Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Buffy Silverman for Roundup.
I can't believe we are on the verge of Summer...O Spring, where did you go?
Highlights form the past week:
1) an in-person book signing for D-39! Kids came for a special, intimate ticketed event for the first hour (and invented their own robodogs!), and then the second hour was open to the public. Imagine my delight when dear friends (Ann Marie! Paige! Kai! Katie Jane!), new friends (Olive! Walter!), and Cappuccino (a dog!) showed up! I'm so grateful to Little Professor Books for hosting this event. Independent bookstores are THE BEST!
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| Check out Macie's D-88 robodog. :) |
2) an in-person teaching students how to write nonets at a Literacy Camp in Auburn, Alabama. Thank you, Betty, for inviting me!
3) participating in a zoom panel for a keynote session as part of ASLA conference, along with Randi Pink and Anna Birch.
4) presenting in-person PD with Alabama history teachers. I also got to share with them about the forthcoming (with Charles Waters) AFRICAN TOWN. :)
And tonight I'll be watching some of my favorite kids perform in a play. Life is good!
As for my ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS poem, turns out it's my last Spring poem. Wow! I'll be searching out some Summer art between now and next Poetry Friday. Thank you so much for reading!
Horses Plowing in Spring
dirt moves
easy
beneath blades—
hooves leave
secret messages
in the furrows—
Spring: welcome!
Rain: come often,
but don't stay too
long. . .
Farmer: thank you
for giving us work.
Sun: shine on!
Wow! You are one busy writer. Hooray! And, hooray to in-person celebrations of books and writing. How wonderful. I wish I knew where Spring got off to. I'd love to catch her sleeve and ask her to slow down a little. I sure have enjoyed this spring. I'm wishing you rest and restoration between celebrations.
ReplyDeleteLove seeing those words in-person! We had our first in-person book club this past week. And your final spring poem celebrates so much with love about spring. See you summering next week.
ReplyDeletemeant to type so much "we" love
DeleteThe last line of your poem, "Sun: shine on!" is a great entry into summer. I can almost smell the earth in your poem as the farmer plows.
ReplyDeleteLove those secret messages! Good to hear about in-person events again. :) Happy Almost Summer!
ReplyDeleteSo great to hear that you're out and about! It gives me hope it will happen here, eventually!
ReplyDeleteLove hearing all your events, Irene. I enjoyed D-39 so much, was sorry to see it end! This poem reminds me of one grandfather that would have loved it. He showed his draft horses at county fairs though had changed to tractors by the time I knew him. I love imagining those 'secret messages' & then your own messages to spring, rain, farmer, sun. Have a good weekend!
ReplyDeleteIrene, it seems such good news to see all your in-person opportunities this week. Wow!
ReplyDeleteLove the secret messages left by the horses to the elements and the farmer.
I love that work by Edvard Munch and the direction you went with it. Glad you are thriving! xo
ReplyDeleteThat's a GORGEOUS painting, and I love how you tucked secret messages into the furrows. So happy that D-39 is getting lots of love!
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful painting. I really hope this happens this summer, a lot:
ReplyDeleteRain: come often,
but don't stay too
long. . .
We so need it.
You and Edvard Munch are a great pair! So nice to read about all your good business!
ReplyDelete"Shine on" indeed, Irene! So much goodness in this post, but most especially the words, 'in-person'! Woot! :)
ReplyDeleteA wonderful poem! I love how it turns into an invocation of sorts, a prayer to the elements for a good harvest. A reminder of how fargile and uncertain the farming life could be.
ReplyDelete