Giggle! Giggle!
by Amy LV
Students - Today's poem showed up in my notebook with its own voice. I was writing and thinking...and after a few false poem starts, these words appeared. I believe that this small poem grew from a combination of my thoughts about a fresh school year, musings on being new (our daughter is a new college student), and from current news about the numbers of people who must flee their homes due to war or disaster. One friend can shelter a person from a storm. We can each reach out a hand.
Pay attention to your own feelings about the seasons of the year and the news you hear and see. Our emotions mix with the world, and we can combine feelings and observations into new art.
Pay attention, too, to books that move you. I am quite sure that this poem also grew from two of my favorite picture books, picture books that I often read aloud: EACH KINDNESS by Jaccqueline Woodson and BE A FRIEND by Salina Yoon.
I have missed The Poem Farm online these past few weeks, but I had a beautiful summer at The Poem Farm in real life. I wrote a collection of poems for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra's 2017-2018 children's concert, and I look forward to attending a show or two. I taught some classes, made all kinds of goodies from fruit, visited Assateague Island to camp on the beach with wild horses, and read a few great books... It was a good summer. And too, it's good to be back.
Now, as the year begins, I look forward to two new books to be published this fall. READ! READ! READ! , illustrated by Ryan O'Rourke, will be out this month with Wordsong, and POEMS ARE TEACHERS: HOW STUDYING POETRY STRENGTHENS OUR WRITING IN ALL GENRES will be out in October with Heinemann. Please visit Goodreads to be entered in my giveaway for a signed copy of READ! READ! READ!
I also have an in-person school visit up for bid in Kate Messner's KitLit Cares auction for Hurricane Harvey Relief. This auction is full of Skype visits, signed books, manuscript critiques, conferences admissions...all up for bid with all proceeds benefiting those affected by Harvey. Please consider bidding and sharing the link.
It has been a treat to host Jessica Fries-Gaither at Sharing Our Notebooks...where she shares all about keeping a Scientist Notebook You can find all kinds of notebook inspiration over there, so please stop by when your notebook wishes for a bit of love. I invite you to share your notebook...
Kathryn Apel is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at her place with a celebration of creativity. All are always welcome to this weekly gathering of poetry and friendship!
Please share a comment below if you wish.
