Fun fact: I've been given a number of alternate names over the years. My father called me Harriet. My brothers called my Reniebob. A friend dubbed me Lydia. Another friend said she swore I was a Clara in a former life. So I have great fondness for the name! And even though I haven't seen this book yet in person, I already love it!
'Round these parts it's Fall Festival time! I'm in charge of the Scarecrow Contest, so I look forward to seeing how creative my friends and neighbors are!
Today's ArtSpeak: FOLK ART is inspired by a piece available at Main Street Gallery by Georgia folk artist Eric Legge.
I started out with no title, ala Emily Dickinson, jumping straight into the poem... and then I titled it "Invitation." I have quite a few "Invitation" poems! And of course the mind goes straight to this one by Shel Silverstein. Aren't ALL poems invitations, whether they bear that title or not?
Also, the poem started out center-justified. But when I went to create the digital image, it didn't work. Without the art, I still prefer it center-justified, so that's the way I've presented it below. Thanks so much for reading!
Invitation
inside
the center
of the center of your heart
a song stirs
take a breath
part your lips
spiral your tune
into the broken/hopeful world
-Irene Latham
Congratulations on these anthologies, Irene - and I love your poem, esp. "spiraling your tune"! (I feel like it could have been spoken by your music teacher from "School People")
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your poems included in the new anthologies! I'm reading Clara's Kooky Compendium now and love it! Enjoyed hearing about all your names (that's because you're extra special and important). Was Harriet a pet name or an actual middle name or something? "Invitation" is a gem -- lovely!! Thanks for all.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your poems in the anthologies, Irene. There's so much to love in every one that's coming out! Thus, I'm connecting to your own "Invitation" poem, to find a way to "spiraling your tune" in the new and in the old, too. It's lovely, and the art, too!
ReplyDeleteI love that a song stirs and it's blue and she carries it with her deep in her heart, but you can see it in her eyes.
ReplyDeleteInvitation accepted. Today is a day to sing. It's gorgeous here. I'm out of school for the weekend and already playing at my craft table with plans to walk in the evening. Sigh. Life is good...and better with a new folk art poem to contemplate.
ReplyDeleteRight now a rooster somewhere in the neighborhood is spiraling its tune into the promise of a new day - music everywhere! Congratulations on the new anthologies!
ReplyDeleteYour poem pairs nicely with Heidi's post!
ReplyDeleteAnd I just want to say that my theme for this fall with my after-school readers is embracing mistakes/failures (LINE LEADS THE WAY, FAIL-A-BRATION) so when my library reserve of THE MISTAKES THAT MADE us showed up, I did a little happy dance that I can include some poetry along with the picture books! THANK YOU (and all the poets in the book)!
For a while, I've thought it was not a good idea to repeat a word in a poem, but sometimes it's the exact right thing to do. We saw this repetition this week when we talked about Lucille Clifton's "the earth is a living thing." And now I see it effective in your poem "the center of the center of your heart." With poetry, every "rule" is made to be broken. And that's why I love it.
ReplyDeleteAll poems are invitations, yes--and I feel also that you may have been a Clara in a former life! Looking forward to her Compendium and working on spiraling my tune...gorgeous art this week!
ReplyDeleteIrene, your PF post is filled with accomplishments and hope, inside
ReplyDeletethe center of the center of your heart a song stirs. Thank you for always bringing positivity to this broken/hopeful world.