The theme of today’s #waterpoemproject is gift poems, and before I share mine, I want to share a gift I got recently. Snowman-Cold=Puddle is a nominee for the Minnesota Youth Reading Awards (Star of the North picture book category). This is Minnesota’s version of the kids’ choice awards, and this is my very first book to ever be a nominee. There are 9 other fabulous picture books on the list — including another one by a Minnesotan, Map Into the World. I am honored to have a picture book listed here, and thrilled that this means more readers will see my book. Books that are genre-crossers (like Snowman is) can have a difficult time finding readers because they don’t fit cleanly into a niche. Recognition and honors are often the only things that signal to librarians or bookshops that a book is worth carrying. So I’m very grateful for the gift of time and discussion and effort that goes into this selection and all the others. Thank you!
Now, today’s prompt, from Janet Wong, was to write a poem as a gift and include a water metaphor. Here’s mine. Each time we shop, I am beyond grateful to every worker, on the floor and behind the scenes, helping to keep that store open so that we can continue eating good food and maintaining at least one semi-normal routine.
Like most everybody else, I’m experiencing lots of upheavals lately! I have no huge National Poetry Month plans–just hoping to share an imagepoem here each day (or as often as I can). I’m participating in Laura Shovan’s awesome #WaterPoemProject the best I can, so most of my poems will come from either that or from the PAD (Poem A Day) Challenge at Writers Digest. Grateful for the distraction of poetry and friends!
8 Responses
Congratulations on the nomination of your incredible book, Snowman-Cold=Puddle, for a Minnesota Youth Reading Award! The recognition is well-deserved! And your poem above–it exudes a calm appreciation of the Little=Big efforts that are definitely helping us get through this “windstorm life”.
Thanks so much, Suzanne!
Laura, SO proud of your nomination for Snowman… Congratulations! Stay well.
Thank you, Nancy! And you, too!
Lovely poem, Laura. And so heartfelt and important now.
Thanks, Rose:>)
How exciting, Laura! Congratulations on your book’s nomination! Your poem is beautifully written with lovely metaphors.
Thanks, Pamela. I never would have come up with the pond, I don’t think, but the prompt insisted on water. I love prompts for that reason–they push me in directions I might not have gone otherwise:>)