For 2019 I'm running a year-long series on my blog in which I share my responses to the writing assignment prompts found in THE BUTTERLY HOURS by Patty Dann.
I welcome you to join me, if you like! I've divided the prompts by month, and the plan is to respond to 3 (or so) a week. For some of these I may write poems, for others prose. The important thing is to mine my memory. Who knows where this exploration will lead?
For links to the prompts I've written on so far this year, please click on The Butterfly Hours tab above. This month's prompts include: hospital, hotel, humming, ice-skating, illness, kitchen table, knife, laundry, library, lunch.
LIBRARY
I do have a wonderful library story about a time when a library pretty much saved my life (you can read the post here). And my most favorite library story of all time has to do with Papa's rocking chair, which you can sit in at the library in Port St. Joe, FL.
Two favorite reading/library books are READ! READ! READ! by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater and Lee Bennett Hopkins' anthology JUMPING OFF LIBRARY SHELVES.
I've also written quite a few reading poems, like "Dear Reader," (from the perspective of a book!) and "Fishing for a Reader," which I often ask kids to help me act out during school visits. My poem "I Give Thanks for Trussville, Alabama," which appears in J. Patrick Lewis' THE POETRY OF US anthology features a library. I have been a reader as long as I can remember -- such an important part of my life!
So to write a fresh reading/library poem is kind of daunting. Here are 3 efforts, with, of course, the fresh-est one being the last one (though it's still drafty)! Which is a reminder to me: Dig deeper. Keep going.
Welcome
to the Library
Come –
inhale
the
inkblossom air,
feast
your mind
on fact
and fantasy.
Escape
the confusing
everyday
world,
settle
onto the magical
carpeted
valley
found
between book
mountains
–
where
the treasure
at the
end of each story
is a
different you.
At
the Library
Inkblossom
air,
forest
of books –
settle
onto the carpeted valley
to
read, listen,
or
simply just look.
A
Message from the Library Mouse
I live
in a city of stories
where
books skyscrape
the
walls.
I live
in a city of stories
where
adventures
whisper
their call.
I live
in a city of stories
where I
feast on
pictures
and words.
I live
in a city of stories
that
turn me to wizard
or
zombie or bird!
I live
in a city of stories.
There's
no place
I'd
rather be.
Today
my story
is
about horses –
come,
won't you ride along
with me?
- Irene Latham
Wonderful! All the words here. I do love inkblossom air and that a poem can still be "drafty." I always think I can write library poems until I try and then I feel like there's too much to say and often give up. I really like how you have zero-ed in on details -- today's story about horses or simply just looking. Such a nice visit today. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteYesterday when I wasn't looking, my lovebird shredded the cover of the book I was reading, so "I feast on pictures and words" is hitting a little too close to home today, ha ha! Love that library mouse, though. I can picture that as a book!
ReplyDeleteLove these poems about libraries and especially these lines:
ReplyDelete" where the treasure
at the end of each story
is a different you."
Yesterday I listened to an old StoryCorps podcast "Keepers of the Temple." One of the segments was about a boy whose family lived in a NYC library during the mid part of the last century. Can you think of a more exciting place to live?
Love all your library pondering poems Irene–though I do love the library mouse too. Your "inkblossom air" is intoxicating, and we sure need places to escape to today, thanks for this bevy of poems! xo
ReplyDeleteFun poems! Inkblossom air is such a terrific phrase--I can smell it, feel it, see it. And I love the bouncing rhythm of Library Mouse's ride.
ReplyDeleteI too am entranced by the scent of inkblossom air. In the second poem, first read I was imagining it was the books settling in... to read, listen and look. (Also laughing (after the gasp) at Tabatha's connection.)
ReplyDeleteThanks for this advice (along with your most excellent poems): "Dig deeper. Keep going."
ReplyDeleteLOVE Library Mouse and its books skyscraping the walls. That sounds like heaven to me :)
ReplyDeleteI love all of these Irene, but especially "inkblossom air". Like Mary Lee, I appreciate Dig deeper. Keep going. I shall make it my mantra.
ReplyDeleteI love inkblossom air--that is perfect for the one and only air in a library.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely trio of library poems. Add me to the list of those enamored with "inkblossom air"! Also, the ending to the first poem:
ReplyDelete"where the treasure
at the end of each story
is a different you."
is fabulous.
I'm going back now to check out some of your links. Thanks for sharing!