Welcome, and happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) I’m so happy you’ve dropped by. Whether you’re a regular participant in the Poetry Friday world, or you ended up here from a search or a link, please know that we’re a welcoming community! Read, comment, think, share, and enjoy!
[Note: a longtime Poetry Friday community member is looking for a female roomie for NCTE in Denver. If you’re going and are looking for a roommate, I’d be happy to connect the two of you if you let me know in the comments. Thanks!]
[Second note: I ended up with one more f&g (folded & gathered) review copy of my forthcoming book, Flurry, Float, and Fly! The Story of a Snowstorm. I’m looking to send it out to a blogger who loves snow, science, and picture books, and who would want to read and share it on their blog and social media. If you’re interested, would you leave me a comment? I’ll ask someone for their mailing address and send it out. Thanks for considering!]
I’m publishing this on Thursday, September 11. Like every date, it’s full of good and bad. Of course, the September 11 attacks are foremost in many people’s minds. But also, our fabulous niece has her birthday on this date, and that’s always a good reminder of the mix of tragedy and beauty that is life. Such a dichotomy.
I’ve been absent a lot the past couple of months. We’ve been dealing with the passing of my father and Randy’s mother, plus one daughter’s housing crisis, plus a million other things. But there have been wonderful things too–that dichotomy again. Birthday celebrations, family games, a day at Valleyfair, and small bits of connection with writer friends. What there hasn’t been is writing. I’m cranky, and I miss it.
But. At least I’ve gotten a bit of reading in. I’ve been re-reading some old favorites, like poems by Valerie Worth and Barbara Juster Esbensen. But I recently read two new books, and I thought I’d share.
First up, Dear Acorn (Love, Oak), by Joyce Sidman. Joyce and I are in a crit group together, and here we all are, celebrating this beauty!
It. Is. Amazing. Art by Melissa Sweet and 4 starred reviews so far. I think it’s my favorite poetry collection of hers since This Is Just to Say came out 10+ years ago. I love all her books, but this one…sigh. The subtitle is Letter Poems to Friends, and the poems are in pairs, written back and forth from Oak and Acorn, Bubble and Sky, and many more pairs. Here’s one of my favorites.
Sky
Hello! It’s me, Bubble!
I’m here!
Someone breathed me
awake!
I’m
bobbing
drifting
shimmering!
So much to see
as I rise in the breeze,
so much to feel:
the coolness, the roundness,
the rainbows
on my face…
O Sky, as I float up and up
in your dazzling air–so blue–
how I long to
be
part
of you
POP!
–copyright Joyce Sidman, from Dear Acorn (Love, Oak), all rights reserved
The poems in this book are full of wonder, heart, and hints into the lives of the various objects. Stunning.
Another book I’ve loved recently, a totally different book, is Knocking on Windows, a memoir in verse by Jeannine Atkins. This is a young adult/adult memoir sharing a terrible trauma Jeannine faced in college, followed by her path to finding her writing voice and moving forward with her life.
Two women in my family are rape survivors, and I was a bit afraid to read this. But the scorching vulnerability and the rage echoed in me in a kind of painful and beautiful way as I read. Here are a few favorite excerpts:
“Quiet as ghosts, we make our bodies into a courthouse
where we’re not only victim, but judge, jury, lawyers.
…
Why didn’t you try harder to run?
Why didn’t you scream louder, longer?”“Everyone has stories that take years, not minutes, to tell.
While rocks are battered by waves,
sand ever so slowly, beautifully crumbles.”“Like with the women called witches
who drowned when dunked, the only proof
she fought hard enough is as if she’s dead.”
These are two powerful books in quite different ways. They fill me with rage and hope, wonder and grief. They’ll both stay with me, and I’m grateful for that.
Rose Capelli at Imagine the Possibilities is hosting the Poetry Friday Roundup this week. She’s sharing a lovely poem she wrote following Mary Oliver’s advice of paying attention and being astonished–don’t miss it!
PS I’m reading and appreciating all of your comments. WordPress won’t let me Like your comments. It won’t let me log in to do that (which is a different login from my own website’s platform. Sigh.
21 Responses
Laura, if you’re still looking for some eyes on your new PB, I would love to help out.
Hi Laura, Thank you for this important sharing and post. My heart is with you as you navigate these waters. One book that has helped me during the past few years is Bruce Feiler’s LIFE IS IN THE TRANSITIONS. The hard and the beautiful all at once is both challenging and wondrous. Big hugs. I look forward to these three new books by three such wise authors. Many congratulations on another bookgift to the world! xo, a.
Thank you, Amy. I’ll look for that book.<3
I am so looking forward to Dear Acorn (Love, Oak) that dream collaboration, and the photo shows some of the joy from the a bit of the journey to covers. I hope things settle a bit soon and I know you’ll find your best way back to writing, bringing it all in. Thanks for working up your courage and reading Knocking on Windows, I’m grateful. Rage and beauty. What would the world be without that dichotomy? Glad we find the wonder and hope, too, in small moments.
I’ve hand recommended your book to several librarians recently. I hope it finds a wide audience–which I know is a challenge for both memoir and poetry. Fingers crossed, my friend!
Thank you for all you do, from my heart.
Thinking of you during this very difficult time, Laura. Glad you have found a way to remember the dichotomy of life. I love the mix of joy and sadness in your post — it reminds me of that dichotomy, too. Congratulations on bringing another of your books into the world!
Fish what a couple of wonders, Laura. Looking forward to reading both Joyce’s and yours!
Tragedy and beauty, yes, Laura. My Iranian neighbor’s birthday is September 11th and I think she always says her birthday with embarrassment, even though she’s excited about it. Thanks for telling us about these excellent books!
Sorry for the losses and sadness you and your family have experienced recently, heartened by your ability to put things into perspective by identifying the great dichotomies in life.
I’m so anxious to read Dear Acorn (Love, Oak), as I’m a big fan of both Joyce and Melissa. Loved Knocking on Windows; am still processing my emotional reactions to it and remain totally in awe of Jeannine’s craft and courage.
Thank you, Jama. And yes, it’s hard to figure out a pithy reaction to Jeannine’s book. I’m also in awe. And I think you’ll ADORE Dear Acorn (Love, Oak)!
Thank you, Jama!
So sorry about your losses, Laura. I recently wrote a poem about such a dichotomy- My
father-in-law died on our wedding night 44 years ago. The happiest and saddest day at once. I recall lifting the shade in the morning and seeing children laughing on the way to school and feeling confused. “Don’t they know?” May the beauty of words like those in your poem, the love of family and the laughter of children help you to embrace the light even while walking through the darkness.
Oh, that’s hard to have such a traumatic thing happen on your wedding day. I’m sorry to have those two events tied together…
I’m looking forward to adding your new book to my collection. I think I have all of your picture books. : ) I have Love, Acorn and Knocking on Windows on my wishlist. I’m sorry for your losses. I’m glad you’ve had some well-deserved good things happening, too. xo
Boy, did I have a big dose of hard and beautiful this summer. I’m so sorry for all the sadness, but I’m happy you are seeing the beautiful. And your new book is just that…beautiful! Thanks for the f&g. I couldn’t wait to write about it, so I posted today. I hope that’s OK. Thanks for the book recommendations. I’ve gotten Jeanine’s but haven’t read it yet. Do you know if Joyce will be at NCTE? I’d love to get a signed copy.
That’s amazing, Margaret–thank you! I’m making the rounds now. Good question about Joyce and NCTE. Not as far as I know. But our group hasn’t been gathering regularly enough, so it might just not have come up. I’ll ask her.
Oh, that dichotomy. You have had some challenging times lately, and I appreciate that you’re still finding the beauty in your world. That can be such a task. I hope that soon you will find some more space to write and work the cranky out. Your upcoming book looks amazing! If you’re still looking for volunteers, I’d love to read it to my class and also review it on my blog. (My social media presence is pretty tame though, so you might want to look elsewhere–I’d just be sharing a link to the review.) Thanks also for the sneak peek/book reviews. I’ve put “Dear Acorn” on my list, and am going to stop by my local bookstore and see if they have it later today. Take care!
Hi, Laura — First, sending love and condolences to your family. I’m so sorry you and Randy have lost parents; be gentle with yourselves, especially with everything else you’re managing, both the challenging and the joyful endeavors. Thanks for the shout-outs for these wonderful books; I haven’t read Joyce’s yet, and I have Jeannine’s right here by my computer and will read soon. xo — Robyn HB (who can’t figure out the WordPress changes responding to blogs)
I’m so happy for Flurry, Float and Fly! I’ve asked for it in my public library and it makes me happy that the children and their readers in their lives get to read rich illustrated poetry. I’ve asked my public library to purchase it and put it on hold for me.
I’m sorry you’ve been dealing with loss and crisis. It just never ends, does it? I will hold you in my thoughts and picture you staying up on your surfboard. I think of not fighting the waves of difficulty but surfing them.
I love Joyce Sidman’s work and will look for this. You have a lot going on it sounds like and my thoughts are with you. I would be happy to blog about your new book and will look for Flurry, Float and Fly.