A Little Patience for Poetry Friday Roundup!

 
Hello and welcome to Poetry Friday! Roundup is HERE! Please leave your links below.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Before I get to my post, here's an event invitation for you!

And some good news from the ALA Youth Media Awards... D-39:A Robodog's Journey was named to the Sci-Fi Notables List, more officially, The Eleanor Cameron Notable Middle Grade Books List. Hooray for Klynt & D-39! So many thanks to the committee for this recognition. 💜

I've been thinking about patience—and how hard it is! Also about how yes, we need patience... but we also need a bit of impatience to accomplish our dreams. 

Sometimes we need to wait less, think less—and DO more. 

Other times we need to hard-stop DOing and simply rest—BE.

Sorry, I have no answers for when to do which! But doesn't it help to know this is something we ALL struggle with?

Poems help, too. Here's a few patience poems for you.

1. 

Teach me your mood, O patient stars!
by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Teach me your mood, O patient stars!
Who climb each night the ancient sky,
Leaving no space no shade, no scars,
No trace of age, no fear to die.


2.

Ode to a Maintenance Man and His Family
by Kay Boyle

Renato O. Jones, you maintain my beliefs

And service my thoughts when they cease to function.

You repair the ailing equipage of the present, transform

The past into flowers around the shuffle-board court

Where there were none before. You speak

The melodious languages of countries that bask

In the sun, employ vacuum respirator as though

It were rod or staff from the garden of Paradise.

You anoint windowpanes with Windex and kneel

In concern for stains on the carpeting,

As men knelt in ancient cathedrals where their voices

Murmured in prayer. You restore me with dance-steps

From harbors you knew: Shanghai, Marseilles, Trinidad,

And how many others. The songs that you sing

(As you unclog drains or retrieve lights when bulbs

flicker and fail or weave copper patches into the webs

Of damaged screen doors) are magical with the music

Of names of your family: Carmelita, Christopher, Dissere,

Alex and Mark, and Keven and Kenneth and Kerwin.

Each day you say to me - not in words but in the eloquence 

Of your presence - that infinite patience with mankind is everything.

---

I found this poem in my (1996) copy of THE GIFT OF TONGUES, a beautiful anthology from Copper Canyon Press. More about Kay Boyle here.

3. 

"Patience" by Marilyn Singer —posted here at Live Your Poem a few years ago! It expresses so well one of the reasons I love mountain (lake) life!

...and finally, my latest ArtSpeak: ANIMALS poem continues the theme set forth in "Courage Has Four Feet" and "Wisdom Has Wide Eyes."

Today's piece features a turtle dove as depicted by Chinese Ming Dynasty artist Shen Zhou. 

Words that come up a lot about Shen Zhou's landscapes, flowers, and other works are "reverent" and "gentle." I find his work both those things and would add: "warm" and "calming." His work definitely inspires patience in me. Thank you so much for reading!

Patience Has a Soft Voice

it hums across
dusty summer

serenades
long, searing season
with a whisper-gentle song

turr-turr-turr

drowsy clouds
listen

sky-door opens—

siss-siss-siss

rain

- Irene Latham

Wisdom Has Wide Eyes (poem)

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference for Roundup.

I'm super-excited about Wild & Precious Writer, the digital course I'll be launching next month! Gratitude to those who have joined me as Founding Members...I'm so grateful for your enthusiasm and support... and your devotion to your writing life. Beautiful!

And if you don't know what I'm talking about, read this post...and go here to subscribe to my email list so that you don't miss out on all the goodness that's coming. :) (Founding Member offer was made through my email list.)

Today's poem is a companion piece to last week's "Courage Has Four Feet." Perhaps this is a theme I'll revisit during this year of ArtSpeak: Animals? We'll see! Meanwhile, enjoy Dürer's Little Owl from way back in the Northern Renaissance, when "animal paintings" became a genre of art. 

Like Leonardo da Vinci, Dürer aimed to be precise and often used real (stuffed) specimens as models for his work. At the time, these pieces were considered more "craft" than "art." I'm kind of in love with them and will be featuring quite a few of Dürer's animals this year. :) 

Here's a quote that celebrates the beauty of what's "real," the idea that governed these artists' work:

"Nature holds the beautiful, for the artist who has the insight to extract it. Thus, beauty lies even in humble, perhaps ugly things, and the ideal, which bypasses or improves on nature, may not be truly beautiful in the end." - Albrecht Dürer

Something to think about as we write our poems: what makes them beautiful?

Thank you so much for reading!

Wisdom Has Wide Eyes

it blends in,
unnoticed

listens to starshimmer,
studies canopies
and knotholes

stays awake
across cruelest hours
to hunt

for meaning
             movement
                         connection—

once seen,
the sky cannot be
unseen

- Irene Latham

Courage Has Four Feet (poem)

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure and visit Mary Lee at A(nother) Year of Reading for Roundup.

Today's ArtSpeak: Animals poem is inspired by one of Leonardo da Vinci's drawings. I so appreciate his desire for accuracy, and how his studies and drawings were an essential part of the process. 

I think we writers do our own versions of this as we research and draft and cut and try again! 

In fact, the Private Eye method (which I've shared about many times and continue to practice!) is equally as concerned with finding the right words as it is about drawing in exquisite detail what you see in the jeweler's loupe. It's such a great practice for writers... if you haven't tried it, I hope you will!

And here's a quote to consider...although please don't use it as an excuse to stay in research mode FOREVER...at some point, one must simply WRITE the thing! (Ahem. Writing these words as much for myself as anyone!)

"For verily, great love springs from great knowledge of the beloved object, and if you little know it, you will be able to love it only a little or not at all." - Leonardo da Vinci

And now, my poem! Thank you so much for reading.

Courage Has Four Feet

sometimes it wakes
slowly—

a bear summoned
by snowmelt
birdsong
hunger

it shuffles
into a greening wood
thunder in its throat
lightning it its eyes

heartstorm
stirring
beneath each
wobbly step

- Irene Latham

Homeschool Poetry Party! (For the Love of Words)

 Hello and welcome to your every-9th-of-the-Month Homeschool Poetry Party!

I love words. Don't you? I love the way they taste and how they feel rolling around in my mouth.

Dictionaries? Yes!

Thesauruses? Delicious!

Books celebrating words? YUM!

(Future Word Nerds are sure to enjoy ABSURB WORDS by Tara Lazar!)

And sometimes (okay, A LOT of times, I like to invent words.

Have you ever invented a word?

Poetry is a great place to put your invented words! Do you know the poem “Jabberwocky” by Lewis Carroll? It contains quite a few invented words.

Here are three invented words in the poem:

1. Jabberwocky – yes, the title of the poem is an invented word! It's a noun (person, place, or thing).

Right now, before we go on, draw a picture of what you think a “jabberwocky” might be.

2. Frabjous – this word is used as an adjective, which means it describes something... “O frabjous day!”

Before you read the poem, what kind of day do you think a “frabjous” day would be like? Happy, sad, windy, hot, winter, spring? Write down a few synonyms.

3. Whiffling – this word is used as a verb, which means it's an action.

Describe the kind of action you imagine a “whiffle” or “whiffling” to be. Is it like “sleep” or “sleeping” or like “run” or “running”? Or something else entirely?

Now here's the poem.

Jabberwocky

by Lewis Carroll

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

'Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!'

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood a while in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One two! One two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

'And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

-----

Did your guesses match the poem? Do your definitions “fit”?

Whether they did or not, the great news is that you, too, can write a poem with invented words! 

I invented A LOT of words for my book D-39: A Robodog's Journey.

For those new to the Homeschool Poetry Party, you're invited to join the mailing list and download an Invent-Your-Own-Word worksheet. 

I suggest you invent at least 3 words: one noun, one adjective, and one verb.

Once you've invented a few words, try placing them in a poem! Maybe your poem will be a story-poem like “Jabberwocky.” Maybe it will be about an imaginary creature... or a robodog! Or something else. It's up to you!

You're invited to share your poem on our community Poetry Party padlet.

Coming next month: an exciting announcement about a Poetry Party LIVE virtual event, and you're all invited! If you're not already on the mailing list, be sure to join so you don't miss anything.

Welcome to 2022 ArtSpeak: Animals!

 

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Carol at Beyond Literacy Link for Roundup.

It's been an exciting week here at Live Your Poem... AFRICAN TOWN, my latest project with Charles Waters, released this past Tuesday. (There's also an audio version with a whole cast to represent the 14 voices, and when I listened to the first few poems, it made me cry. Beautifully done!)

Celebrations have included:

 an interview on NPR Weekend 

a live book launch at Alabama Booksmith, during which we signed 260 books! The best part was Charles and I got to hang out in person for the first time in 2 years. :)

And... it's the start of a new ArtSpeak year! I've selected "Animals" as my theme. I'll be featuring public domain art found on wikiart.org.

When I sat down to write my poem this week, I realized that just because the art features an animal, it doesn't necessarily mean my poem will be *about* the animal.

I am always looking for unique angles, what's outside the frame... and listening for what the art is trying to tell me. So who knows what kind of poems I'll be writing this year?? I can't wait to find out. :)

Here's today's poem. Thanks so much for reading.

When a steep wind sends you sailing over treetops

as you hurtle
into unknown
currents

take a moment

a single windblown
moment

to look back
on what was

and then—
flap
      focus
                 FLY

- Irene Latham

Map to a New Year (poem)

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit for Carol's Corner for Roundup.

Many of us in this community select One Little Word as a muse, guide, touchstone for the year. My word for 2021 was "Bewilderment," and I reflected on my experience with the word in my most recent Adventures in Ink newsletter. Read it here.

For 2022 I've selected the word WHIMSY.

According to my research, whimsy is something unusual, unexpected, fanciful, playful. I found it in a magazine recently (in photo!), and I read Mary Oliver admonishing herself to be more whimsical in her book of essays Upstream. I also read that the Mona Lisa may have, in fact, been Leonardo's most famous moment of whimsy. Art historians think perhaps he created that face with that smile for his own amusement. (Cool, yes?) The pencil in the photo to the left contains a quote from Little Women: "I like good strong words that mean something." :)

Combine all that with the fact that for years Paul has shaken his head at my sometimes "impetuous" behavior. It's true, I've been known to do things without thinking them through all the way—"on a whim"—and this has sometimes led to heartbreak, disappointment, and tough moments!

But other times my impetuousness has led to some really beautiful moments. And that's what I'm opening myself to this year. Bring on the unexpected, unusual, fanciful, and playful!  

I look forward to reading about everyone else's new One Little Word.

Today marks the last poem of my 2021 ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS project. What fun I've had writing through the seasons! I did get a little weary by the end of each season, though... I was ready to move on before the calendar said it was time to do so! (This *might* be a running theme in my life. :) View the entire collection on padlet. And come back next week to see what theme I've chosen for 2022! (I've waffled and waffled, but I think I'm all set now. We'll see!)

Today's poem is inspired by a Mary Cassatt piece that totally makes me think of my sister, and how very grateful I am to have her. We've had some grand adventures over the years!

Map to a New Year

Sometimes it takes two
to find the just-right route.

Mountains insurmountable
by one

yield sweeping vistas
when climbed together.

If we come to a river
too deep, too long—
we'll clasp each other's hands.

Roads will likely stretch,
bend,
          crumble.

Some days you will carry me;
other days I will carry you.

- Irene Latham

Christmas Eve Poem

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit (brilliant) Buffy Silverman for Roundup.

Lo and behold, it's Christmas Eve! We've just returned from the Florida Keys, where we were unexpectedly blasted into the holiday spirit by all the decorations, island-style.

It got me thinking about how this is my almost last ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS poem, and is there such a thing as famous Christmas art? Well, yes there is! I found a wonderment by Henri Matisse, which inspired today's poem. And I also discovered famous paintings altered to include Christmas images... like this Starry Santa Night:

 and this Santa stringing lights on one of Monet's bridges:

Fun, yes? Click here to see Santa visiting other famous artworks. 

Other island-y thoughts include some ruminations on my 2021 One Little Word BEWILDERMENT. My intention with this word was to abandon cleverness, which is of the mind, and exist instead in mystery, which is of the soul. 

It's definitely been a year of questions, and as a result discovery. I've tried all sorts of new-to-me things this year (part of my 50 Firsts upon turning 50). I've made some dramatic shifts in my priorities and goals. And I find myself here at the end of the year is a place I never could have anticipated...on the brink of I-don't-know-what! 

No need to worry... it's ALL GOOD. As Bob Ross said, "there are no mistakes, just happy accidents." By letting my soul lead, I feel I'm experiencing life and writing and relationships in a deep and fulfulling way. I'm excited to see what 2022 brings...and I know my just-right 2022 OLW to appear to me in the coming days.

And now, this week's poem. Thank you so much for reading. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

Stars sing,
rest

Rivers breathe,
peace

Mountains hum,
forever

You whisper,
I believe

- Irene Latham

Poem for Lydia

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Jone Rush MacCulloch for Roundup.

I'm out adventuring this week, but I did take some time to write a very last autumn poem for my ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS! (Two more "winter" poems, and I'll be wrapping up this celebrate-the-seasons year!)

A small note about today's poem: When I saw that the artist's subject was named Lydia, I had to smile. Years ago, a dear friend suggested that if my name wasn't Irene, it would be Claire... or Lydia. 

I picked Lydia! So it was fun to find this name on the piece of art...and to write the poem as if I was writing it to an alternate me. Thank you so much for reading!

For Lydia

when they said,
you cannot carry
autumn

you said,
watch me

when they said,
winter will
swallow you

your cheeks
turned still
as moonlight

when they said,
go home
and wait for spring

a leafstorm swirled
in your heart

and in each dark eye
a tiny bonfire
sparked—

               summer.

- Irene Latham

Autumn Love Song

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Cathy at Merely Day by Day for Roundup.

This week I took my final exam in art history, and I got my Master Gardener certificate! I learned SO MUCH this fall, but goodness, I'm ready for a break...

Also, I visited my mom (in north Florida), and a highlight was picking grapefruit. (I love grapefruit!) 

In even more exciting news, tomorrow our youngest son graduates with his degree in computer science...with a 4.0 (!) for his college career and a job in his pocket! Good times.

Today's ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS poem is a love poem. Every season is good for love! Thank you so much for reading.

Autumn Love Song

I want to fold into you
the way blazing maple
floods curving stream

I want to fold into you—
you who blaze
and curve and flood

as if there's
no such season
as winter

- Irene Latham

9th of the Month Homeschool Poetry Party! (Christmas Edition)

Hello Homeschool Families, and welcome to this month's Poetry Party! I'm so glad you're here.

The Homeschool Poetry Party happens here at Live Your Poem every 9th of the month (in honor of nonet poems!)

Shout-out to the Johnson family who left beautiful poems on our Homeschool Poetry Party padlet... poems about fishing and cooking and being a good person! 

What better time than a holiday to read—or write!—a poem? From Elephant Appreciation Day to Hot Dog Day, you can find some fun way to celebrate every day of the year. Here's a book full of fun poems for lots of holidays from different faith traditions and cultures—some silly, some serious—all wonderful! Check out The Poetry Friday Anthology for Celebrations compiled by Sylvia Vardell & Janet Wong.

Here at Casa Latham, we celebrate Christmas, and there's one poetry book we turn to most often during this time of year:

 MANGER, edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins with illus. by Helen Cann. It includes poems from the animals' perspectives on the Nativity story...and there are some surprises—a llama! Fish! Spider!

The first time I read the book, I realized all the living creatures had poems, but what about the manger? What did it think/feel about what was happening that special night? And so I wrote this poem:

Manger

by Irene Latham

I am but simple timber,

stripped of bark

and fastened by nails,

softened by a fluff of hay.

But I can show you

the strength of a forest,

the hope of water

and the resurrection of light.

Each day your hands will grow.

May they fashion a world

where even the most unloveable

are loved.

---

Now I invite you to write a Christmas poem about the Nativity story, but from a particular point of view. 

Maybe it's a poem from one of the animals (or a favorite animal you imagine was at the Nativity scene), or maybe it's voiced by an inanimate object: what would the pitchfork say, or the myrrh? What would the barn say, or the sky? 

Your job is to be that animal or object when you are writing the poem. This is called a "persona" or "mask" poem.

To write this kind of poem, it helps to ask your animal/object some questions like the ones below. Be sure to write down your answers.

When you are that animal or object, what do you see, hear, taste, touch, smell? 

What's your "job" in the story? 

How can you help (or hurt) the scene? 

What's your secret?

 

What matters most to you about the scene? 

Once you have your answers on paper, read back through them. Share them with a family member. Which ones are the most vivid, surprising or interesting? Which answers make you or a reader smile or sigh? Put those bits in your poem right away! 

 If you'd like to share your poem with this community, please post to padlet here. I can't wait to read them!

And now, may I ask a big favor? If you enjoyed our celebration today, would you please share it with another homeschool family who might also benefit? Poetry is for EVERYONE! 

I've prepared a free foldable zine filled with forest critters sharing what peace means to them in short poems—perfect for sharing during the Christmas season. Get yours now!

Thanks so much for sharing the celebration today. Merry Christmas! See you next month... as we ring in 2022!

An Anti-Autumn Poem

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Michelle Kogan for Roundup.

This week's 2-Minute Writing Tip is all about writers and social media/self-promotion. I had so much to share on the topic that I went over by 24 seconds. 😂

Over at Smack Dab in the Middle, I wrote about how, for writers, there's no such thing as the road not taken.

Reviews are coming in for AFRICAN TOWN, and this one's a ⭐ from School Library Connection!

"The voice of the characters is strong and... the journey itself is not to be missed."

and another  from Booklist. :)

"African Town is a compelling novel that doubles as an important historic document, invaluable for both classroom use and independent reading."

For this weeks Artspeak: FOUR SEASONS poem, I wanted to steer away from all the wonderful things about fall and instead write an ANTI-Autumn poem.

 It helped that I was feeling really frustrated about something tech-related, and I found this great piece of art in my "Fall" file. :) Thank you so much for reading.

Today I'm Feeling Autumn

I have no sunshine
to share with you—

only wind, wet,
and chill.

All my skies
are smocked
in shades of grey.

Stay,
or don't.

I have no sunshine
to share with you today.

- Irene Latham

Where the Path Bends Long and Narrow (poem)

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Ruth at There is no such thing as a godforsaken town for Roundup.

It's been a lovely Thanksgiving here at Casa Latham/Happy Rabbit Hideaway/The Lake. So SO much to be grateful for!

In case you missed it, my new video series Tuesday 2-Minute Writing Tip #2 "Call Me Ishmael" was about embracing our identities as writers, and a practice that has helped me for many years. I hope you'll give it a listen! And if you know a writer who may benefit, I'd be so grateful if you'd pass it along to them! Thank you!

Today I'm continuing my series of question-titled poems for ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS. With just 3 more Fall poems to go (and then 2 Winter), I've got 2022 on my mind... what should my ArtSpeak theme be? We shall see...

Also, it's that time when I begin reflecting on how my One Little Word "Bewilderment" has impacted my year... and thinking about what should be my 2022 One Little Word. More on these topics soon!

For now, here's my latest poem. Thank you so much for reading!

Where the Path Bends Long
and Narrow

We are both nameless—
the trees and me—
and what is true
breathes between us:
We both come from seed
and are made mostly of water.
We both require sunshine,
rain, soil.
We both lean into
a friendly, autumn breeze.
We learn from each other—
how to stay rooted;
how to move on.

- Irene Latham

Who Paints the Leaves in Fall? (poem)

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Carol at Beyond LiteracyLink for Roundup.

Yay for #NCTE21 and Janet Wong's Award for Excellence in Poetry! I'll be there tomorrow celebrating this moment with Janet... and also helping present the Children's Book Awards! This was my second year (of a 3-year term) to serve on the Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction committee...VERY excited to share with all of you our winners! :)

Finishing work on the Huck committee means I have a brief window to read books for adults! Any suggestions?? Please leave in comments!

In other news, I've started a new video series, 2-Minute Writing Tip Tuesday! You can catch the first installment here, where I share inspiration from a lovely Ray Bradbury quote.

If you are gathering with friends and family in the coming week, I wish you joyjoyjoy! I'm quite excited about turkey and all the fixings with my guys. :)

Meanwhile, here's the latest ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS poem, carrying forth the "question-title" mini-series I identified last week. Thank you so much for reading!

Who Paints the Leaves in Fall?

Who holds up the sky?
When oaks kick off their covers,
who tucks them snug into winter?
Who gives such crisp, whispery kisses?
Who sends snakes a-slither
and foxes foxing into their dens?
As the sun circles away
              away
a lone voice sings: Sleep, my darlings,
sleep. I'll see you in my dreams.

- Irene Latham

[VIDEO] 2-Minute Writing Tip Tuesday! Episode #1 "We Are Cups"

 Welcome to my new video series for writers! I'm kind of amazed by how much inspiration can fit in just two minutes. :) In this (the very first episode) I riff off a favorite quote by Ray Bradbury. Enjoy!

Where Friendship Begins (poem)

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Matt at Radio, Rhythm and Rhyme for Roundup.

I started a new monthly feature at my blog this week: Homeschool  Poetry Party! 

I've done a lot of work with homeschoolers this past year, and I have loved it! So, on the 9th of each month (hello, nonets!!) I'll be posting something especially for homeschool families. If you know a homeschool family, and you think they'd benefit from a bit of poetry in their lives, would you please share the link with them?? Thank you for your help!!

When I went into my art folder to select a piece for today's poem, I noticed in the "Done in 2021" file a surprise miniseries of poem titles beginning with "question" words:

What the Deer Sees

When in Doubt

Why Evening Comes Early in Autumn

Why River Smiles in Winter

Why Roses? 

...so, I decided to add another Question-title poem this week to the series! (And perhaps I will continue for a few weeks, or at least until I lose interest. :) Thank you so much for reading.

Where Friendship Begins

on a hushed,
          curving road
beside a slumberous field—

can I help you?
          sunders autumn fog

- Irene Latham

9th of the Month Homeschool Poetry Party!

 

Hello, and welcome to a new feature here at Live Your Poem: Homeschool Poetry Party! Celebrating the joys of reading and writing poetry with Homeschool Families on the 9th of the month (all year long!)

This month we'll focus on GRATITUDE with blessings, prayers, and writing gratitude poems. 

First: a Prayer poem from my 2019 ArtSpeak: Happy series. 

Now listen to me reading the poem:

 

Question for discussion: When you think of God, what color comes to mind?

Next, a book recommendation:

Find out more about For Every Little Thing: Poems and Prayers to Celebrate the Day by June Cotner, Nancy Tupper Ling, & Helen Cann by visiting the blog interview I did with Nancy Tupper Ling back in September.

Finally, let's write a Gratitude poem! 

1. make a quick list of some things you're grateful for

my list:

family times

reading

writing

music-making

exploring nature

2. use the 5 senses to bring them alive

family times - together in the kitchen tasting pumpkin pie, nutmeg and allspice tickling our tongues  (taste)

reading - cozy under a blanket with a second-hand book (touch)

writing - the characters in my new story dancing in my dreams (sight)

music-making - "Ode to Joy" marching me across the hours (sound)

exploring nature - the scent of woodsmoke as I crackle-crunch across fallen leaves in the woods (scent & sound)

3. put them in an order that's pleasing to you

cozy under the blanket,

turning pages of a favorite book

characters dance in my dreams

Ode to Joy marches me

into the woods where the scent

of woodsmoke welcomes me

as we crackle-crunch across fallen leaves

together, nutmeg and allspice tickling our tongues

4. make changes so that the words sound and mean even more (i.e. add rhyme, title, punctuation, choose more precise words; take away words, etc.)

Every Day is a Holiday

Cozy under quilt,

flipping pages 

until characters 

dance dizzy in my dreams—

"Ode to Joy" 

marches me awake

and into the woods 

where woodsmoke 

welcomes all

as leaves crackle-crunch 

underfoot

The best times

are together times, 

nutmeg and allspice 

tickling our tongues.

5. Share your poem with someone!

I've created a special Homeschool Poetry Party! padlet, if you'd like to post your poem for others in this community!

Thank you for joining the Homeschool Poetry Party!! If you found value in this post, please share it with others. Thank you!

Learning from Birches (poem)

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Mary Lee at A(nother) Year of Reading for Roundup.

Today's ArtSpeak: Four Seasons poem features birches. Many other poets have written about birches. Have you? Here are a few I found online:

how they remind of childhood: Birches by Robert Frost

how they are "all elbows" Birch by Cynthia Zarin

"white fingers"  Russian Birch by Nathaniel Bellows

addressing the birches:  Matins by Louise Glück

...and here is my birch poem. Thank you for reading!

when in doubt

bend
like birches—

curve—

a thousand
crooked forests
cannot be wrong
about how to catch
                     light

- Irene Latham

Why Evening Comes Early in Autumn (poem)

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Linda at TeacherDance for a Halloween themed Roundup.

It's Halloween weekend. Yay! My car and I will be participating in a community Trunk-or-Treat... I've even hobbled together a costume to wear: Spider Goddess? Web Mistress? Spider Charmer? I don't know, but you're probably getting the idea. I'm just glad it's not one of those sweat-while-you're-trick-or-treating times.

What are you doing to celebrate?

This week's ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS poem is about the short and getting-shorter days. Thank you so much for reading!

Why Evenings Come Early in Autumn

sky battered and bruised
by a million wings

lake a threadbare quilt
stitched with fading ripples

no wonder drowsy sun
refuses to hold up its head

- Irene Latham

It Takes Courage to be a Tree + WILD PEACE!

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

My latest picture book WILD PEACE was released this week! Thanks so much to those who helped me celebrate!  💜 And for those who don't know: Wild Peace a 150-word long poem about a girl who escapes her chaotic home life and enters the forest, where each wild animal teaches her something about peace. It's quiet and beautiful and meditative, thanks in no small part to the gorgeous art by Il Sung Na, who visited Live Your Poem earlier this year to share about his illustration process. Every book I've been lucky enough to be involved with feels like a miracle. I'm so grateful this book is in the world!

This week's ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS poem is short and not-exactly-sweet. Thank you so much for reading!

It Takes Courage to Be a Tree

with or without rain
October leaves rust,
drop—
soon to reveal
winter's sharp edges

- Irene Latham

P.S. Tomorrow I'll be participating in a 5K Fun Run benefitting our local animal shelter...it's going to take all my self-control not to come home with a new pet! I suspect many of you can relate... xo

Cool Change / Gathering Season (poem)

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Bridget at Wee Words for Wee Ones for a celebration of her new book (!) and also Roundup.

Each morning, my husband's phone alarm wakes us to "Cool Change" by The Little River Band. (He changes the song each month, in keeping with the season!) That surely was in my mind as I was writing this week's ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS poem. 

Fun fact: As is often the case, the "shape" of this poem changed as I was making the graphic. (It was 4 3-line stanzas; now it's not.) The visual is so important in poetry... and isn't that such a personal thing, and determined by space on the page and the poet's aesthetic, among other factors? I really enjoy playing around with that during revision. Thank you so much for reading!

Gathering Season

Farmer shapes
hay into round-house
mounds

Flock grazes away 

every last blade

Sky, too,
corrals fat-bellied
clouds—

first icy drops 

chase us all indoors.

- Irene Latham

And if you're gathering books this season (like I am!), WILD PEACE comes out next Tuesday!! Illustrations by Il Sung Na, coming to us from the good folks at Roaring Brook Press. I'm excited to share this gentle, meditative long-poem picture book with young ones, and I hope you will, too. More on this next week! xo

Ode to an Autumn Poetry Friday Roundup!

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Roundup is HERE!

So, I have a secret I'm ready to share: I'm in the process of creating a digital course called Wild & Precious Writer. (Mary Oliver fans will know exactly where this title comes from!) 

My goal is to provide for others (you!) a path to higher joy and authenticity in your writing to create real change in your life and in the world. I'll be sharing things that have worked for me on my journey—ideas and practices that I've collected over the past twenty years from sources like The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron, The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop by Felicia Rose Chavez, and many others. 

With that in mind, I want to invite you along to help me create the course you would want. You can help me right away by answering the following question in comments:

If you could wave a magic wand to make your biggest writing challenge disappear, what would that be?

Thank you for your help! I'm VERY excited about sharing so many of the things that have been transformative in my life... stay tuned! You, too, can become an official Wild & Precious Writer when I open the course in early 2022. :)

And now, please join me in celebrating the season with some excerpts from "Ode to Autumn" by Pablo Neruda... and then please leave your link below!

Ode to Autumn

by Pablo Neruda, trs. by Ilan Stavans

Autumn is modest

like the woodcutters.

It's hard

to remove all the leaves

of all the trees

of all the countries.

Spring

sewed them together on the fly

and now

one must allow them

to fall as if they were

yellow birds.

It isn't easy.

There's not enough time.

One must run down all

the roads,

speak languages,

Swedish,

Portuguese,

speak in the red tongue,

the green tongue.

One must know

how to be quiet in all

the languages

and everywhere,

always

allowing

the leaves to fall,

fall

allowing them to fall,

fall.

***

And here is my latest ArtSpeak: Four Seasons poem! Thank you for reading.

Autumn Puzzle


I will not ask why

because life has taught me

about cycles and seasons.

Today I will fit myself

into the mystery—

how time eats daylight,

and I am always always

grasping for more;

squirrels hoard exactly

as much as they need;

and maples, god bless them,

give away every

      last

              jewel.

-Irene Latham

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

What the Deer Sees (poem)

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Catherine at Reading to the Core for Roundup. I'm out adventuring this week, but I will be back next week to host!

Today's poem was inspired by the many recent deer sitings on our morning walks and early evening drives. So. Many. Deer! Including this little cutie, just hanging out in the ditch. 

Adorable, yes? So no wonder my heart went in this direction for this week's ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS poem. Thank you so much for reading.

What the Deer Sees

Three figures
so silent, so still—

not deer
not bear

barest breath
salting the breeze

not bird
not dog

tiny wisp
of some wild scent

not sweet
not frightening—

friends, so long
as they move

not one step
closer

- Irene Latham

Celebrating FOR EVERY LITTLE THING!

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

It's my pleasure today to congratulate June Cotner, Nancy Tupper Ling, and Helen Cann for their newly released poetry anthology

FOR EVERY LITTLE THING: POEMS AND PRAYERS TO CELEBRATE THE DAY (Eerdman's).  I'm always excited for a new poetry anthology, and this one is a beauty. I especially enjoyed seeing poems by our Poetry Friday friends Michelle H. Barnes and Charles Ghigna. Congratulations to all!

And now please welcome poet-friend-editor Nancy Tupper Ling, who stopped by to respond to a few prompts. Welcome, Nancy!

The delicious

Nancy Tupper Ling

NTL: As an author who can barely draw a stick figure, I find “the delicious” to be that moment when I receive the first sketch or two from the illustrator. In the case of FOR EVERY LITTLE THING, this happened when June Cotner and I got a sneak peak at a few of Helen Cann’s sketches, including the “Nightfall” chapter and a full-page spread, which reflected all four seasons in one glorious tree. Ultimately, the tree was paired with a poem by Jill Noblit MacGregor called "Simple Graces" and it is stunning (shown below!), That experience was as delicious as picking the first Empire apple in a New England fall. Ah!

IL: Have I ever had an Empire apple?! I don't think so! Must remedy. And as a long-time fan of June Cotner's thoughtful anthologies for the adult market, I'm just delighted about this partnership! And wow, when I popped on Nancy Cann's website, I fell in love with her maps. Go see!

The difficult

NTL: As an anthologist, I know you’ve experienced this too, Irene, but it’s always hard to let go of a poem that is beautiful. For some reason it doesn’t fit with the collection. This could be because there are too many similar poems on one spread, or because the poem itself is a bit too long. Often, we work with our contributors on a revision if it can make their poem stronger. Still, there are other times when we must say goodbye to a perfectly wonderful poem. That said, that very poem might be perfect for another anthology down the road.

IL: Yes! SO DIFFICULT to say goodbye to some poems. I want to keep them ALL. Alas...

The surprising

That there is a World Gratitude Day (September 21st)! Who knew? And that FOR EVERY LITTLE THING launches on this very day is a perfect fit. When June and I first put a proposal together for our book, gratitude was at the heart of it. Our hope was to foster “appreciation for the small and big gifts of the world,” and by journeying through a child’s day, from waking up to falling asleep, our selected poems and prayers will awaken a sense of gratitude in readers of all ages.

IL: Another "gratitude" poetry anthology to pair with this one: THANKU: POEMS OF GRATITUDE selected by Miranda Paul, illus. by Marlena Myles.

Anything else

NTL: Yes, some very good news! Back in January, I left my position as a librarian at Morrill Memorial Library (after 10 years) so that I could devote more time to my writing. I wanted to give myself a full year to pursue this dream, even though it seemed quite risky with two daughters in college. Well, guess what? As announced in Publisher's Marketplace, June and I recently sold another children’s anthology entitled BLESS THE EARTH: A CHILDREN'S BOOK OF PRAYERS AND POEMS FOR HONORING THE EARTH to Keren Baltzer at Convergent/Penguin, thanks to our agent, Anne Marie O’Farrell at Marcil-O’Farrell Literary (world). Also, FOR EVERY LITTLE THING became a Gold Standard Selection, as awarded by the Junior Library Guild. Turns out, it was a risk worth taking!

IL: YAY for all this happy news! Yay for risk-taking, and for poetry reaching more children and families!!

illustration by Nancy Cann

Simple Graces

Simple graces are everywhere.

under rocks and in the air—

in crashing waves and tall, tall trees,

simple graces for all to see.

Simple graces are near and far,

the sun, the moon, and twinkling stars—

refreshing rain, the air we breathe,

God made every one of these.

Yes, simple graces are everywhere,

in everything, here and there—

summer, fall, winter, spring,

simple graces in everything.

- Jill Noblit MacGregor

Learn more about this lovely book at other stops on the blog tour:

And yes, I have an ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS poem for you! It's the first "Autumn" poem of this series. Thank you so much for reading.

Then Sings My Soul

clothe yourself
as maples do,
in burnished gold

rest and reflect—
a puddle after rain

welcome the child's boots
as a way to give yourself
to the world

and when it is done,
gather light
in your damp hands,

let yourself
                     fall

- Irene Latham

...and... welcome to my first-ever fun quiz! (This was SO MUCH FUN to create. Go ahead, give it a go!)