Friday, November 7, 2025

Still Riding the Highlights High!

 

(l-r) Charles Waters, Georgia Heard,
Rebecca K. Dotlich, Irene Latham

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure and visit Laura Purdie Salas for Roundup.

I'm home from another wonderful few days at Highlights. What a Poetry Palooza! 

The magic is real, folks, and it's the poets who make it so. What a great group! Special shout-out to Poetry Friday friends who were in attendance: Rose Cappelli, Janice Scully, Cathy Stenquist...and we have a few new recruits! I look forward to seeing them joining the PF Roundup soon. :)

What an honor to spend time together! Happy news: Registration is now open for Poetry Palooza 2026! 

If you are even thinking about it just a little bit, go ahead and sign up. Slots are limited to the space available on campus, and we had a lengthy Wait List this year. (It's much easier to drop off the list if plans change than to get on it later!)

In other news, the Big Book Giveaway in celebration of my 20 Year Blogiversary is still open until Sunday!! Don't miss your chance to get these beautiful books.

AND...next week I'll be sharing about the Open Call that Charles and I are issuing to collect poems for a brand new children's poetry anthology! Come back next Friday to learn all the details.

Today's ArtSpeak: PICASSO comes from Highlights (I think!). Someone recently shared a prompt with me: "I once.... but now I..." But I cannot for the life of me remember the source. I'm so sorry not be able to give credit where credit is due. 

Y'all my brain (and my heart!) are so full right now. Thanks so much for reading.



True Story

Once

I disappeared

in        winter


but now I

fling the cutrains

w  i d  e


invite snowflakes

to nestle in

my ears     nose     eyelids


Can you hear it?


It's the kettle

that is my         heart

singing,

singing


- Irene Latham

4 comments:

  1. Irene!!!!! It was such a joy to spend time with you at Highlights! I already signed up for next year! Thank you for sharing your "True Story" poem! I do hear that kettle and so happy you share your gifts with all of us!!

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  2. Hi sweets! I love your poem so much I saved it! ("Curtains" needs adjusting xo) Your heart is making mine sing too.

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  3. "the kettle that is my heart" Ahhh, nice, Irene. This is a good poem for looking forward to winter.

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  4. I love that prompt, Irene. It's a great way to get started if you're stuck. And I particularly love the way you set up the visual part of the poem. I hear your kettle singing...and mine is answering!

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