WHO I WRITE FOR

... kids like this one who retreat to the quiet beauty of the "Tree Room" to read fairy tales from an ancient book.

I AM this kid, although this kid is not me. I met her last week in marvelous Monroeville, Alabama.

More pics and stories from my trip later this week!

MAY IS THE NEW APRIL

Due to my hectic travel schedule this past month, I knew I would not be able to accomplish a poem a day, as is my April custom.

Instead, I've decided to write a poem a day for May. And I'm using some prompts handed out by Alabama Poet Laureate Sue Walker at the Alabama State Poetry Society luncheon.

Today's prompt: Write about circling the edge.

At the luncheon Barry Marks' book POSSIBLE CROCODILES was named BOOK OF THE YEAR and John Chambers was named POET OF THE YEAR. (Yes, in a organization largely populated by women, the guys cleaned up!)

Special Announcement from the Alabama State Poetry Society:

DIXIE STORMS: THE ALABAMA STORM OF 2011

A Challenge and Impromptu contest.

Any form, length up to 40 lines.

Subject: Anything about the storm, personal tragedies, surviving, living in the south amid storms.

No entry fee.

Winners’ poems will be widely circulated, including sending them to Governor’s office and local press.

Deadline: MONDAY, MAY 16.

Email poems WITHOUT YOUR NAME ON THEM to ASPS President Joe Whitten whitten93@windstream.net.

He will send only the poems (not the cover email) to Barry Marks who will select top 3-5 for final judging by a non-member. Barry will send winning poems to Joe who will compare to emails and announce winners.

If you cannot send by attachment, please leave room on email for Joe to cut and paste when forwarding to Barry.

12-point type is recommended.

Only Alabama State Poetry Society members may participate but anyone joining by May 16 (postmark) will be included.

To join, send your Name; Address, Phone # and E-Mail Address and a check or money order for $20.00 to:
Wayne DeLoach, Treasurer
2532 County Rd 57
Marbury, AL 36051

Prize: $100 to each of two first prize winners. Up to 3 unranked runners up.

There are some great inspirations such as “Dixie Storms” (song) by Lone Justice,“The Storm” by Theodore Roethke, George Herbert’s “Storm”

Good luck!!

POETRY PARTY: FIZZLE POP BOOM

Ever been to a party that started out great, but the people left early or the mood went sour or there was a fight or an unexpected thundershower?

Well. I am sorry that happened here at ye ol' blog. But no one could have anticipated the violence of those tornadoes.

Thank you so much for the sweet emails and phone calls and texts. I am happy to report we are all fine -- but so many others were not so fortunate. So I will save for later the poetic goodness and travel pics and happy stories and instead give you some resources for where to send $$ to help the victims of this tragedy.

And know this: we, as a people, responding to those in need -- that IS poetry. I don't know why it takes a tragedy for people to remember to love each other, but I'm glad that awareness, that shifting of priorities, is often a result of tragedies like this one. If you were here to see the goodness I have seen, your faith would be completely renewed. Let's focus on those scenes instead of the awful ones.

Now for the list:

Send Money To

The Red Cross. Visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS. Contributions may also be sent to local American Red Cross chapters or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

At the BJCC: Donation barrels will be placed at the Schaeffer Eye Center Crawfish Boil festival site to collect donations for the Mid Alabama Region of the American Red Cross for Alabama tornado relief efforts. Community volunteers will also be present to assist with the fundraising efforts. Gates open at 4 p.m. Friday, April 29 for the weekend event at the BJCC.

Volunteers of America Southeast is accepting monetary donations to aid victims of the tornadoes. Text VOA to 27722 from your mobile phone or visit www.voase.org to donate online or to send a check. One hundred percent of all monies received by Volunteers of America Southeast will be used by VOA provide food, water, medical, and other humanitarian aid to the people directly affected by this disaster. All funds will be used directly for relief efforts. Volunteers are also needed. For more info or to volunteer to help, call Paul McLendon at 251-422-7729

Any Regions Bank: donations for the American Red Cross’ Tornado Disaster Relief Fund will be accepted from the general public at all Regions Bank branches in the 16 states the company serves.

First Priority is engaging with local churches and other ministries to provide services and supplies to children and youth groups in the areas affected by the tornados. We are accepting monetary donations that will be used 100 percent to provide supplies and services to those affected by the disaster. To donate online, please visit www.gofirstpriority.com and click on "First Priority Tornado Relief Efforts" or call 205.871.8886. For those 16 years of age or older who would like to help with clean-up efforts (manual labor) in areas affected by the storms, please e-mail: matt@gofirstpriority.com. For up-to-date, specific information and volunteer opportunities, visit our blog at http://blog.gofirstpriority.com/.

Pet Supplies “PLUS” will be collectioning donations April 29, 30 thru May 1, 2011 to help the tornado victims. Donations can be made at any of our Birmingham, Alabama stores: 421 Greensprings Hwy, Homewood; 1928 Highway 31 South, Pelham; 228 Gadsden Highway, Birmingham; 4606 122 Hwy 280, Birmingham.All proceeds will be given to the Alabama Red Cross and earmarked for Tornado Relief.

POETRY PARTY: TO EPIGRAPH OR NOT TO EPIGRAPH?

According to dictionary.com, the definition of epigraph is this:

1.an inscription, especially on a building, statue, or the like.
2.an apposite quotation at the beginning of a book, chapter, etc.


Being a word-loving gal who has long collected quotes from books, speeches and daily life, I happen to be a fan of epigraphs. Here's two of my favorites:

"There's something sweet about digression." - Frank McCourt (I used it in a poem entitled "Two Women Walking Along the Shore of Lake Michigan")

"All secrets are witnessed." - Barbara Kingsolver (It appeared in a poem I wrote entitled "First Day of Winter")

The Best American Poetry blog has chronicled the use of epigraphs is a number of famous poems here.

But not everyone is a fan of epigraphs. I have sat in more than one poetry workshop during which the advice was "cut that epigraph."

Cutting is sometimes necessary when the poem meanders so far from the original kernel that it's no longer recognizable. Or when it becomes so distracting that it's like a puzzle that must be figured out.

But some poems feel deeper and more meaningful because of the epigraph. Besides, it's just plain fascinating to get an extra peek inside the author's process. I mean, how many times have I read a poem and wished to know its origin? An epigraph provides that.

Here's three recent additions to my little notebook that get my poetic juices flowing:

"Childhood is a jungle, not a garden." - Richard Peck

"There is a lot of nothingness involved in the process." - David Diaz

"Human being are unpredicatable. That's the glory of the thing." - Carmen Agra Deedy

What about you? Are you a fan or not a fan of epigraphs?

POETRY PARTY: QUICK PICS

The first poet I loved was my father. Here we are at yesterday's awards banquet.What a wonderful moment to share with him! I loved looking out into the audience and finding his face. Truly, I will treasure that memory always.

And here is a picture of all the 2011 Book Award winners, minus Tom Franklin, author of CROOKED LETTER, CROOKED LETTER:

from l-r: Irene Latham, Ben Windham (Kathryn Tucker Windham's son and co-author, NF - TIN MAN), Charlie Lucas (co-author, NF- TIN MAN)and Han Nolan (YA- CRAZY)

It was SO GREAT to see some of my favorite Alabama librarians! I made some new friends too. WONDERFUL!

POETRY PARTY: LET'S DANCE!

... because Awesome Librarian Carol York of Gadsden Public Library got a grant to buy all these wonderful poetry books!

And last night I got to see Carol and speak to an attentive audience. We even wrote a poem together based on this painting.

(Girl with Lantern by Helen Turner)

Heading to Orange Beach, Alabama, today for the Alabama Library Association Conference where I am speaking at tomorrow's breakfast and accepting the Children's Book Award at lunch. And my father will be there.

Happy National Poetry Month, indeed!

POETRY PARTY: FAVORITE WORD

During a Q & A session last week, one of the kids asked, "What's your favorite word?"

I said,

The kid was confused. He repeated the question. (I guess he was expecting something like supercalifragilistic or somesuch.)

And yes, I have been known to put "yes" in a poem. Is there a word with more possibility?

It's featured in today's poem at Garrison Keillor's Writer's Almanac, entitled "God Says Yes to Me" by Kaylin Haught.

And it's in the title of the book I'm currently reading: OPERATION YES by Sara Lewis Holmes.

This one has been on my nightstand since Sara and I were on a panel together at a book festival last year in Charlottesville, Virginia. In the first chapter, the awesome Mrs. Loupe tells the class, THEATER IS THE ART OF SAYING YES.

I would say, LIFE is the art of saying yes.

What's great about YES is how it's like a door opening. There's mystery and satisfaction and wonder. But at the same time, it makes you hungry, eager, alive. Know what I mean?

POETRY PARTY: WHEN THERE ARE NO WORDS

Life sometimes throws us challenges and sorrow and heartbreak that simply cannot be expressed in words.

At least that's how it seems. Until poetry rises to the challenge.

Take this Mary Oliver poem, for instance. When a dear poet/friend's daughter was dying, he took great comfort in these words.

Turns out, poetry does the same thing for the happiest, most joyful times in our lives -- the moments we feel most grateful, most connected to others, most immersed in the experience of being human. This poem by Sharon Olds, for instance.

I haven't found my poem yet for today, but I'd like to share some pictures of something that touched me deeply:

Thank You Notes from Mrs. Ward's 7th grade class (Alabama Christian Academy)!

And here are some close-ups of some of my favorites:

Isn't this version of Ludelphia precious?

A Ludelphia Love Poem (to Mama, of course!) -- SO creative!

And these notes specifically about the poetry presentation:

One of the bits of wisdom Beth Ward came out of her childhood with was "if you love someone, tell them."

Or, put another way: express your appreciation. Which is what she did by sending me all these wonderful notes. I will treasure them always. And I vow to do better at expressing my appreciation. Probably in a poem.

What poems speak to you during the highest and lowest moments?

POETRY PARTY: IDEAS LIKE CONFETTI

Someone asked me yesterday, "Where do you get your ideas?" And I said, "ideas are everywhere." Like confetti.

So today I want to share a few confetti moments with you from last week's adventures.

1. This lovely goodie bag from Beth Ward who is the librarian at Alabama Christian School in Montgomery, Alabama. I was so impressed by these 7th graders. They knew LEAVING GEE'S BEND backwards and forwards, and you should have seen the posters they created! Also, Beth knows how to take a theme and run with it! Walking into that coffee house was like walking into Gee's Bend.

But this goodie bag says it all: homemade vanilla flavoring and a tin of cinnamon. With homemade labels. Sounds like a poem to me!

2. Ben Sollee at the Grocery on Home in Atlanta. When my crazy/innovative/sweet friend Matt Arnett invited me to meet and listen to Ben in person, I was thrilled beyond thrilled that I was able to work it into my busy schedule. I mean, I am only Ben's BIGGEST fan. And oh MY, what a show! Ben's songs ARE poetry, whether we're talking lyrics or the way he communicates with that cello. And guess what, friends? He's coming to Samford University's Harry's Coffeehouse April 21! And his new album will be released May 10. DON'T MISS.

3. I always ALWAYS enjoy Fay B. Kaigler's Children's Book Festival in Hattiesburg, MS. It was great to see librarian-friends and make new ones. And of course, at my signing table, the talk often turned to quilts. And when one of the librarians whipped this "Three Little Pigs" quilt out of her bag (she'd been stitching during sessions), I thought, Poem Poem.

Yep, ideas are everywhere. During the next week I will focus on getting my poems ready for the Rebecca Kai Dotlich retreat. Deadline to send 'em in is April 25. I'll also be talking LEAVING GEE'S BEND and poetry at three Mountain Brook elementary schools this week. I fully expect more confetti!

POETRY PARTY: CRAFT TIPS

One year when all three boys were in preschool, we hosted an Easter party at my house. And because I'm a crafty mom, we did a number of take-home crafts that I learned about from Family Fun magazine (back when it was just a print magazine, not the online monster it has become).

Pretty much all craft projects for this age group have three things in common -- and all three can be applied to writing poetry:

1. COLOR -- We're not just talking crayons on plain paper here. It's important that poems move beyond simple description. You can "color" your poems with strong verbs that convey emotion. You can add a splash of figurative language. Or surprise us with a startling image or observation. "From Blossoms" by Li-Young Lee has an abundance of color to admire.

2. CUT -- It takes a while for kids to learn to use scissors. Poets, too, can find part of the process very frustrating. Remember "The Red Wheelbarrow." Start small by cutting articles, transitional phrases, redundant lines. Cut the cliches next. Then look at your first and last stanzas -- poets often spend too much time with set-up AND wrap-up. Try your poem without these stanzas and see how it changes the reader's experience.

3. PASTE -- Now go back and add in new bits. Turn the cliche inside out and upside down. Bring in strong verbs to substitute for adjectives. Work in a stronger image. Insert the "unexpected inevitable." Try Stephen Dunn's "A Secret Life."

And by all means, post that beauty on the fridge!

Want more poetic goodness? Check out Kidlitosphere's celebration of National Poetry Month. And Round Up is at Madigan Reads!

The Poetry Party continues next week -- and I will also be posting pictures from this week's adventures in Montgomery, Atlanta and Hattiesburg! FUN!!

POETRY PARTY: WHY WRITE POETRY?

Those who don't write poetry often wonder why anyone would spend time on a market so unpopular and little read. It's not for the fame-hounds or money-hungry, that's for sure. Even when you are lucky enough to have a book of poems.

Consider these quotes:
"There's no money in poetry, but then there's no poetry in money, either." - Robert Graves

"Publishing a volume of verse is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo." - Don Marquis

Yet, to me, poetry is absolutely essential. And since I posted today at Smack Dab in the Middle about why I write for the middle grade audience, I thought I would continue the theme here, except address the subject of writing poetry.

1. It's short. You can write an entire poem in a day - or at least several drafts of a poem. This makes it perfect for the time-challenged, young mothers, over-extended. Unlike a novel which takes hours upon hours, you can crank out a first draft of a poem in minutes. You can hand your lines to a reader and experience immediate gratification.

2. Word play is fun. When every syllable matters, things get intense. But that's where the joy is. That's where assonance and meter and rhyme come in. Writing poetry is about playing with language. You can even make words up, if you want to. And oh, the satisfaction when you find Just The Right Word -- is there a better feeling in the world?

3. It makes you a life-long student of the world.
When you write poetry, you approach life with curiosity and wonder. Leaves don't ever merely fall to the ground. Some dive, some twist, some jet, some dawdle. Poets are keen observers. We are constantly on the lookout for analogies, patterns and oddities in nature and in relationships. We see things, hear things others don't. Because those are the things we want to put into our poems.


4. It gives you permission to explore all emotional terrain in a safe way. Poetry is compressed emotion. The whole point is to create an emotional experience for yourself and for readers. If you have fears about death, you can put them in a poem. Anger, sadness, joy, despair... poetry is the place for the most sustaining and destructive emotions. Your job to be passionate. This passion is the vehicle that will take you toward your own emotional truths.

5. Different is good. Unlike many other areas of life, when you write poetry you are expected to be a little odd. You might even be celebrated for this oddness. You can embrace all that is eccentric about yourself -- and even cultivate new eccentricities. You can do this on the page or in real life, and no one blinks. Because you're a Poet. And poetry is not bound by a strict set of rules. (The only rule is there are no rules.) It's quite liberating, actually. And allows you to invest more fully in the best poem of all: You, Your Life.

IT'S A POETRY PARTY!

It's here, it's here, it's finally here!

Happy National Poetry Month! Here at Live. Love. Explore! I'll be hosting a month-long Poetry Party with poetry quotes, trivia, craft tips, publishing resources & free books!

Okay. So we'll start with the basics. WHAT IS POETRY?

For some great definitions, check out this book:

I use it whenever I speak to teens or adults about poetry. With entries like "It is far far cries upon a beach at nightfall" and "Poetry is what can be heard at manholes echoing up Dante's fire escape," it'll open your mind!

Another one of my favorite definitions comes from Marianne Moore: "Imaginary gardens with real toads in them."

Yes!

If you're not sure how to celebrate, the Kidlitosphere can sure fix you up:



Susan Taylor Brown will post Lessons Learned (Mostly About Me) in a Poem-a-Day

April Halprin Wayland will be writing and posting an original poem a day during April.


Liz Garton Scanlon will give us her third year of a Haiku-a-Day every day in April!

Jone MacCulloch will post 30 Days-30 Students: A poem a day from students

A Poem A Day: A Personal Journey

Poetry Postcard Project: Have a student written and decorated poem sent to your
home. Email her at macrush53 @yahoo. com.


Gregory K. will present 30 Poets/30 Days -a whole month of never-before-seen poems by a slew of fabulous poets writing for kids.
*** Greg also has a fantastic, exciting, INSPIRING project in the works: Poetry: Spread the Word!

Jama Rattigan will present her 2nd Annual Poetry Potluck (original poem and favorite recipe by guest bloggers)

Andromeda Jazmon will be doing her fourth year in a row of haiga (original haiku + my photos) at A Wrung Sponge

Janelle at Brimful Curiosities will host a National Poetry Month Kids Poetry Challenge in which kids are invited to create pictures for the poems she posts each Friday.

Biblio File will be featuring a poem or review of a novel-in-verse every day in
April.

Anastasia Suen has set up a blog and a Twitter account for students (of all ages) to write
Haiku (about what they leaned at school that day).
Also on Twitter: http://twitter.com/EduHaiku


Tricia Stohr-Hunt will host a Poetry in the Classroom series, which will highlight a topic, theme, poet, or book and talk about uses in the classroom.

Stasia Kehoe will be including poetry links, a giveaway of signed arc of debut YA verse novel AUDITION and reviews every Thursday of verse novels.

The Poem Farm will introduce a different poem idea-strategy or poetic technique for children and teachers every day. Each idea-strategy/technique will be followed by links to a few poems from this past year. The blog will also feature poem sharing ideas through “Poetry Peeks” into classrooms.

Lee Wind will present sprinkled-throughout-the-month GLBTQ poetry posts.

Mary Lee Hahn will be writing a poem a day again this year, and posting them at A Year of Reading.

Oh, and today's POETRY FRIDAY ROUNDUP is at The Poem Farm!

PROPHETS, KINDERGARTEN AND SUNSCREEN

My father sent me one of those chain emails with a subject line that reads "Handbook 2011." I'd like to retitle it "Handbook for Life."

It reminds me of some of my other favorite "handbooks":

The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum


and of course Baz Lurhmann's Sunscreen song:



A boy in college wrote his own version, especially for me, and I still pull it out from time to time, so I'll always remember.

Here's some of my favorite instructions from the email Handbook:

Live with the 3 E's - Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
Forgive everyone for everything.
What other people think of you is none of your business.
Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

What are some of your favorite pieces of life advice? Where do they come from?

THE CURE FOR WHAT AILS YOU

Many moons ago when I went to social work school, we were taught that no emotion is bad. If you feel depressed, it's just one feeling. It's normal. And it will pass.

But what if it doesn't pass?

In today's pharmaceutical-happy world, prescriptions are handed out like Dum-Dums at the bank drive-thru. Some folks actually need the medication. Most, I would argue, do not.

My wip is, in part, about a girl trying to help jerk her grandmother out of a depression. And it's got me thinking about home remedies and other creative ways to deal with the downs in life that inevitably follow the ups.

For me, there are two things that work:

1. Service to others

Depression really is a self-absorbed condition. It's exacerbated by this woe-is-me, let-me-wallow kind of attitude. And the quickest way to release oneself from that egocentrism is to focus on someone else: volunteer for something, sign up to help in the church nursery, make a casserole and deliver it to someone recovering from surgery. As soon as your focus shifts from yourself to someone else, you start to feel better.

2. Get crafty

This doesn't have to be all quilts and crochet and scrapbooking, although those work great for me. Any kind of creative, DIY projects will work. The key is to DO something. Here's some out-of-the-box ideas from Popular Mechanics. And hey, March is National Craft Month! So go to Hobby Lobby. Try something new.

Right now I am working on quilt 4 of my 2011 Quilt a Month challenge. (see above pic) I wouldn't be nearly so far along if my friend Pat hadn't cut so many squares for me. (All my quilts have at least a little Pat in them!) And you can expect to see some of this self-help philosophy in my wip. There will be no prescriptions, that's for sure. I'm excited to see what happens!

GETTING TO KNOW MARK TWAIN

Last night we watched a Mark Twain documentary on Netflix (Have I mentioned how we adore Neflix? Documentaries! Independents! Foreign Films! Seriously, it's almost overwhelming.)

Samuel L. Clemens was quite a guy. And for all his adventures, he endured a great deal of heartbreak too. And lost fortunes. And he hated the lecture circuit! Who knew? But he loved his custom-made home in Hartford, Connecticut. (Totally on the to-do list! Harriet Beecher Stowe's home is in Hartford, too. And Caragh O'Brien, who is just plain WONDERFUL as a writer and friend invited me. Yay!) For all his writings that mocked the wealthy, he certainly enjoyed a certain lifestyle. It's almost like he had a split personality: there was Samuel, and there was Mark Twain. No matter which hat he was wearing, he was completely fascinating.

Of course me being me, I was most interested in the heartbreak. Probably the most tragic time for him was the death of his oldest daughter Susy. She died in 1896 at the age of 24 while he was off on the international year-long lecture tour to earn enough money to pay off his debts.

Samuel (I think it was Samuel and NOT Mark Twain) had these words engraved on her tombstone:

Warm summer sun,
shine kindly here,
Warm southern wind,
blow softly here,
Green sod above,
lie light, lie light,
Good night, dear heart,
Good night, good night.

For many years those words were attributed to Mark Twain. Actually they were borrowed from a poem written by Robert Richardson entitled "Annette" that was published in 1893, three years before Twain’s daughter died.

While writing his autobiography, Twain said that he could not remember the author’s name, and apparently he was uncertain of the exact wording of the poem. But as soon as he learned of "Annette" he added the author’s name to the tombstone without changing the verse, although it was slightly incorrect.

Richardson’s original words are as follows:

Warm summer sun, shine friendly here
Warm western wind, blow kindly here;
Green sod above, rest light, rest light,
Good-night, Annette! Sweetheart, good-night!

Twain's daughter Susy was his favorite, according to the documentary. Maybe because she was also a writer and wrote adoringly of her father. I'm a sucker for father-daughter stories, and I have been known to write adoringly of my writer-father, so this spoke to me.

If you'd like to know more about Mark Twain -- and Samuel -- crank up the Netflix! Good stuff. Happy Poetry Friday. Roundup is at Andromeda's!

TO GIVE AND TO GET

We humans are a generous, compassionate species. That quality is never more evident than when natural disaster strikes -- I mean, who doesn't want to help the people in Japan? So many countries have offered aid. We all know such tragedy could have just as easily been on our shores, destroying our families, our lives.

And then there are those humans like Amy C. Collins and her mother Sharon Griffitts who came to my presentation this past weekend at Florence-Lauderdale Library in Florence, AL. They know I love quilts and art, so they offered me this gorgeous Faith Ringgold print:

Amy and Sharon welcomed me into their happy, yellow, art-filled home where they had enjoyed the print for a number of years, and they asked if I'd like to give it a new home.

Of course, I said YES. So we loaded it up, and I brought it home.

This kind of giving touches me so deeply because it's so personal and so unexpected. That's the kind of giver I want to be. And isn't that the point, anyway? Isn't that why we work to earn extra money, so we can give it away?

I've been thinking lately about what cause I want to embrace (or create). Which means I've been thinking about the things that matter most to me: love, children, family, books, striving. I want to be on Secret Millionaire someday, or create a scholarship for writers or a book prize or writing contest for kids. Only I don't want it to be some generic something, some plain check sent through the mail. I want it to mean more than that.

And I want to give in other ways too. Like the way my friend Pat Weaver does. Whenever she goes to the fabric store, she gets fabric for me too. Then she sends it to me, and it's a Christmas morning moment. She sends us home with cinnamon bread and bandannas for the puppy and little glass blue elephants, because she knows we like things that catch the light. It's such a special way to love someone-- to give.

So, THANK YOU, all you wonderful givers out there. I want to be just like you.

SOME THOUGHTS ON STEPSONS

When I first started dating Paul, oh about twenty-one years ago, I was immediately smitten. But I had seen a little bit of the underside of the world by that time and kept waiting for the moment when he would reveal to me some big secret, some something that would mark him as less perfect than I imagined him to be. I spun all sorts of scenarios in my mind, and the one my psyche seemed most attached to was that either he was married, or that he had some kids out there somewhere that I would be asked to love.

As it turns out, there was no wife or kids. He really was perfect. And even if there had been kids out there, he still would have been perfect. But it probably would have been more challenging to mesh our lives.

Twenty-one years later I am still fascinated by this role of stepparent, and how it can play out in a million different ways, depending on personality and circumstances and other factors. In my mind, I love those imaginary children beyond belief, because they are his. But who's to say? I haven't walked in those shoes.

Which I guess is why I was continually moved to tears when I read Rick Bragg's latest book THE PRINCE OF FROGTOWN.

Here's the description on the back cover: "Inspired by Rick Bragg's love for his stepson, THE PRINCE OF FROGTOWN also chronicles his own journey into fatherhood, as he learns to avoid the pitfalls of his forebearers. With candor, insight, and tremendous humor, Bragg seamlessly weaves these luminous narrative threads together and delivers an unforgettable rumination about fathers and sons."

I love this. LOVE it. This book makes me want to write. This book reminds me of all the reasons we MUST write. And all those section called "The Boy"? I have listened to them again and again. And then I bought the book in print so I could read them again and again. Check it out.

And for Poetry Friday, I'd like to share a poem about a stepmother from my latest collection THE COLOR OF LOST ROOMS. Don't forget to visit Liz in Ink for Roundup!

Anne Moynet Audubon, Long Before Birds of America


This boy would dart off before dawn,
climb trees, examine eggs, take out
his little pencil and draw the birds in flight.

When I’d meet him at the arbor with tea
and cookies, he’d share the bounty
of pockets: egg shells, nests of curling

leaves, feathers of every color. So what
if his cheeks stayed smudged and he rarely
made it in time for supper? For those

of you who’ll say, he was not yours,
I ask you: Does the Earth not belong
to the sky? Does the shore not love

the ocean, even as it crashes upon it?
Does the bluebird not sit on the nest,
even if the egg is speckled instead of pale?

- Irene Latham

A VIEW FROM SATURDAY

Actually, I took this picture last Wednesday. It's a Bradford pear tree, and those of you who live in the south know these trees are very popular for landscape design. At least the were when we built this house over a dozen years ago.

Since Wednesday it's rained, and the blossoms have started to fall off as green shoots move in, and the sky has turned to cold steel. But wasn't it gorgeous??

The reasons I'm posting this pic now, on Sunday, because it's how I felt yesterday (Saturday) when I spent the day in Chattanooga with my sister Lynn.

I have written here before how Lynn is the best give I ever got. It's still true. Seriously, I don't know what I would do without her sweet smile and irreverence and patient ear.

Yesterday, over lunch at Tony's, and before shopping at the North Shore, I unleashed the Crazy Lady who lives in my head... that one battling with story ideas and direction and characters that don't want to stay in their places.

Now you writers know how you cannot dump your madness on just anyone. It's so very personal, and it's such a raw place, with many acres of swampland called Doubt. There's also the Confusion Mountains and the I Want it NOW Ocean. And my sister Lynn is a fortress, a bunker, a Swiss Family Treehouse.

Because she is NOT a writer, I'm not sure she will ever know how many times she's saved my life. All I can do is keep saying THANK YOU.

So, thanks, sweet sister. And the Italian Cream Cake was delicious too.

MEET SEAN GRISWOLD, STARRING LINDSEY LEAVITT

You know how great it is when a dear friend writes a book that you absolutely adore?

Lindsey Leavitt's SEAN GRISWOLD'S HEAD is one of those book for me. And it releases TODAY. Y'all don't want to miss this book. Mainly because the love interest (whom I secretly call SS for Sweet Sean...maybe because I not-so-secretly call Lindsey LL. And her #3 daughter LLL. Yes, this is how creative I am.) is The Boy every girl should be lucky enough to meet. And obsess over. And eventually marry.

I've got my Sean. And my goal as a mom is for my three sons to be Seans as well. (Here they are with me as we celebrated my birthday this past weekend.) Can you just feel my heart bursting with maternal pride? Yep, you mothers of wee ones. You still burst when they get taller than you.

So, meet Sean Griswold, LL's latest creation. And check out Lindsey's blog for insider information on why she chose to write about MS and a bike ride and a boy who rose in a bike ride for MS.

See, too, her account of our Sunday visit to Margaret Mitchell's house in Atlanta. And enjoy this adorable pic of Lindsey posing on the interior staircase. (We tried a pic with a cardboard cut-out of us with teeny tiny Vivian Leigh all decked out in the red velvet dress... alas, that one did not turn out.)

Happy March, everyone!

FIVE FOR FRIDAY

1. It's Poetry Friday! And while I am not able to contribute this week, you should totally get your day off to a good start and head over to Sara at Read Write Believe for Roundup.

2. In the past week I have had speaking engagements at Tuskegee University (for ACETA), Judson College (see previous post), University of Alabama (Women's Resource Center) and today I'll teach a bunch of middle schoolers at University of Montevallo's WRITE IN THE MIDDLE conference. I've so enjoyed making new friends and sharing stories about my experience writing LEAVING GEE'S BEND.

3. Tomorrow is my birthday. 40, baby!! I will be celebrating with some super sweet fellas who said they have some surprises in store. Hmmmm.... I'm not gonna think about it too much because I don't want to accidentally think of the surprise. Hate when that happens.

4. Wait until you see the new quilt I am working on. It's in spring colors and is called "Magic Twist and Stitch 9-Patch." I love how it's turning out!

5. I'm reading an ARC of Kathryn Erskine's THE ABSOLUTE VALUE OF MIKE to my youngest, and we are loving it! Kathy and her daughter stayed with us over the summer, so reading this book feels really personal. And Kathy, if you're reading this, Eric paid you a wonderful comment when he said, "Are you sure she's the one who wrote that book?" The voice is THAT authentically Teenage Boy! Wonderful, Kathy.

Happy weekend, All!

JOY AT JUDSON COLLEGE

What a warm welcome I received today at Judson College in Marion, Alabama. Judson has its own china pattern, so this tea cup and saucer will serve as my souvenir. Don't you love it?

After I spoke to a room-full of wonderful young women, I shared a lovely lunch with Sulynn Creswell (whom I adore) of Blackbelt Treasures, Michael Brooks and President David Potts from Judson, author/poet/artist-in-residence Dr. Bille Jean Young (who was kind enough to give me copies of two of her works. I can't wait to read!) and several other gracious faculty and staff. It was such a pleasure to share time with adults so passionate about education and creativity.

Sulynn brought along this broomstick version of Ludelphia that totally warms my heart. She was created at Blackbelt Treasures as part of a recycled art project. What a great idea!

Below is a pic of the three of us: Sulynn, Ludelphia and me. Wishing everyone a joyful day!

COMING SOON: BEACH SEASON

Actually, I'm kind of partial to the beach in fall, when the heat is not nearly so brutal. And I love it at night best of all. There's just something about the cool sand and warm breeze and scurrying crabs -- in the dark. Love it.

We are, however, talking about zipping down with the kids to the beach during spring break. But we've learned from experience not to make any hard and fast plans. We'll just wait and see what the weather is like that week, then decide.

Meanwhile, my new book THE COLOR OF LOST ROOMS contains several beach poems. Today I'd like to share one that was inspired by a painting in the permanent collection at National Museum of Art by Women in Washington, DC. Perhaps you've had a "beach scene" like the one below.

Thanks for reading. And for more wonderful poetry, don't forget to visit Mary Ann at Great Kids Books for Roundup!


Beach Scene
-after the painting by Jane Peterson

Sand in drifts,
parade of skin:
peach, pink,

ruddy, lobster.
Heat prickles,
tempers flare

bare feet sink,
splash, dash
buckets, shovels

tossed aside
for waves,
sea salt, foam.

Ocean grumbles,
roars, later
whispers,

I’m sorry
shhhhh
yes.

FOR THE LOVE OF LINE EDITS

How awesome is this??

Thank you, Nancy Mercado, for wrapping it all up with a colorful ribbon and an artsy note. How could I NOT be inspired to work hard and make DON'T FEED THE BOY the best it can be??

Yep. Sometimes it really is the little things.

Wishing all of you lots of little things today!

WHAT COLOR IS CANCER, AND OTHER THOUGHTS TO PONDER

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for Poetry Friday, I want to tell you about all the juicy goodness spilling from the pages of the latest Birmingham Arts Journal.

There's Maria Coble's poem "What Color is Cancer?" which just might surprise you. (No, it's not black.)

There's Vernon Fowlkes Jr.'s poem "Say We Have Felt This" that addresses sound and touch and begins

Say this is a sound
wired in the hammer
in the ear. Say

There's Jim Reed's piece entitled "How to Murder an Author." (In case you were curious!)

There's Nick McRae's poem about what happens with goldfish entitled "The Ressurrection and the Life."

There's Kory Wells' lovely poem called "Still, My Daughter Wants to Fly."

There's even a poem of mine: "Why Hester Prynne Still Loves the Color Red."

And so much more! I hope you'll check it out. Then, send me your submissions!! Would love to publish some of my Poetry Friday friends.

Speaking of...Carol at Rasco from RIF has Poetry Friday Round up.

EXPLORE THIS

You may not know this, but I am a big fan of reader's theater. I have such fond memories of watching the excitement of my own kids as they participated in reader's theater, and I've even written some vignettes myself for teachers to use in conjunction with LEAVING GEE'S BEND. So I was particularly joyous when I head about Doraine Bennett's new book entitled READER'S THEATER FOR GLOBAL EXPLORERS.

To help celebrate the release of the book, I invited Doraine (who is such a lovely person - seriously, visit her blog)to answer some questions about this fun project.

1. What are the benefits of using Reader's Theater to teach history?
Reader's Theater lets students bring a character, an event, or an unfamiliar culture to life.They have the opportunity to "become" the character without the trappings of an actual play. In order to interpret a character well, the reader has to understand the emotions that character experienced in any given scene. Getting to the bottom of those emotions gives the reader new insight into history. And of course, the side benefit to all reader's theater productions is that students develop fluency.




2. I especially love "The North Pole: Who Was First? (or Did They Really Get There At All?) because of the unexpected way the information is presented. How did you choose that particular viewpoint?

The North Pole was the most difficult of all the scripts I wrote. The entire country was in a uproar over the events. There was controversy, backbiting, accusations swirling around both Peary and Cook. I felt like I couldn't write their story without really understanding it. Cook seemed such a likable guy, I wanted him to have won. But he truly was a scam artist. Unfortunately this fact blinded people to the accomplishments he did make in his understanding and treatment of the Native Americans. Peary on the other hand was an egotistical boor. His original records have still never been released, so there really is some question about whether he actually made it. And of course Matthew Henson was the one who got him as far as he did get. I finally came up with the courtroom scene as a way to present the facts that were known and the ones that were intentionally obscured. I think the ending gives students a great beginning point for discussion.




3. Tell us a bit about your process. How does writing Reader's Theater differ from the other nonfiction work that you have done?
The process of writing reader's theater is more like writing historical fiction than nonfiction, because you are creating a scene. And you must choose one or two simple scenes that convey the essence of the entire story. There's the same amount of research that you would expect in a nonfiction book, the facts are the facts. They are just presented in a different format.



4. You've written a slew of books for the educational market. Tell us how this particular book came to be -- from idea to publication.
I follow the blog of a wonderful nonfiction writer named Nancy I. Sanders. In March 2009, Nancy walked her readers through the process of identifying gaps in a publisher's series of books, and then sending a query to offer a proposal before writing the book. I researched Libraries Unlimited who had a series called Readers Theatre. It's a bit nerve-racking, but I found some of their books in the library and thought--okay, I could do that. I looked at the line of titles and sent an email query to editor asking if she would like to see a proposal for a book on explorers, and two other topics which I can't even remember now. I got an e-mail reply saying yes. So, I picked explorers from my list of topics, took about three months to write a proposal following the guidelines on the website. I included a table of contents and one script. In August, I got a phone call saying they wanted to offer me a contract. They gave me until July 2010 to complete the project. And the book came out in late December 2010.

5. If you could actually live in any of the scenes that you've created for Global Explorers, which story and role would you choose?
I'm really partial to Sir Ernest Shackleton. I think sledding on your bum down a frozen mountain on South Georgia Island with him would have been a hair-raising, exhilarating, once-in-a lifetime memory. Assuming you survived, of course.

YOU'RE INVITED: POETRY RETREAT!

For all of you Poetry Friday folks, I have to tell you about this retreat that I am SO excited about:

Dive Into Poetry Retreat with Rebecca Kai Dotlich
Friday, June 10, 2011 - Sunday, June 12, 2011
Center for New Beginnings, Dahlonega, Georgia 30533

Sponsored by Southern Breeze SCBWI
and arranged by the lovely Robyn Hood Black
manuscript critique is included with registration! (Must be RECEIVED no later than April 25, 2011)

For more info, please see page 7 of this newsletter
REGISTER HERE

I hope some of you can make it -- it's going to be fantastic! And how fun would it be to meet some of you??

On the theme of invitations, I have two invitation poems to share. They have each had a huge impact on my life, albeit at very different times.

The first, from childhood:

Invitation

If you are a dreamer, come in
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A hope-er. a pray-er, a magic bean buyer...
If you're a pretender, come sit by the fire
For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.
Come in!
Come in!

-Shel Silverstein

The second, as I entered adulthood. I still keep this one pinned to my bulletin board:

Invitation

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dreams
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon...
I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life's betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your
fingers and toes
without cautioning us to
be careful
be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.

rest of poem here

- Oriah Mountain Dreamer

Anyone else have an "invitation" poem to share? I'd love to hear about it. And don't forget to visit Doraine at Dori Reads for Roundup!

PERFECT READER

A couple of weeks ago I walked out to the mailbox and found the most delightful surprise: an envelope with a book entitled Perfect Reader by Maggie Pouncey. Inside the book was a little note from the brilliant, generous, talented Jessica DeHart. It said that when she reads good books, she likes to pass them on. And I was the lucky recipient! (Thank you, Jess!!!) So I sank right in.

And, of course, Jessica was right: it's a good book. And with themes on poetry and father/daughter relationships and griefing and moving on, it was a great fit for me. The basic premise has main character Flora in possession of her recently-deceased father's collection of poems. She has to decide what to do with them -- publish or not, edit or not, read or not. This is all complicated by the entry of her father's secret significant other -- the woman who inspired the love/sex poems and to whom the collection is dedicated.

Flora wonders if she is her father's "perfect reader." And it's got me thinking about MY perfect reader.

I tend to be pretty guarded about my writing in general. It's a self-protective mesasure... I just can't handle other people's input in the raw stage of development. After a few drafts, I'm okay. Although I STILL am very careful about asking for help. It's got to be just the right person.

In his poem "Selecting a Reader," Ted Kooser says, "First, I would have her be beautiful."

Don't we ALL want her to be beautiful?? (full poem found here)

In Perfect Reader, Pouncey described exactly what I look for in a reader:

“But be kind to your old dad. Don’t give me the full editorial treatment. Big pictures. Favorite and least favorite lines. Triumphs and disasters. That sort of thing.“

There's time later for the full editorial treatment... and it doesn't need to come from someone I love. I guess I need the professional distance actual editors provide... because I love revising. I love it when an editor helps my work achieve its potential.

What about all of you? What do you look for in a reader?

Oh, and to pay it forward: if you think this is a book you would enjoy, leave me a comment, and I'll send it to you! First person to request it wins!