Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit for Matt at Radio, Rhythm, and Rhyme for Roundup.
Don't you love October? It's my favorite time of year. That's why I haven't been at my desk much this week...too many fun things to do outside! And chores, too...every gardener knows fall is the busiest season in the garden. I'm doing a little something out there every day, all to help create the most beautiful spring ever. Gotta love the faith of a gardener!
Speaking of faith...over at Smack Dab, I posted a few words For the Discouraged Writer. Hope they find you just when you need them.
Oh, and you'll love this! The publisher of my MOON book is having a Fall Book Sale. Buy any 4 of their books, and get 4 free...+ free shipping! Y'all there are some gorgeous books over there, including some poetry titles, like WITNESS TREES by Ryan G. Van Cleave. Don't miss this opportunity to get a jump on your holiday shopping!
In my reading life, I am focusing on SHORT novels. After writing a humdinger that's hovering around 100k words despite my repeated efforts to shorten, I on a quest to make my wip lean and mean! Today's read is The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett. Imagine the Queen becomes a reader...it's a love poem to books and readers, and funny to boot! It includes all the arguments people have AGAINST reading, which always come as something of shock to me. How could reading be a bad thing?
However, I do recall one of my siblings talking about our father who had a book-a-day habit his entire life...the complaint was that my father spent all his time in imaginary worlds and not in the real world/the present/engaged with his family. Hmmm....
Moving on to today's ArtSpeak: LIGHT poem! As much as I adore fall, this poem jumps ahead—to winter! I can't explain it, and I won't try. The poem wants to be what the poem wants to be, yes?
Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you are enjoying the marvels of October, as I am. xo
Love Poem with Snow & Constellations
Walk with me
across a field of light
on our tongues
we'll catch sparks
o sizzling starflakes!
we'll toss starballs
and kindle star angels
so radiant
even our boots will glow
- Irene Latham
Irene, I love your comparison of starlight to snowflakes = starflakes! So creative!
ReplyDeleteLove the conceit of equatiung snowflakes and stars you have here - I recently wrote a haiku with a similar theme!
ReplyDeleteIrene, thank you for letting us know about the sale at Bushel and Peck. What a deal! I love the wintry stars and snow poem you've created. So light and welcoming--a lovely Love poem. All the best on whittling down your novel! By the way, I'm reading African Town now. It is so heartbreakingly real. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteIrene, a field of light awaits you and I will virtually join in. I will check out your links later because today there is a list of family to dos. I love your thoughts on a poem wanting to be what it wants to be. Your poem brings gladness. Happy Fall Weekend!
ReplyDeleteStarflakes -- sigh. . . So lovely! Thanks for mentioning the Bennett book (does sound interesting!). I love B&P books. Will check out their catalog. Thanks for all!
ReplyDeleteI like how your poem begins with an invitation to the reader - pulled me right in. Starflakes - glorious!
ReplyDeleteSo inviting! Really want to kindle a star angel!
ReplyDeleteI think I'd love my boots glow, Irene! Starlight as "starflakes" - love that! Winter is coming here & I know when the 'other flakes' come down, I'll think of your poem. Happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteCatching sparks of snow. That gives a completely different image and feel. All zest! Enjoy your Octobering. :)
ReplyDeleteeven our boots...love that those three words can show so much. Such beautiful star poem!
ReplyDeleteI consider you an important mentor in my life. I love hearing about what you do to nurture yourself and your writing life. My father was an avid reader. He always had more than one book going at the same time in different places in the house. He read the newspaper cover to cover every day. I fondly remember how he would read aloud to my mother from the news. My husband does that with me, too. Maybe there's a poem in that memory.
ReplyDeleteYour love poem to stars pairs well with Matt's book news. The image of catching sparks on tongues (as with snowflakes) is amazing.
"o sizzling starflakes"--gosh, that's gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI love THE WITNESS TREES. I was going through it again this week trying to figure out which teacher I could recommend it to.
October is also my favorite time of year! It always goes by way too fast. Starflakes, how lovely!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to say that my mother thought reading "a bad thing." She often complained that I spent too much time with my nose in a book.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing your wonderful poem! I love the idea of tossing starballs. :-)
October is the best! I admire your garden optimism and wish I could channel a bit of that motivation. I love the invitation and the radiance and glow throughout your poem. Winter offers its own delights for sure. (PS Thanks for introducing me to a painting by Munch that isn't The Scream.)
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