Shadorma poem with birds and mailbox

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Jama's Alphabet Soup for what's sure to be a delicious Roundup.

I'm away from my desk today—teaching and learning at SCBWI Wisconsin. Hooray!

Today's ArtSpeak: WOMEN poem is special because it was inspired by art from one of our neardear poet-artists, Linda Mitchell! Thank you, Linda, for the birds you sent flying into my heart. I chose to write it as a shadorma (Spanish syllabic form, just 6 lines), because I love the challenge of short forms!

Shadorma for the Birds Nesting in My Mailbox

I did not

expect you, but there

you were: sing-

ing of sun-

flowers—you gave me skywings

and now I'm flying!

- Irene Latham

p.s. This is not my first time to write after Linda's art. Check out "Summer Travels North for the Season" !

i am sad (poem)

 Hello and happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Margaret at Reflections on the Teche for Roundup.

Next Friday I will be in Wisconsin for the SCBWI conference! (My first time to visit Wisconsin!) I love that the (fabulous!) organizers chose the word "play" to accompany my photo, since I will be talking about how to apply poetic elements to all kinds of writing. "Play" is exactly the right word. I look forward to learning with volunteers, faculty, and attendees. Yay!

Today for ArtSpeak: WOMEN, I've selected another piece by Nellie Mae Rowe. It can be so hard for kids sometimes to talk about sadness. So, in my poem, I wanted to explore ways a child might express it.

Learn more about why the artist was sad in this Christie's article. Thanks for reading!

what I want to say but can't

all the rainbows 

are melting

my heart has flown

to another planet

i am sad

- Irene Latham