Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Bridget at Wee Words for Wee Ones for a celebration of her new book (!) and also Roundup.
Each morning, my husband's phone alarm wakes us to "Cool Change" by The Little River Band. (He changes the song each month, in keeping with the season!) That surely was in my mind as I was writing this week's ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS poem.
Fun fact: As is often the case, the "shape" of this poem changed as I was making the graphic. (It was 4 3-line stanzas; now it's not.) The visual is so important in poetry... and isn't that such a personal thing, and determined by space on the page and the poet's aesthetic, among other factors? I really enjoy playing around with that during revision. Thank you so much for reading!
Gathering Season
Farmer shapes
hay into round-house
mounds
Flock grazes away
Sky, too,
corrals fat-bellied
clouds—
first icy drops
And if you're gathering books this season (like I am!), WILD PEACE comes out next Tuesday!! Illustrations by Il Sung Na, coming to us from the good folks at Roaring Brook Press. I'm excited to share this gentle, meditative long-poem picture book with young ones, and I hope you will, too. More on this next week! xo
Thank you for gathering your words around Miller's painting, Irene. The result is a lovely poem. Boo to the 'first icy drops'...or maybe I should say baa. ;)
ReplyDeleteHa! "Baa" is exactly right, Bridget. :)
DeleteI love everything gathering in the poem.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ruth! I think "gathering" has forever changed since covid. xo
DeleteJust requested Wild Peace from the library. They have 12 copies on order (hooray!) and I'm #2 in line. I wonder who beat me to the punch.
ReplyDeleteI love the sound of those "round-house mounds." Such delight in saying that!
I'm adding poetry to my morning routine and just plucked Dictionary For A Better World off the shelf to add to my morning pile of possibilities. It's definitely a book that deserves slow morning savoring! I guess you could say I'm gathering poetry books.
Isn't fall just the best season of all?
Dear Ramona, YES, Fall is the best! And yay for your morning poetry routine. Thank you for choosing DICTIONARY. Also Yay for Wild Peace at your library. Big smiles!! Thank you for sharing. xo
DeleteLovely, Irene. I envy your wizardry with so few words. Maybe I can learn that someday. Many good wishes...
ReplyDeleteDear Karen, you have your very own brand of wizardry! Thanks for your kind words... sending them right back to you! xo
DeleteI'm so looking forward to Wild Peace! I head to AASL next week. What publishers are likely to have ARCs of yours to ask for? I'd love to grab an Africa Town (already pre-ordered) and any others. I think a warm hay house that has soaked up the sun is the perfect place to scurry to when rain falls. I love the smell of fresh hay.
ReplyDeleteYou're going to AASL!! That's so great. Definitely check in at Penguin Random House. African Town, Snail's Ark (Feb.) and maybe possible 12 Days of Kindness (June). CAn't wait to hear about the conference! Enjoy! xo
DeleteLike Ramona, I just looked at my library for Wild Peace, ten copies on their way. There are two holds, you may like knowing, & I am # 3. Congrats for that. Your poem brings calm to that picture, but those 'fat-bellies clouds" must make farmers grimace & hurry. Have a nice weekend, Irene!
ReplyDeleteOh thank you for looking, and for reserving. :) :) :) I never can tell how a book will be received, so it's fun to get this kind of information. xo
DeleteIrene, I love the idea of the clouds being corralled. Everything getting ready and ordered for the new colder season, and the people chased indoors. That is a great warm place to be. Lovely. I also like that you always have a season song waking you up. That is such a sweet tradition!
ReplyDeleteI'm also a fan of those corralled clouds and the idea of everyone and everything gathering in different ways in preparation for the changing season. I ordered my copy of "Wild Peace" already and can't wait to have it in my hands.
ReplyDeleteYour poem goes so perfectly with the painting! (More so than usual!!)
ReplyDeleteI love your poem, Irene, and I am very excited to read WILD PEACE. What a fantastic title!
ReplyDelete