Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit kind and clever Karen Edmisten for Roundup.
Lucky me, I got to meet and share time with some amazing poets, including Poetry Friday friends Marcie, Rose, and Patricia at Highlights:
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| Irene Latham, Marcie Atkins, Patricia Franz, Rose Capelli |
So much fun! And so inspiring!! Charles and I were absolutely honored to commune with such wonderful humans who share our passion for poetry and learning. I am still riding the wave. :)
AND I got the go-ahead to share the cover of The Museum on the Moon: The Curious Objects on the Lunar Surface, coming August 8, 2023 from Bushel and Peck Books, illus. by Myriam Wares. I'm super-pleased to be part of the debut season of the brand-new all-children's-poetry imprint called Moonshower. Read more about the exciting news in this announcement from Publisher's Weekly. Yay for more children's poetry!
Y'all, this book has been so much fun to work on! It includes poems about footprints, a family photograph, the Bible, a flight patch, golf balls, feather, hammer, space equipment, trash...and invisible things, too, like hope and dreams...
I love how much the moon has been in the news lately, what with the announcement of the Artemis II crew...and with the failed SpaceX Starship launch earlier this week, from which I hope much is learned. Meanwhile, I am looking for other moon-space-poetry enthusiasts to help me spread the word about this book. If this title looks like something you'd like to blog/tweet/talk about, would you please contact me? irene (at) irenelatham (dot) com. In addition to a copy of the book, I'm putting on some fun moon-related goodies just for you!
This week's ArtSpeak: Light poem is one I went 15 rounds with... and landed in one of those bittersweet places we've all been... Thank you so much for reading!
Once
once we laughed togetherat the edge of the world
and watched waves crash
watched clouds crawl
without any words at all
now I walk along the cliff
light splinters afternoon
into a thousand shades of blue
and I am walking
at the edge of the world
missing you
Oh, my. I am behind this week. But, thankful for a school holiday to catch up on PF. I just scratched out a triolet, 'I no words' to describe just this feeling. I can see why you had to come back to it several times. But, the end result is beautiful. That feeling of missing...is there anything more intense? Wonderful poem. I have e-mailed you about Museum on the Moon.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations for what looks fabulous, Irene, the moon book! I do love all books about the moon, have spent time with students through the years doing "moon-journaling", many fun memories. Your 'light' poem caught me by surprise at the end though you gave a bit of a hint at the sadness. "light splinters afternoon into. . ." holds many layers. Have a lovely weekend!
ReplyDeleteThe Museum on the Moon looks wonderful! So curiosity-piquing. Congrats! Glad you had fun at Highlights! Marcie's shirt is great. xo
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on another "out-of-this-world" book, Irene! Can't wait to see it. And congrats to you and Charles for another - sure looks like - successful Highlights adventure with amazing poets to "jam" with - wonderful. Your poem is achingly beautiful; thank you.
ReplyDeleteSo fun to see the pic of you with more PF friends together at Highlights! Congrats on the new moon book. As Linda mentioned, the ending of your poem caught me by surprise. Poignant and bittersweet for sure.
ReplyDeleteSo wonderful to meet you and learn from you, Irene. Your poem captures that feeling of deeply missing some one so beautifully - "light splinters afternoon into a thousand shades of blue"
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your new book!
ReplyDeleteThe way your poem works with/talks to the image is stunning. Leaving those last words out of the picture -- ouch!
Wow, Irene. This book looks gorgeous! I can't wait. "The edge of the world" makes me think of photographs of Earth, taken from the moon.
ReplyDeleteWhat a week it has been! So wonderful to spend time learning from you and Charles. I can't wait to read your new book!
ReplyDeleteThat poem is just bleeding loss all over the screen, Irene. And your moon poems sound fascinating! Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteThe new book sounds fabulous! And that poem makes me really sad. Thanks for your post@
ReplyDeleteBeautiful tear-at-your-heart poem ending, leaves you lingering there in those emotions. Congrats on your forthcoming Moon book Irene, an always intriguing topic for me!
ReplyDeleteOh, wow, "Once" moved me so much. Congrats on the upcoming book. It looks gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteAnd what fun for the four of you to spend time together. I'm sure it was grand!
ReplyDeleteI'm over the moon about your new book, Irene! And yay for PF friends in-person Highlights awesomeness! And Once...wow. The last line is a gut punch.
ReplyDeleteFirst, congratulations on your new book. I know there's a family photograph up there as well as footprints (obvs), but the feather intrigues me...and I must know more!
ReplyDeleteAnd ONCE made me teary. Why? It's very close to home and got me right in the gut. It's beautiful.
And there is that power of title you spoke of last week! Pow! I love the feel of the wrestling with words --all the "w's". It was wonderful -another one :) - to be with you at Highlights. Your encouragement means the world to me.
ReplyDeleteAnd I cannot WAIT for The Museum on the Moon!
DeleteIrene, I thought I posted a response but I don't see it. Congratulations on your new book. It looks fabulous. i look forward to reviewing it. This week's ArtSpeak is such a visual type of poem even without the image. Thanks for joining the Springsations Gallery/Padlet.
ReplyDelete