Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
These are hard days for writers, aren’t they? Especially ones who aren’t big names. And who have books from last year not selling too well along with books publishing this year and facing extra challenges. (I know, these are hard days for everyone, including mostly people with much bigger problems than this!) It makes any good news extra wonderful! This is not new news, but I was so excited to see it. When School Library Journal appeared in my inbox with a free digital edition to read, I was happy to go through it. I was surprised and delighted to see a three-page spread celebrating NCTE’s Notable Poetry and Novels in Verse awards. Seeing my name and three of my titles on this list buoyed me for the whole day, and the gratitude lingers. It was made extra fun by seeing again books by some participants in Poetry Friday and the general online kidlit poetry community. Spot anybody you know in this little excerpt?
Okay, now on to this week’s poem! Last week, I posted my Things to Do if You Are Spring poem that appeared in the Spring edition of Children & Libraries. I invited you guys to share your own lines for a community version, and many of you did. Thank you! I adore the variety of voices here, and I think this really reflects the messiness, and yet the beauty, of this time.
And for lots more wonderful poetry, don’t miss the Poetry Friday Roundup with Amy at the Poem Farm. Poetry is such a comforting shelter these days.
20 Responses
What a great idea, Laura! I love Mary Lee’s final line.
Awww… you wove our lines together beautifully, Laura! It’s warms my heart to be part of this little community poem. Congratulations that THREE of your books were “notable”—not surprising, but great to see regardless. 🙂 I figured out that I’ve read about 70 percent of the ones pictured, so I’m off to a good start, but with a ways to go.
I love it! The coming together of all the lines into a whole helps me feel less alone. Thanks!
Thank you for putting into words what felt so good about assembling this poem!
Beautiful chorus of voices, Laura & everyone! Spring is one thing that’s touching all our hearts!
Congratulations on your good news–and I recognized several. Yea! Thank you for weaving together this community in this poem Despite the outward circumstances, spring is bringing hope.
Yes, it’s wonderful and rich and alive and green and spring! Fun!
How fun! I’d forgotten all about that this was coming, and here it is! Thanks Laura for putting this together so nicely.
I love this! What a wonderful thing to do with a group of students!
I do this kind of group poem all the time with kids. It’s a simple, flexible form–I love it!
Love it!
Lovely community poem! And congratulations on all your notable books, Laura! Much deserved.
So many congratulations to you, Laura! Those books of yours are delightful, and I am so happy they are receiving the attention they deserve. And what a community joy for spring. I am reading it to the snow outside! Lots of love and health to you and to your family. May this time bring you new words. xx
What a great wish for us all. Thanks, Amy–and that snow is coming our way tomorrow! Up to 11 inches in southern Minnesota, and I guess those of us in the Twin Cities are due for “a plowable amount” of at least several inches. I love snowstorms and being snowed in, but as antsy as we’re all getting, it’s perhaps not the best time for it. Especially for folks with Easter plans. Thanks for hosting PF!
Congratulations on your successes, and thank you for bringing our voices together to speak for spring. I love it!
Congratulations on your good news — well deserved. And your community line woven poem turned out lovely. Thanks for more bits to help buoy us all through the coming week(s). Be well. 🙂
A fun and fulfilling poem Laura, thanks for the call and your orchestration–smiling from it, and I love the background imagery for it! Congrats on your books too! This poems a perfect way to end my day and start a new week, xo.
Lovely! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
Laura, I finally got time to step back and read through PF posts. I totally forgot about the community poem you were going to pen. I think you did a wonderful job and hope you will consider posting this on my Nature Nurtures! Padlet at https://padlet.com/cvarsalona/eg1xn0hxilua for the #NatureNurtures2020 Gallery. Congratulations on your great news!
Done! And I hear you. I’m still trying to get through last week’s PF posts. Trying to do that more, but my to-do lists keep expanding.