A Wreath for Emmett Till by Marilyn Nelson

Hello, and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Buffy for Roundup.

It's been a busy summer so far... all good stuff! This past week I watched my son perform LIVE at a music/arts festival, met friends and readers at the Birmingham Zoo, taught a writing workshop, and today I am at a quilting event! Hurray for summer! Also, I've been doing lots and LOTS of reading. (See my #bookaday posts!)

AND I finally got to A WREATH FOR EMMETT TILL by Marilyn Nelson with illustrations by Phillippe Lardy.

This may be a picture book, but it's very sophisticated in language, and heavy (obviously) in content. And it's sonnets! I would suggest tackling it as a poem a day, or else it's likely to be overwhelming to young readers. I like how the illustrations are simple compared to the text -- it helps the reader take it all in a little easier. This book won a ton of awards, which, I think, is a good message to we striving poets to go ahead and take on those heavy subjects, if our hearts call us to do so.

And now, a poem:

Like the full moon, which smiled calmly on his death.
by Marilyn Nelson

Like the stars, which fluttered their quicksilver wings.
Like the unbroken song creation sings
while humankind tramples the grapes of wrath.
Like wildflowers growing beside the path
a boy was dragged along, blood spattering
their white petals as he, abandoning
all hope, gasped his agonizing last breath.
Like a nation sending its children off to fight
our faceless enemy, immortal fear,
the most feared enemy of the human race.
Like a plague of not knowing wrong from right.
Like the consciencelessness of the atmosphere.
Like a gouged eye, watching boots kick a face.

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Wow, huh? The next poem is titled with the last line of this one... which is the pattern throughout the book. And then, the final poem is comprised of the first lines of the 14 preceding sonnets in the collection. Now that requires some wordsmithing skill!

Say Hello to DON'T FEED THE BOY in Paperback!

So today is the officlal release of DON'T FEED THE BOY in paperback. Woohooo! Square Fish has done a lovely job with it -- there's a Discussion Guide, a Zoo Bee, and Q&A with little ol' moi. I love it!

To celebrate, I am hosting ZOO DAYS at Birmingham Zoo.

Wednesday, June 25, 9 am

Sunday, July 20, 1 pm

We'll meet at the Picnic Pavilion (where Whit first speaks to Stella), and then we'll go inside the gates for a tour of all Whit's favorite spots at the zoo. Also, my guests will get a special sneak peek of my new book DEAR WANDERING WILDEBEEST

 .

 Zoo admission required. 

For those of you far-flung and unable to get to the Birmingham Zoo, I invite you to visit your own local zoo. Take a picture of YOU at the Zoo (bonus entry for YOU at the Zoo with a zoo animal!), like this one, taken at my very first trip to the London Zoo (I'm the one on the steps, and that's my brother Ken, Mom, sister Lynn and brother Stan):

​

You can send it to me via social media:

Twitter

 @irene_latham 

Facebook author page

Instagram

 @irene_latham

Pinterest

 (where I will be creating a special board). 

Everyone who sends in a pic will be entered in a drawing to win a classroom set (25 copies) of DON'T FEED THE BOY in paperback! Entries accepted June 1 - July 31. Random drawing & winner announced August 1.

OTHER EVENTS

Thursday, June 26, 2-4 pm, I will be teaching a WRITING WORKSHOP for students at Trussville Public Library

. Hope to see you!

Join me and the Alabama Folk Life Association

 for Common Threads: Quilting Heritage Program

at the Birmingham Museum of Art

 Friday, June 27!

and finally, writers & artists, don't forget....

DEADLINE JULY 1 for The Electra Awards! A joint project of Birmingham Arts Journal

 & Alabama Power Company, we are offering a contest with cash awards in celebration of The Power of Art to Ignite, Delight, & Unite! Prose, poetry and art categories, deadline July 1. More information here.

Songwriting Workshop for Students, 4 consecutive Thursdays beginning July 10, taught by ASFA instructor Jason Slatton, at DISCO

 (Desert Island Supply Co, 5500 1st Ave. N, Birmingham), 10 - 11:30. Spaces limited... contact me to sign up!

#bookaday Week Five

Finally, finally I read SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS by Arthur Ransome! It reminds me of books I loved when I was young, the way it meanders in and out of adventure (BETSY-TACY & TIB, anyone?). Who doesn't love a deserted island overrun with kids? :) I'm not sure I will read the rest of the series, but I am happy for the introduction to the Swallows and Amazons.

 CURSES AND SMOKE by Vicky Alvear Shecter. I loved CLEOPATRA'S MOON, and this one has the same amazing attention to historical detail. Maybe it helps that Vicky traveled with her mother to Pompeii while writing this book?? Convincing love story, tragedy, hope... I'm there! The book takes a look at freedom and all the different definitions it can have, and warning: the ending will break your heart! But, then, you sorta expect that with a book about a volcanic eruption, don't you?

CRUEL BEAUTY by Rosamund Hodge. I've been listening to this one, thanks to SYNC's free summer download series -- which I have to thank Mary Lee for sharing about, or else I'd never have known! It's about a girl whose life purpose is to kill the demon she's forced to marry at age 17. Of course things don't go as simply as that... I've read some reviews that compare the book to BEAUTY & THE BEAST. This book's heroine Nyx is far more complicated. Also, the writing is lush and magical. So, if you like lush and magical, you should definitely give it a read (or listen). :) 

STOLEN PONY by Glen Rounds. I picked this one up at a library book sale -- and as I am ever a fan of horse stories -- well, of course I enjoyed it! It's really about an "unlikely friendship" between a blind pony and a dog. You can tell the author has spent a lot of time around horses, and I was eager to learn how things ended up for our two heroes. Nice!






Next week will feature whatever I get to after THE THICKETY by J.A. White, which is what I started reading last night. :)

Poem Swap #1: FOX WRITES A NOTE by Tabatha Yeatts

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Jone at Check it Out for roundup! I am super-excited because this week I received in the mail poem swap #1 from none other than the Swap Queen herself, Ms. Tabatha (Fox) Yeatts!

Take a look-see:

Fox Writes a Note

by Tabatha Yeatts

Riddle me thiS,

riddle me that. WraP

up your words witH

the purr of a cat. I

am ready to play. CaN

you send a map? Love, FoX.

Fox is a clever one, isn't she? Love that end-line acrostic... and Tabatha's drawings are adorable. Funny thing: I almost wrote my poem about a fox! Then I remembered the lynx... which, holy coincidences, rhymes with sphinx. :)

This swap thing makes me so very happy. I'm busy working on #2 and will get it in the mail shortly. Can't wait to see what (and from whom!) lands in my mailbox next. Many many thanks to Tabatha for this wonderful tradition. xo

#bookaday Week Four

So, you may have noticed there was no #bookaday Week Three post. That's because I was vacationing. And not the lay-around-and-read variety of vacation! Which means my Week Four post is really weeks 3 AND 4, but who's counting? I'm proud to tell you about the following books:

CAMINAR by Skila Brown. This one is a verse novel in which the poems are more like actual poems than broken-up prose. I like that! There's even a reverso poem. Nice use of the form to tell the story of Carlos' journey during the political turmoil in 1981 Guatemala that resulted in the death of many innocent people. I learned a lot, and the book wasn't bogged down by the heavy subject matter. It's an active story, and the reader cares what happens.

Also, it made me want to write a nahuales poem. What are nahuales? "spirit animals who guide us in life, keep us/safe." Carlos has a spirit animal. I think I know which one. :)

Here are the closing lines in a poem near the end of the book called "The Voices I Heard."

"A person's voice cannot be buried
deep into the earth.
it will walk on forever, as long
as there are open ears."

Yes!

REBEL BELLE by Rachel Hawkins. Rachel is a fellow Alabamian, and yes, I have sat with her in a tea room on more than one occasion! She's far more belle than I will ever be, and this book is Rachel at her best. Fun, smart, real (and that's saying something when you consider there's Paladins and Mages involved!). Slap on a tiara, bring on the oh-so-polite euphemisms at get reading already! One of my favorite quotes in the book, because it feels true of many o' southern lady: “You act like you're perfect, but inside, you're totally screwed up.” Yup.



ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET by Judy Blume. Okay, so this book was first published before I was born, and I remember reading it as a pre-teen. Before re-reading it, the part I recall most vividly was the part about Margaret wanting to get her period. And yes, that's still there – along with a host of other issues about family and religion and friends and growing up and breasts-- all of which resonate so deeply and truly... and came back to me as I was reading! I can even remember reciting the “We must, we must, we must increase our bust” with my sister, and have a few spin-the-bottle party scenes from my own pre-adolescence. I remember getting a training bra before I needed any such contraption. I remember being envious of my more-grown-up friends. And oh how I loved my grandmother! Wow, did Judy Blume nail it. No wonder the book is in its gazillionth printing.

THE GIRL WHO LOVED TOM GORDON by Stephen King. This is the first Stephen King book I ever read -- and it was recommended to me by my father who is an integral part of my writing life. It's been years since I read it. And then, I rode with my son to Walmart, and when we were unloading the groceries from the trunk, there was the book (he'd read it last year for summer reading). And I was like, oh, wow, I need to read that again! And so I did. And you know what? (sorry about all those "ands"!!) IT HELPED ME SOLVE A PROBLEM IN MY WIP. (Hello, it's a survival story!) Don't you love when that happens??


Next up, among others: CURSES & SMOKE by Vicky Alvear Schecter!

UBIQUITOUS: Celebrating Nature's Survivors by Joyce Sidman

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! I am just back from Disney World and my first-ever visit to the land of Harry Potter at Universal -- and, well, I am not ashamed to say that I CRIED, it was so like waking up inside a favorite book!-- followed by a relaxing few days at the beach with a few of my favorite folks.

JuliAnna, Andrew, Dan, Eric, & Paul

Whew! And now there are poems to be written and a certain survival story to be revised (yet again) and all sorts of other summer adventures!

But first: be sure to visit Catherine Johnson for Roundup!

I'm happy to share with you a poem from UBIQUITOUS by Joyce Sidman, illus. by Beckie Prange.

According to the back cover, "ubiquitous" means "Something that is (or seems to be everywhere at the same time." It's big title for a big concept: species that have been present on our Earth for a very long time. There are ants and grass and humans. And my favorite: mollusks!

The Mollusk That Made You
by Joyce Sidman

Shell of the sunrise,
sunrise shell,
yours is the pink lip
of a pearled world.

Who swirled your whorls and ridges?
Was it the shy gray wizard
shuttered inside you?
I hear he walks on one foot
and wears a magic mantle,
trailing stars.

O Shell,
if only I could shrink!
I'd climb your bristled back,
slide down the spiral
         of your heart.
I'd knock on your tiny door
         and ask to meet
         the mollusk
         that made you.

Steady Hands: Poems about Work by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday from the land of a pretty famous mouse and more recently, Harry Potter! Yep, I am out adventuring. :) Be sure to visit Catherine Johnson for Roundup.

It was my great fortune recently to pick up at my library bookstore STEADY HANDS: Poems About Work by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer, illus. by Megan Halsey and Sean Addy.

The book covers a boat-load of jobs, including a few I've held myself like babysitter and retail clerk and writer... I guess I need to write my own poems for social worker and Krystal's burger flipper. :)

Here are a few of my favorites:

BAKER
by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

Snowy flour dusts the early
lavender light
in the backroom of the bakery.
With each
flap
roll
flap
the baker's hands disappear
and reappear
into the folds
of dough.


TOW TRUCK DRIVER
by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

The tow truck driver
fishes in the city:
a taxi
a sportscar
and a minivan--
three keepers
reeled in
before breakfast.


GROCERY STORE CLERK
by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

Lifting
scanning
sorting
bagging...
each day
a ballet
of hands.


JANITOR
by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

The janitor
knows
what's hidden behind
locked doors
lurking in dark corners
and tucked into closets.
He senses
all the secret wishes
a building whispers
in the night.

#bookaday Week Two

Okay, so apparently I am not my father, who reads at least a book a day. ALL YEAR  LONG. And I'm not talking picture books here -- he reads NOVELS. Big fat thrillers and such.

And sure, I could bump my #bookaday numbers with picture books. I do love picture books, after all! But I've been craving long stories lately, so reading novels.

This week I've been on a YA kick, and I've got three to tell you about. That's right THREE. Sorry to disappoint, Papa! :)

THE LUCY VARIATIONS by Sara Zarr. Wow. Love this one. Complicated characters, an introduction to the culture of young xoncert piano prodigies, New York City, real emotions. You don't have to be a music person to relate to the pressures put on us by others and by ourselves to be perfect and not quit and do what is expected. This is my first Sara Zarr book, and I will definitely read more. Lots for a writer to learn here, and lots for a reader to love!


THE CHAPEL WARS by Lindsey Leavitt. Well, this will not come as a surprise, but LL has done it again! Sweet, funny, with something deeper hiding beneath. I loved Holly's devotion to the Rose of Sharon wedding chapel, which she inherited from her beloved grandfather. I enjoyed watching her navigate her relationship with rival Dax, and l especially appreciated her approachability dating strategy. :) Also, I loved the NOT-What Happens at Vegas Stays at Vegas picture of a city Lindsey obviously loves. Next time I go, I am totally visiting the Neon Boneyard. Read the book -- you'll see!

MEMOIRS OF A TEENAGE AMNESIAC by Gabriel Zevin. This book surprised me. The premise is kind of convenient and makes me think of an old Irene Dunne movie (not a specific movie, just the general1940s film feeling). But Naomi is a great, complicated character. She's a bit of an unreliable narrator, which enhances the story for me. She reads REAL, with all the emotional ups-n-downs adolescent brings. Can't wait to share this one with my nearly 17 year old niece. :)

Harriet Tubman Poem

Hello, and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit one of our Haiku Queens, Diane at Random Noodling!

Lots going on in my life right now as my husband and I shake off one long-standing (30+ years) business and board a different train bound for lands not yet known, but certainly dreamed of! We are exhausted and excited and eager for this new chapter.

Which is why I am sharing with you today a poem I wrote earlier this year for Scholastic's ACTION magazine. ACTION is a hi-lo mag -- high interest, low reading level. In celebration of Black History Month, they asked me to write something to accompany an article about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. (Speaking of lands not yet known, but certainly dreamed of!) Here's the result:

All Aboard the Freedom Train!

by Irene Latham

Come now passengers,

throw off your chains!

Take your place on the train

that runs underground.

Its wheels are people 

who arrange secret stations,

its whistle blows,

freeeeeeeeeeee-dom.

Follow Harriet --

your conductor, your guide.

Brave hunger and darkness

to outsmart your captors.

With a runaway's speed

and a locomotive's power,

time now

to steam into your future.

#bookaday Week One

HOPE IS A FERRIS WHEEL by Robin Herrera - Lots of surprises in this one for Star Mackie (whom her classmates call Star Trashy, because she lives in a trailer). She wants to start a club at school, and has misadventures... and then she discovers poetry. Love seeing a book with kids who are drawn to poetry!

Though not ALL the kids. Here's a quote:

"No offense, Star, but sometimes Emily Dickinson makes me sleepy."

Ha!

Also love the Reader's Guide in the back. Here's an item to ponder:

9. Star is inspired by Emily Dickinson's poem, "Hope," also known as "Hope is the thing with feathers," and she discusses the idea of hope with many other characters in the book. Which charter's definition of hope do you like best? How would you describe hope?

Not a ferris wheel for me... maybe a seed unfurling in darkness, a tea kettle's whistle, sheets flapping on a clothesline... still thinking. :)

-------------------------------

JANE IN BLOOM by Deborah Lytton is a new-to-me book that follows the story of Jane just-before and just-after the loss of her sister Lizzie to an eating disorder.

One of my own loved ones has an eating disorder, so I really felt the pain in this book... and also the hope and the beauty of the growth Jane experiences after the tragedy. Lovely storytelling... More books from Deborah, please!





---------------------------------

MINN AND JAKE by Janet Wong is a new to me verse novel. I have it on good authority that Janet was more like the Jake character, in that she couldn't catch lizards without pulling their tails off! That works great for me, because I am totally the Minn character -- I am a lizard-catching expert, and I'm happy to share that skill with a special friend. :) A delightful read about friendship, perfect for the younger middle grade set. I'm just sorry it took me so long to discover it!


---------------------------------

I picked up THE SECRET HUM OF A DAISY not knowing the author Tracy Holczer and I share not only an agent, but editor as well! It's contemporary fiction about Grace, who is grieving her mother's death. There's art and poetry and growth going on -- and some lovely passages like these:

"Writing would help me through it, just like it always had. And where I used to think that writing was like the little hole in teakettle to let out steam, I figured it was more than that. I hoped the hundreds, thousands, maybe millions of words I wrote down would help me fill the empty place left by Mama and make me whole."

"Mama had always said that art was about letting yourself fly. But maybe that was just one way. Sometimes it took digging down deep and planting roots."

Poem about Barbara Johns, Civil Rights Hero

Hello, and happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Violet Nesdoly for Roundup.

What a busy week! Kids finished up school, I'm dog-sitting, we're in the final days of our old family business before closing our doors and moving on to the next, new chapter... and I put out an email newsletter! (What? Not on my newsletter list? Email me: irene@irenelatham.com to subscribe.)

I've got several poetry books in the queue to share with all of you, but today I want to share a poem I wrote for Scope magazine about Barbara Johns.

I knew nothing about Barbara when I was asked to write this poem, and now I can't learn enough about her! She was a pretty amazing young woman. Read all about her in the most recent edition of YES!, which happens to be one of my favorite magazines. Brown vs. Board of Education probably wouldn't have happened when it did if not for Barbara's leadership in a high school walk out and other efforts. Here's the poem:

Barbara Johns Reaches for the Moon

She steps onto the stage,

makes a bold declaration,

          No

                  Now

                              Strike!

Without hesitation,

she illuminates the situation--

separate but not equal:

cracked toilets, smoke inhalation,

tar-paper shacks packed

with the student population.

Despite danger, despite trepidation,

she clings to the dream with determination,

joins the fight for integration.

Together they march

like constellations

across a midnight sky,

their combined shine inspiration

for a changing nation.

- Irene Latham

Friends Like Us

Some people don't understand how me and Pat can be such good friends.

She talks a lot; I'm quiet.

She's a country girl; I'm a city girl.

She reads long series of books; I like verse novels.

But our hearts are the same.

We both love family and puppies and quilts and pottery

and farm fresh eggs and art shows....

....and consider a trip to the Library Bookstore an extra-special delight....

...and know just what treat will get a gal through a black-cloud day!

Thank you, Pat for being a wonderful friend!

Little Poems for Tiny Ears by Lin Oliver, illus. by Tomie dePaola

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Liz Steinglass for Roundup.

When I was a little girl, the one thing I was absolutely sure of, was that someday I wanted to be a mother. I loved babies! It helped that I have two younger siblings, and I was a very busy babysitter for other people's children for many years. I really enjoyed our three sons when they were babies and still get such a kick out watching little ones in restaurants and Walmart. Even their tantrums are cute to me now! :) This book LITTLE POEMS FOR TINY EARS by Lin Oliver, illustrated by Tomie dePaola really took me back... and I have already gifted it to a neighbor who has just welcomed a new baby boy.

What about you?? Love babies? Ever wonder what Baby is thinking when she drops the fork yet again? These poems are all told in Baby's voice, and they just might give you a clue. :) What fun!

Here's 3 of my favorites:

MY HIGH CHAIR

I like to drop food from my chair.
It lands kerplop, but I don't care.
I watch it fall down to the floor.
It's so much fun, I toss some more.

My mom says no, my dad says please
Stop launching bits of toast and cheese.
They're right - I will try hard to stop.
But first...just one more small kerplop!

- Lin Oliver


BLANKIE

Without my blankie,
Me so cranky.
When it's by me,
Me all smiley.

- Lin Oliver

SNEEZE

A sneeze
is a breeze
in
Your Nose.

- Lin Oliver

WHAT ILLUSTRATORS WANT

Monday night we had a Schmooze in Birmingham led by author-illustrator Lori Nichols, author of the charming picture book MAPLE, and a slew of others coming in the near future.

The topic was "Author-Illustrator Exchange: What We Want from Each Other" or something along those lines. :) I chose the topic because I've noticed in my career that part of what we authors must do is make our project so appealing to the illustrator that s/he can't say no. I mean, who wants their wonderful ms to languish after being acquired? Yet, that does happen. So what can we authors do to make our work irresistible?

Well. It's not as simple as that, of course. Lori reminded us that each illustrator has his or her own personal interests and strengths. Lori loves white space, and humor, so she may not be the best choice for a serious underwater sea life book. It helps to work with an editor who has good instincts for illustration and who is familiar with a lot of illustrators' work.

One thing that may surprise you: Lori said she personally really appreciates author illustration notes. If your book is about a bird in prehistoric times, for instance, it's fine to include a link to an image of a prehistoric bird. Or, if there's something you've deliberately left out of your text to be covered by illustration, of course, include it. My hunch is that mostly we are given the advice NOT to include illustration notes in order to show that we don't have rigid ideas about the art and that we are eager to allow an artist the freedom to bring what they will to the project. I mean, seriously, that's where the magic happens -- in the interaction of the words and images. At least that's been my experience!

Big thanks to Lori for sharing herself with us.. and to Joan, for hosting as well as posting this wonderful review of Lori's book MAPLE (which is completely adorable and beautiful).

Movie Monday: ALL IS LOST

I love a good survival story. And since I've been writing a survival story, I knew as soon as I saw the ad that I needed to see ALL IS LOST.

What's amazing about this movie: aside from the opening narration, which the movie gets back to eventually, there is only one other word of dialogue in the entire film. We don't know our hero's backstory. And yet we still care very much about what happens to him.

Like all good survival stories, this one made me clench and tense pretty much the entire time. Little decisions are magnified, the worst happens. We worry and fret and see things coming.

And, it's gorgeous. The ocean, the sky. How Redford's expressions and actions show us his feelings. Really, really fantastic. Will watch again!

Poem-Mobiles: Crazy Car Poems by J. Patrick Lewis & Douglas Florian

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

Wow, how is it already the second Poetry Friday in May?? Wowza, time flying and all that goodness. I've been traveling and enjoying the sweet company of poets and attending youngest son's music concerts and sewing and writing and cooking and dreaming and wishing and listening to birds and....

reading poetry! Today I have for you a look at POEM-MOBILES. J. Patrick Lewis and Douglas Florian have brought us an imaginative collection with amazing illustrations by Jeremy Holmes. Dreamer/inventor/creative kids will enjoy imagining these modes of transportation... fun!

Here's a favorite from each of the poets:

Mini-Mini Car
by Douglas Florian

I'm in my motorcar-
My mini-mini-mini.
It's itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny,
Skinny skinny skinny.
I squeeze inside and then I ride
Some more and more and more.
But I don't brag, for there's a snag;
I can't get out of the door.


High-Heel Car
by J. Patrick Lewis

There was an old woman
Who lived in high heels.
She loved one so much
That she gave it three wheels.

That's how the size-84
Shoe-car was born.
She wins every footrace,
Then honks her shoehorn.

-----------------------
Honks her shoehorn! Ha! :)

Time Management for Writers

Here in Birmingham we've started a monthly SCBWI schmooze -- something I have wanted to do for several years now! Last month's topic was "Time Management for Writers."

The fact that I am just now getting to this blog post may tell you a little something about my time management skills! Actually, it has more to do with a little thing called National Poetry Month. Yep, April is madness! In the best way possible, of course. :)

So, time management. Our speaker was the amazing Javacia Bowser, founder of See Jane Write. One day when we were having lunch Javacia told me that she schedules her day sometimes to the HOUR. She even schedules phone conversations! Ah-ha, I thought. Here's a gal who knows how to get things done! Which is why I invited her to share her wisdom at our schmooze.

Another thing to note: Javacia posted on her blog about the schmooze the day after the event. I'm telling you, we can all learn a lot from her!

Here's my top 5 take-aways:

1. Use a dayplanner. Javacia likes the ones that are both daily and monthly. She uses the daily portion to list her tasks for the day. I have long used a giant desk calendar-- and sticky notes for the lists. I'm loving my new all-in-one approach... plus it's portable!

2. Try the Pomodoro method. It's an app for your phone. It's based on the principle that you can increase productivity by taking breaks. The app uses a timer so you don't have to think about it -- just write. And then take a break. More here.

3. Think of writing like brushing your teeth. You wouldn't go a whole day without brushing your teeth, would you? Well, treat your writing like that and you will get a whole lot more writing done. No excuses!

4. Being a good writer may mean being bad at something else. So, maybe your house won't get clean. Or you'll feed your family peanut butter sandwiches instead of cooking. That's okay. Give yourself permission to let something else go a little.

5. Write a personal mission statement to serve as your guide. It's hard sometimes to know when to say YES and when to say NO to something. Javacia suggested writing your very own mission statement, and then, when those invitations/opportunities come around, see if they fit your mission. If not, say NO and don't feel bad about it.

Thank you, Javacia, for a great session! May's schmooze topic is "Author-Illustrator Exchange," during which Lori Nichols will lead a talk about what illustrators wish authors knew and vice versa. I will post notes eventually. :)

Poets on Poetry: AMY LUDWIG VANDERWATER

In celebration of National Poetry Month, I will be sharing in each post during April a favorite quote from a favorite poet on poetry. Enjoy!

"I have always liked little things, and great poems are little things that can make us more of who we are. One great line of poetry can help a person make a big decision or do a kind deed. Poetry truly matters."
 - Amy Ludwig VanDerwater


Complete interview (by moi!) at Nerdy Book Club.

Poets on Poetry: KATE COOMBS

In celebration of National Poetry Month, I will be sharing in each post during April a favorite quote from a favorite poet on poetry. Enjoy!

"I prefer free verse, but I deliberately wrote most of the ocean poems in rhyme because kids just really love rhyme, something I learned from being a first grade teacher about 10 years ago. My caveat when rhyming is that rhyme cannot distract from the language. I won't include words to force a rhyme, and try to ensure that the lines flow naturally, not with an overly stiff, perfect meter." - Kate Coombs

Complete interview at Jama's Alphabet Soup!

Poets on Poetry: LAURA PURDIE SALAS

In celebration of National Poetry Month, I will be sharing in each post during April a favorite quote from a favorite poet on poetry. Enjoy!

"Have fun! Poetry is an adventure!

Write freely. Write new things. Write

stupid things. Write unsellable 

things (you will do this whether 

you're trying to or not). 

- Laura Purdie Salas


Complete interview at Cynsations!

Guest Post: KATE COOMBS with the latest line in our Progressive Poem!

Hello, everyone! Please join me in welcoming Kate Coombs to Live Your Poem!

Joseph Campbell is known for his writing about the hero’s journey, and you’ll find that journey traced in countless fairy tales, let alone in great poetic works such as Homer’s Odyssey.

We’re been tracing a life journey, hopefully a heroic one, in this year’s Progressive Poem. I’m happy to have the chance to add my line—my two cents or, in this case, my seven iambs. Caroline, I was briefly tempted to give you a horrendously difficult word to rhyme, but I resisted the urge. Can’t wait to see your line, and then two more from Ruth and Tara!

I have taken the bold step of titling the poem, though Irene can change that if she likes. “Progressive Poem” just doesn’t seem pretty enough for what we’ve been doing. (But “The Journey” seems a little too obvious!) And of course there are three eggs. This is a story.

I love the hopes/dreams/possibilities/insert symbol of your choice that those eggs represent.

image courtesy of WikiCommons

Three Blue Eggs

Sitting on a rock, airing out my feelings to the universe

Acting like a peacock, only making matters that much worse;

Should I trumpet like an elephant emoting to the moon

Or just ignore the warnings written in the rune?

Those stars can’t seal my future; it’s not inscribed in stone.

The possibilities are endless! Who could have known?

Gathering courage, spiral like an eagle after prey,

Then gird my wings for whirlwind gales in realms far, far away.

But, hold it! Let’s get practical! What’s needed before I go?

Time to be tactical—I’ll ask my friends what I should stow.

And in one breath, a honeyed word whispered low—dreams—

Whose voice? I turned to see. I was shocked. Irene’s!

“Each voyage starts with tattered maps; your dreams dance on this page.

Determine these dreams—then breathe them! Engage your inner sage.”

The merry hen said, “Take my sapphire eggs to charm your host.”

I tuck them close—still warm—then take my first step toward the coast.

This journey will not make me rich, and yet I long to be

Like luminescent jellyfish, awash in mystery.

I turn and whisper, “Won’t you come?” to all the beasts and birds

And listen while they scamper, their answers winging words:

“Take these steps alone to start; each journey is an art.

You are your own best company. Now it's time to depart!"

I blow a kiss. I hike for days, blue eggs pressed to my chest.

One evening’s rest, campfire low, shifting shadows brought a guest.

A boy, with hair in wild waves and eyes blue as the sea, 

Says, “You’ve traveled far. What did you find—your best discovery?”

“I found a bird, I found a song, I found a word,” I say.

  

My thanks to Irene for hosting this event, and to our roster of very cool participants (listed on the sidebar!).

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Thank YOU, Kate! I can't wait to see how the poem ends!!!

A Pond Full of Ink by Annie M.G. Schmidt

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit the ever-inspiring and inspiredTabatha at The Opposite of Indifference for Roundup. Annndddd... our Progressive is winding down! Visit Marvelous Michelle for the latest at Today's Little Ditty.

I've just been reading A POND FULL OF INK by Annie M.G. Schmidt, illus. by Sieb Posthuma, translated by David Colmer. These poems are very much reminiscent of Shel Silverstein's longer poems, like "Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Wouldn't Take the Garbage Out," which I love! Narrative, rhyming verse that a little bit zany and guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

And since Shel is in my head, I offer you today's Poets on Poetry from Shel himself:

"Don't be dependent on anyone else - man, woman, child, or dog. I want to go everywhere, look at and listen to everything. You can go crazy with some of the wonderful stuff there is in life." - Shel Silverstein

... and apparently, write lots of poems! Shel gave few interviews, but I found this quote in an article from Mental Floss magazine.

And now, here's a favorite from the book:


Belinda Hated Getting Clean...
Belinda Beronda, from somewhere near Flushing,
was not keen on washing and not fond of brushing.
She was an inveterate cleanliness hater,
and always postponed her baths until later.
Her bodily odor grew stronger and stronger,
and her hair and her nails grew longer and longer.
Belinda was filthy, a terrible fright.
She looked like a pig, a horrible sight.
And when her mother finally came home
with soap and shampoo and a brush and a comb,
Belinda just started to yell, howl, and glower,
as if she was going to drawn in the shower.
Her mother - by now at the end of her tether-
gave in and shouted "Stay dirty forever!
But if that's what you want, you just walk out that door,
and I won't be your mother anymore!"
So that filthy little Belinda Beronda
took off up the street and started to wander
the highways and by ways all over the land,
getting grubby and covered with mud, dirt, and sand,
with grimy smudges all over her face.
The more she avoided a bathroom or scrubbery,
the more she began to resemble some shrubbery.
Grass started growing on her shoes and her clothes,
it covered one leg, then slowly rose,
until she was totally, thoroughly hid
and no one could see that she was a kid!
And then the roots grew into the ground,
and fixed her in place like a tree on a mound.
Birds came and build little nests on her sleeves,
and slowly she grew her own branches and leaves.
A nightmare, but true- you can take it from me --
Belinda Beronda turned into a tree.

So now you know, little cleanliness haters
end up as trees....sooner or later.

- Annie M.G. Schmidt


--------------------------------
Ha! Good thing I'm not a cleanliness hater. :) Though, little nests on my sleeves? That might be cool... for a little while...

Poets on Poetry: MAGARITA ENGLE

In celebration of National Poetry Month, I will be sharing in each post during April a favorite quote from a favorite poet on poetry. Enjoy!

"Poetry is an emotional refuge. Prose still has a valuable place in my life, but I don't think it offers the same level of intimacy between author and reader. When you show someone a poem you've written, you've giving them a glimpse of your heart and soul. Everything is right there, out in the open, visible. There is nothing like an uncluttered page of free verse to expose one's innermost self." - Margarita Engle

Complete interview found at YARN.

Poets on Poetry: ERIC ODE

In celebration of National Poetry Month, I will be sharing in each post during April a favorite quote from a favorite poet on poetry. Enjoy!

"I'm often convinced children are quite naturally drawn to poetry provided it's presented in a nonthreatening, playful way. that makes my job pretty easy. chldren love to play with words. They recognize rhyme and make up silly rhyming nonsense at the earliest ages. Older children enjoy drawing fresh analogies. They play easily with alliteration and imagery. - Eric Ode

Complete interview by Sylvia Vardell at Poetry or Children.

Poets on Poetry: JANE YOLEN

In celebration of National Poetry Month, I will be sharing in each post during April a favorite quote from a favorite poet on poetry. Enjoy!

"A great poet can make poetry out of a simple walk with a dog, a morning weeding the garden, a startling encounter with a snake, or a sister-in-law living "a hedge away" as Dickinson did. Or write good poetry using that too-often-used muse of bad poets as well as good - love. Shakespeare leaned on that one over and over and over again." - Jane Yolen

Complete interview at Silver Blade.

Poets on Poetry: NIKKI GRIMES

In celebration of National Poetry Month, I will be sharing in each post during April a favorite quote from a favorite poet on poetry. Enjoy!

"I love language. Language is phenomenal. I have always been fascinated that one word can mean many different things. I love the challenge of painting a story in as few words as possible. I'm also a very direct person and poetry is a no-nonsense genre. If it's done well, no words are wasted or minced. That really appeals to my personality. I love that poetry can make a beeline for the heart." - Nikki Grimes


Complete interview at Reading is Fundamental.

2014 Kidlitosphere Progressive Poem is Here!

Happy Poetry Friday! Please visit rockin' Robyn at Life on the Deckle Edge for Roundup. I'm very excited to be hosting our Progressive Poem here today, and I'm excited to share the latest line. But first..........

In celebration of National Poetry Month, I will be sharing in each post during April a favorite quote from a favorite poet on poetry. Enjoy!

"Without poetry,

stories would be 

told in sepia."

- Ellen Hopkins

How much do I LOVE THAT QUOTE?! Complete interview at The Examiner.

And now! What a delight this year's Progressive Poem has been! We've gone from sitting on a rock to spiraling like an eagle to seeking advice and listening to a voice (who IS that "Irene" anyway? Still feeling shy about my name being in this poem, so I am thinking of my great-grandmother who is my namesake, and who, according to family legend, "never said a bad word about anyone." I wish I could say I've lived up to that. Alas. Something to strive for. And oh, she was wise! She could have said the words in our poem.) to tucking that merry hen's eggs close... and now the reason for our angst, our fear, our journey...

Sitting on a rock, airing out my feelings to the universe
Acting like a peacock, only making matters that much worse;

Should I trumpet like an elephant emoting to the moon,
Or just ignore the warnings written in the rune?

Those stars can’t seal my future; it’s not inscribed in stone.
The possibilities are endless! Who could have known?

Gathering courage, spiral like an eagle after prey
Then gird my wings for whirlwind gales in realms far, far away.

But, hold it! Let’s get practical! What’s needed before I go?
Time to be tactical— I’ll ask my friends what I should stow.

And in one breath, a honeyed word whispered low— dreams —
Whose voice? I turned to see. I was shocked. Irene’s?

“Each voyage starts with tattered maps; your dreams dance on this page.
Determine these dreams—then breathe them! Engage your inner sage.”

The merry hen said, “Take my sapphire eggs to charm your host.”
I tuck them close – still warm – then take my first step toward the coast.

This journey will not make me rich, and yet I long to be

like luminescent jellyfish, awash in mystery.

......

How's this for kismet? The rhyming word "be" brought to us by Margaret allowed me to use "mystery," my One Little Word for 2014! And isn't a state of mystery a great place to be?! Also, I love jellyfish! From a distance, of course... I have some not so pleasant memories of jellyfish stings, but all those dissipate when I see amazing photographs like this one: 

photo found here

So there you have it! Can't wait to see where Julie takes us next!

Big thanks to everyone for making this such a fun tradition. Mwah!