Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit lovely Linda at TeacherDance for Roundup.
I am away from my desk today, visiting Africatown with Charles Waters!
But I do have some news for you, and a poem.
News
I'm offering a FREE Masterclass for writers entitled Optimal Creativity Has Nothing to Do With Discipline: 3 Myths That Can Wreck our Writing (and What to Do Instead).
Pick your time (3 options!), and I'll see you there! Click here for the registration page.
In case you missed it: This month's Homeschool Poetry Party featured LOVE poems, of course! View the video here.
And now for today's poem! If Carel Fabritius's Goldfinch piece wasn't already a favorite, it gained even more fans when Donna Tartt's Pulitzer Prize winning book THE GOLDFINCH was released (and also adapted for film).
I puzzled for several days about what metaphor I wanted to lend this piece...and then voila! it came to me, and it feels just-right. (Turns out, during the time this painting was created, people were fond of keeping goldfinches as pets. It's hard to see the chain attached to the bird's leg in the painting, but look closer, it's there.)
Thank you so much for reading!
Forgiveness is a Small Bird
untethered
it will lift
into the sky
sun kissing
its wings
-Irene Latham
love those sun kissed wings. Enjoy your time out with Charles talking about African Town. I'd love to attend an online session about the making of this book if there ever is one. Hooray for a master class! Thank you. I'm cheering you on from the library, Irene. Good work. Catch a breath and keep writing!
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One of my grandmothers had a blue canary, in a cage. Perhaps that's a little better, but he flew around the house sometimes & seemed to love her, stayed around her or on her shoulder. I've never seen that birds were kept on a chain, seems terrible. I love your title, Irene, and those "sun-kissed wings".
ReplyDeleteWho needs Metaphor Dice when you have Old Dutch Masters and a poet's heart? Love. I appreciate the variety of times offered for this masterclass. Let me see which one works, if any!
ReplyDeleteThe perfect metaphor! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThe title is endearing, Irene, as is the way you crafted the poem.
ReplyDeleteOh, this is wonderful and a perfect accompaniment for the painting. Goldfinch are the essence of optimism to me, and I love adding this layer to my appreciation of them.
ReplyDeleteYour metaphor is perfect in a 'finch'. (forgive me? ;)
ReplyDeleteAny chance you'll offer a recording of your Masterclass?
I recently read The Goldfinch. I love all the different directions this painting has taken people's minds!
ReplyDeleteOh, Irene -- a chain and a small bird's forgiveness! Such powerful images and message. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteIrene, I read this earlier and love it all. I enjoyed how specific and helpful your webinar was and look forward to your course. I am curious if MD played a part in your perfect poem. I love it. I had a very hard time with the book, because of the sadness, but I kept with it. Life can be so hard. That tethered bird Maya Angelou knew too well. Praise for all who help make glory happen. Janet Clare F. (So behind on PF which gives me such a boost.....I try so hard to comment. ) I hope you see this.
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