Universe at the Tips of Your Toes
Real Poems Written for Real Kids
Universe at the Tips of Your Toes is a lustrous, kaleidoscopic poetry anthology that honors the diverse concerns of contemporary youths.
Spontaneous typewritten poetry turns into a playful cosmos of wordplay in Typewriter Rodeo’s spirited anthology Universe at the Tips of Your Toes.
The work of a roving poetry collective that includes Sean Petrie, Rebecca Bendheim, Megan Benedict, Jodi Egerton, Shanna Gerlach, and Jena Kirkpatrick, all of whom compose poems on vintage typewriters in public spaces, often at the direct request of children and teenagers, this anthology is sprawling and varied. It includes odes to friendship and fear, as well as quirky riffs on baseball, black holes, Edgar Allan Poe, belly buttons, and farts. Riddled with charm and humor, it is an accessible collection.
Free verse dominates herein. The entries’ rhythm and line breaks do much of the emotional heavy lifting. Occasional funky layouts are used to generate momentum, acting as a visual counterpoint to other parallel structures. In “WHY ARE YOU READING THIS?,” a torn page corner accompanies the final lines: “I think the only thing / Left / Is for me to just / Cut this off.”
Most of the entries are brief, compressing their ideas into tight, impactful lines. Vibrant images appear, as with “my head is covered / In a hundred thousand / Flapping flags.” Surprising metaphors arise as well, such as “It’s an eyeshadow rainbow / perfected in a foggy mirror,” grounding abstractions in concrete sensory details.
Evincing respect for emotional complexity, the book pairs quiet reflections on loneliness, anxiety, identity, and change with lightheartedness. Its variety of tones affirms that both big and small feelings are worthy of attention. Indeed, the poems evade condescension, treating youths’ experiences with seriousness and wit. They also avoid moral lessons or tidy resolutions. Uncertainty and contradictions appear, as do unfinished thoughts.
Beyond the book’s compilation of poems come resources that expand its scope. The backgrounds for some poems are shared, as are edifying dedications and references to the inspiring requests. “I Am Gonna Start on the Edge,” for instance, is written “for Betsy, who champions human rights.” An interactive list of “po-mojis,” or poetry emojis, is used to identify the poetic devices at work, as with a smiley face indicating personification. And tips for fellow poets appear throughout the book, which proffers guidance on writing about difficult subjects, shaping poems, and setting up a rhyme. Together, these elements demystify the poetic craft, positioning poetry as participatory rather than a matter of passive artistic consumption.
A lustrous poetry collection, Universe at the Tips of Your Toes whispers and sometimes shouts about the emotional maelstroms of adolescence.
Reviewed by
Brooke Shannon
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
