Milkweed - Feeling Thankful in the Cold

Wishes 2016

Photo by Amy LV

Students - Today I am thinking that Thanksgiving comes at just the right time.  Here in the Northeastern United States, the colorful leaves have mostly fallen, and we can feel snow and a long winter in the air.  Winter lasts for many months 'round these parts, and so the cold days of November are a beautiful time to think about gratitude.  

Today, as I walked up to the pasture with our dogs, I marveled at the exquisite milkweed plant you see atop this post.  It was easy to feel thankful as I touched their little angel wings and felt warm and hopeful inside.

Notice the repetition in today's poem.  Sometimes repetition can emphasize what a writer wishes to express. And I am, indeed, thankful for small natural beauties.  

If ever you're unsure of what to write about, I recommend a walk outside.  Just look around and up and down and here and there.  I imagine that you, too, will find something that fills you with gratitude.

A very Happy Thanksgiving to my friends far and wide.  I am thankful for you.

Stitch Buffalo Stitched Birds - Free Shipping Through December 15

Photo by Amy LV

In case you missed it last week, just like last year, The Poem Farm will be giving a Christmas gift of free shipping for anyone who would like to order two or more handstitched notebooks or bird ornaments.  These are beautiful pieces made by refugee artisan women in Buffalo, NY through Stitch Buffalo.  They do not ship, but only sell locally, so this is a special opportunity. You can read my post and learn more information HERE.  

To read last year's Stitch Buffalo post and poem, visit HERE.  I am so happy and thankful to share that in one week, The Poem Farm readers have purchased $935 of birds and notebooks, most all of which will go directly to the individual artisans who made each item.  Thank you!

At the moment, I am in Atlanta, Georgia for the National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention.  I look forward to speaking with and meeting up with good friends.  If you're at NCTE, please look for me.  I'll have a bag full of poems to share and would love to give you one or two.

This month I am grateful to have artist Tim Needles visiting my other blog, Sharing Our Notebooks.  His notebooks are inspiring and great fun, and I encourage you to check them out.  Too, the book giveaway on his post ends this Sunday, November 20.

Brenda is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at Friendly Fairy Tales.  All are always welcome in this warm community of folks who love poems and people.

Please share a comment below if you wish.

If you are under 13 years old, please comment only with a parent 

or as part of a group with your teacher and class.

Birds, Hope, and A Way to Give

Handstitched Bird by Stitch Buffalo Artisans

Photo by Shelby Deck

Find this poem at The Poetry Foundation

It is in the public domain.

Students - Today I was thinking about Emily Dickinson's poem, the one you just read.  It is a poem that stays inside of one's heart, a poem you can pull out and hold when you need it.

Today I also wanted to write something, and when I did not know what to write, the words of Emily whispered into my ear.  Her words helped to write my own.  

Handstitched Birds by Stitch Buffalo Artisans

Photo by Shelby Deck

When you read my poem, you will notice that many of the words are the same words that Emily used, but I have used them in different places and ways.  You will also notice that the rhyme scheme and meter of my poem matches Emily's.  Her poem helped me write today, in more ways than I feel able to explain.

The other week, I wrote about poems having friends, and I hope that the poem I wrote today, below, might be a good friend for Emily's words.  The more poems we know, the more poems will come to our minds when we need them.  And every once in a while, a poem we love may inspire us to write a new poem in its honor, to be its pal.

Writing can help us make sense of the world, and it can help us do good, each in our small way.  Today I am happy to share that just like last year, I will be offering free shipping on the gorgeous handstitched birds you see above, birds made by refugee artisan women of Stitch Buffalo, living in Buffalo, NY.  

Artisans of Stitch Buffalo

Photo by Shelby Deck

And this year, I have something new and lovely to share.   Just for us, and just announced today, these artisans have begun making writers notebooks with pen pouches, small notebook covers designed to hold 5" x 8" Moleskine-style notebooks. Each includes a notebook and pen.

Sewn and Handstitched Notebooks by Stitch Buffalo Artisans

Photo by Shelby Deck

In the words of activists Dawne Hoeg and Shelby Deck --

The vision for Stitch Buffalo was conceived with an impulse to unite the communal craft of textile arts with Buffalo’s growing refugee population. Our goals were to: educate individuals in contemporary textile design methods, nourish and honor global textile traditions, provide cross-cultural interaction, providing a supportive social network, stimulate literacy skills, improve financial opportunities, create a community of women supporting women.

Over the two and a half years, Stitch Buffalo has grown from one Congolese woman to more than than 50 women from all over the world who come on a weekly basis for skill training and creative support in the vast and beautiful field of textile art and design.  Along the way, non-refugee participants have enriched the class as well, further deepening the experience for everyone involved.

Each item sold creates financial and artistic opportunity in the life of the woman who made it and a truly unique connection for the person who purchases it.

If you would like to learn more about Stitch Buffalo, enjoy the clip below.

The cost of each embroidered hanging feathered friend is $20, and the cost of each writers notebook with pen holder is $25.  I will pay your shipping for an order of any two items or more. You will receive a surprise color and for each item you purchase, and 70% of the money will go directly to the refugee woman who stitched the piece, the remainder going to materials.  Each stitched piece will be tagged with the artisan's name and home country.  

If you are interested in ordering two of any Stitch Buffalo pieces, either birds or notebooks, The Poem Farm will pay shipping to send your order to your home (or a friend's home) in the continental US.  Please just drop me an e-mail to me, and I personally will mail your birds or notebooks!  All orders (and checks) must be received by December 15.  I am also happy to hand carry birds and notebooks to NCTE in Atlanta later this month.

To order birds and notebooks, please:

• Send an e-mail by December 15 to me at amy@amylv.com with STITCH in the subject line.
• Include what you wish to order.  (Colors will be a surprise!)
• Include your address.
• Wait for an e-mail with information about mailing your check.

If you wish to make a donation of stitchery materials, gorgeous buttons, glass beads, or money to Stitch Buffalo, please let me know, and I will connect you with them.

You can learn more about Stitch Buffalo HERE.

You can learn more about our refugee population in Buffalo, NY HERE.  The family story of one Stitch Buffalo artisan is highlighted in this BUFFALO NEWS series from Fall 2016.

Thank you for being here for each other, for me, and for our good, beautiful world.

Love,
Amy
xo

This month I am grateful to have artist Tim Needles visiting my other blog, Sharing Our Notebooks.  I've admired his work on Twitter for a while, and it's a treat to peek into his fabulous notebooks and to learn about his faith in process.  Don't miss.  (And there's a book giveaway for a commenter too!)

It is now Friday, and I would like to invite everyone over to this week's Poetry Friday roundup over at Jama's Alphabet Soup.  All are always welcome in this warm community of folks who love poems and people.

Please share a comment below if you wish.

If you are under 13 years old, please comment only with a parent 

or as part of a group with your teacher and class.

Welcome - And a Way to Give

'Feathered Friends' Crafted by Stitch Buffalo Artisans

Photo by Amy LV

(Keep reading to order!)

Students - If you have spent much time here, you know that I greatly value both kindness and handcrafts.  Today's poem is a combination of these two values.  This week, I have been reflecting upon many things:

*  Current news about the suffering of Syrian refugees. I was particularly moved pieces about children, about their dreams and fears and hopes in what are now desperate times.

*  A quote that many folks have been citing lately, by the late and wonderful Fred Rogers.  "When I was a boy and would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers.  You will always find people helping....'"

*  One of my favorite poems, Alley Violinist, by Robert Lax.  I have mentioned this here before.

*  One of my favorite picture books, EACH KINDNESS, written by Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by E.B. Lewis.  I am a great fan of both of these people and had the good fortune to meet E.B. Lewis last weekend.  I have mentioned this book here before too.  (See!  Writers can be reinspired over and over by the same things!)

*  The gorgeous birds you see in the above picture, all hand-stitched by women who have come to Buffalo, NY from other parts of the world.

You will notice that today's poem tells a story about one robin and one tree.  And then, at the end...it asks a question.  This is just what Robert Lax does in Alley Violinist, and that idea of leaving the reader with a question was not something I planned to do today...but it happened as a result of my reading.

The writing thought I would like to leave you with today is: care.  Read and care.  Do and care. Listen and care.  Look at the world, near and far from you, and care.  Fill yourself up with things to care about. These very same cares will become a part of the human you are and a part of your writing too.  So get out there and pay attention.  There is a lot to notice and care about.

Now, onto the birds!  The ones you see above will be gifts for my friends and family.  (Lucky you if you're reading and one of them...sorry about ruining the surprise!)  They were made by the women of Stitch Buffalo, and you can read about this group, started by my two friends, Dawne Hoeg and Shelby Deck, below.

From the Stitch Buffalo Website:

Women Stitching Together on any Given Thursday

Buffalo, NY

The vision for Stitch Buffalo was conceived with an impulse to unite the communal craft of textile arts with Buffalo’s growing refugee population. Our goals were to: educate individuals in contemporary textile design methods, nourish and honor global textile traditions, provide cross-cultural interaction, providing a supportive social network, stimulate literacy skills, improve financial opportunities, create a community of women supporting women.

Over the last year and a half, the Stitch Buffalo has grown from one Congolese woman to more than than 45 women from all over the world who come on a weekly basis for skill training and creative support in the vast and beautiful field of textile art and design.  Along the way, non-refugee participants have enriched the class as well, further deepening the experience for everyone involved. 

I would like to support the work of these amazing artisans in a greater way than simply purchasing birds for my own friends and family.  And so, here is an offer from The Poem Farm...

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23 UPDATE!  

Due to popular demand (yay!) feathered friends are gone until after the holidays.  

Pouches and cuffs are still available, and I will pay shipping on one or more of these beautiful items!

Stitch Buffalo refugee artisans  make 'Feathered Friends' ($15),  'Prayer Pouches' on linen ($25), and embroidered ‘Wonder Woman Cuff Bracelets' ($45).  I will pay your shipping for an order of any two items. You will receive a surprise color and for each item you purchase, and 70% of the money will go directly to the refugee woman who stitched the piece, the remainder going to materials.  Each stitched piece will be tagged with the artisan's name and home country.  

If you are interested in ordering two of any Stitch Buffalo pieces, The Poem Farm will pay the shipping to fly your order of birds to your home in the continental US.  Please just drop me an e-mail to amy at amylv dot com and I will let you know where to send your check.  Then, I personally will mail your birds or pouches or cuffs!  All orders (and checks) must be received by December 15.  Thank you for reading!

If you would like to learn more about Stitch Buffalo, enjoy the clip below.

Please just let me know via e-mail at amy@amylv.com if you are interested in ordering any 'Feathered friends', 'Prayer Pouches', or 'Wonder Woman Cuffs', and I will handle the order and pay for your shipping.

It is a delight to host author and illustrator Peter Catalanotto over at Sharing Our Notebooks this month.  Please stop by, enjoy peeking into his notebooks, and read his words about creativity being messy.  Too, Peter has offered two books for giveaways to commenters on this post.

Tricia Stohr-Hunt is hosting this month's Poetry Friday roundup over at The Miss Rumphius Effect.  Visit her place to find this week's poetry offerings, and stay to get lost in all of her own wonderful posts from years gone by.

Please share a comment below if you wish.