combines rich meaning with sounds of language arranged in an interesting form" (Galda, 2010, p. 139). It follows the characteristics of quality poetry by presenting on content that is understandable and relatable to the intended reader. Specifically, this collection of poems, intended for adolescent readers, explores familiar topics for this audience such as sibling problems ("Talking to My Stupid Younger Brother Is Like Swimming Upstream in a River to Nowhere") and the emotional roller-coaster of teenage life ("A Chart of My Emotional Day"). Though intended for adolescent readers, has the potential to speak to teens and adults alike. The strong voice of the poems’ narrator pulls readers into the memorable world of adolescence. Adult readers will find these poems stir memories of their own youth or of familiar interactions with young people. 

A second characteristic of poetry is use of language and poetic devices. There is clear variety in the language of each poem, with the voice of the narrator remaining the constant through-line. One example of Grandits' innovative language can be found in the poem "Zombie Jocks," an portion of which follows: "Don’t like music, art or science./ We prefer the Rams and Giants./ Don’t like movies. Don’t like dancing./ Don’t like dating or romancing" (Grandits, 2007). The author has used consistent meter to form a rhythm similar to a school or sport cheer. Along with simple, repetitive phrases and rhymes, this poem captures the narrator’s idea of jocks and sports culture. The rhythm is a perfect blend between the actual feel of chants at sporting events and the kind of rhythm that can seem mind-numbing and zombie-like.  

Finally, Blue Lipstick is rooted firmly in concrete poetry structure, a form that helps the reader understand subjects and tone. These poems are visually intriguing, combining illustration and text cohesively. Each poem is presented in a consistent palette of blue, black and white (negative space), a color-scheme that fits the recurring feelings of frustration, annoyance, and isolation contained within the poems. The words and lines are arranged inventively to help tell the story of each poem. In the poem “Bad Hair Day,” for example, a simple semi-circle containing two eyes forms the top half of a face at the bottom of the page. The poem’s lines grow out of the head like strands of hair. Mirroring the poem’s narration of a hair-coloring experiment gone awry, some lines/strands appear colorless and limp while others are blue and frizzled, running in all different directions. Not only does this image add to the impact of the story for the reader, but the reader must also interact with the book, turning it this way and that to read the text as it meanders around the page.

As a whole, the collection of poems gives a snapshot of the narrator’s world and emotional development. The book begins and ends with variations of the same poem that frames this journey. The author offers such variety within a single style that each poem feels new and exciting. The language is accessible and casual to teens but includes appropriate moments of challenge and specificity to push readers’ vocabulary without ever feeling like the author loses track of the narrator’s voice. These lines from the poem "Advanced English" capture Jessie's voice perfectly, "I don’t think I’m in love with Elton Simpson, but…well…you know. I definitely like him" (Grandits, 2016). 

ACTIVITIES:

1.     In “Poems Inspired by the Free Perfume Samples at Carson’s” there are six haiku contained in drawing of perfume bottles written by Jessie describing the scents of her day. For example, “Essence of Lunchroom” and “Attar de Girls’ Bathroom during a Dance.” Have students write and illustrate a series of haiku centered around one theme from their own life such as sports haiku written inside the appropriate type of ball.

2.     The Author’s Note for this book is written as a poem, called “Pocket Poem.” The poem begins “It’s a good idea to carry a poem in your pocket in case of emergency.” Then goes on to explain why this is a good idea and how certain poems and certain poets can help change one’s mood. Encourage students to read several poems by different authors and bring at least one in to share with the class that they might use as a personal “pocket poem.”

READER RESPONSE QUESTIONS:

1.     Can you identify with some of Jessie’s thoughts and experiences in this book? Provide at least two examples from your own life that reflect a similarity or difference from Jessie’s experiences.

2.     The book begins with “The Wall” and ends with “The Wall (Revisited).” Why do you think the author chose to include these two poems? How are they different and what do these differences mean?

This would be a wonderful book to use to expose intermediate readers to both reading and writing poetry. While the poems fall into one form, they showcase the flexibility and sheer possibility of poetry in their diverse within that form. Lengths, rhythms, and manner of presenting ideas (narrative, haiku, etc.) all vary from poem to poem. Given the brevity of each poem, this would also be an approachable book for older students who don’t love to read. It would be age-appropriate in subject and reading level without being overwhelming in scope.

References

Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2010). Literature and the child (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: 
Wadsworths, Inc.

Grandits, J. (2007). Blue lipstick: concrete poems. New York, NY: Clarion Books.

Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems cover image from: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blue-lipstick- john-grandits/1101967766#/

"Bad Hair Day" image from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/210121138836120602/?lp=true