Merry Merry Poetry Friday (Roundup is Here!)

 For my last ArtSpeak: RED poem of 2020—and for a Poetry Friday that falls on Christmas— I thought it would be fun to find a piece of Christmas art. 

... but then Richard Jones, who has been my muse in these last months of RED, posted a "Christmas Bird." How could I not write about it? 

How to Make Merry

just for today
believe
in elves and fairies

eat too many
cherries

bury your
worries,
marry joy

sing!
(with or without
canaries)

tarry—
whether the day
ferries clouds
                or flowers

let love carry you
across all hours

- Irene Latham

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Merry Christmas, and Happy Poetry Friday! Please leave your link below... see you in 2021!!

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ArtSpeak: RED poem "Because Every Day is a Red-Letter Day"

 

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit for Michelle Kogan for Roundup.

Also, please see my "Friend Friday" guest post over at Kirby Larson's blog, about friends and friendship poems from THIS POEM IS A NEST.

My desk has been stacked this week, as editors close up shop before the holidays, so I will keep most post here short. 

I've been thinking about the days we celebrate, and how the work of a poet is to be mindful of the small ordinary miracles, too... and also about how challenging the holidays can be for many of us. What emerged is this poem! 

Another shout-out to Richard Jones for sharing his art and welcoming these poems... just  one more ArtSpeak: RED poem to write, and I will post it here next week when I host a Very Merry Poetry Friday Christmas Roundup. :) Thank you for reading!

Because Every Day is a Red-Letter Day

wake up
                   wake up

a new day is here


time to wiggle  wander

                   wonder  wag

chew through the blues

new day
                    new you

- Irene Latham

The Muse in December

 

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Buffy Silverman for Roundup.

Update: The Artist's Way Jan-March 2021 group has two slots left. If you're interested, please leave a comment, and I will send you the information. 

Wanted to share a little December from THIS POEM IS A NEST, art by Johanna Wright:

Isn't that sweet? :) 

And... here is a post I wrote over at Smack Dab in the Middle, about something I do every December.

I'm feeling a bit blue about my ArtSpeak: RED year coming to a close... I've enjoyed the energy of this color-themed-art-year so very much... and the slew of Richard Jones-inspired poems here at the end has been a lovely surprise! Today I've got a short one for all of us who enjoy creating. Thank you for reading. xo

Birthday Poem

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit the birthday girl Mary Lee at A Year of Reading. 

back cover D-39
advertisement!
(final will be in color)

I'm super-honored Mary Lee is hosting the cover reveal for D-39: A Robodog's Journey, my dystopian verse novel coming May 18, 2021. I hope you like it!

Cover art is by illustrator Jamie Green (learn a little about Jamie in Mary Lee's post as well!), the publisher is Charlesbridge, and it's a book I started out calling my boy-dog-war story... and then it morphed into the girl-robodog-war story you see depicted on the cover.  And it's so much more than that... about tinkering and heroes and made-up words and surprises and acceptance and love and friendship and finding one's way... I hope you'll give it a read! 

And if you'd like to review it on your blog, the publisher is offering digital galleys! You can email me irene (at) irenelatham (dot) com or leave a comment below.

Meanwhile: Thank you, Mary Lee!! My ArtSpeak: RED poetry offering today continues the birthday (and dog) theme. It's a revision of an e.e. cummings-inspired birthday poem I wrote a while back. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARY LEE!

Dog's Birthday Song

to you happy birthday
on this most yippity day
stick a candle in every hour
lickety-sniffety every plate

to you happy birthday
in my teeth a thousand thank yous
for party-hats cake the universe you
on this most yippety day
for you i wish

- Irene Latham

p.s. in other happy news: THIS POEM IS A NEST was included on Kirkus' Best Middle Grade Books of the Year. Yay for poetry for middle grade! xo