Happy Poetry Friday!
(Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
One of my favorite poets is Amy Ludwig VanDerwater over at The Poem Farm. Besides loving her work, I just love how generous and warm and smart she is. You probably already know her fabulous blog, but did you know her website is awesome, too? As I thought about what I wanted to add to my new site, Amy’s was one of the sites I shamelessly looked to for inspiration. She has A Handful of Poetry, a selection of poems, right there in her main sidebar. Now Amy shares a gazillion poems on her blog, so why do that? But I realized people who visit her site might not be blog readers, and her small selection of poems is a great way to share her voice and style–without overwhelming them with that gazillion poems. So I decided to do something similar on my site, and I ended up with A Poetry Sampler, 10 poems of different styles, audience ages, and topics, just to give a feel for the range of poems I like to write.
There you’ll see several poems that have appeared on my blog, plus one or two that have never been published anywhere. One of the ones I don’t think I’ve shared is “Soap Bubbles,” so that’s the one I’m hoping you’ll read. It’s in Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong’s Poetry Friday Anthology for Science, and it’s extra-appropriate because I’m presenting with them, along with Susan Marie Swanson and (I think) Nancy Bo Flood, about poetry at NCTE this afternoon!
OK, I’m totally wrong. I see after checking my records that this poem hasn’t been published anywhere! So hard to remember. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. And if you don’t have time to visit my Sampler, here’s “Soap Bubbles” for you:>)
Tricia, one of my lovely Poetry Sisters, will have today’s Poetry Friday Roundup at The Miss Rumphius Effect. Happy Poetry Friday, you guys!
That is a lovely poem, Laura.
Very nice poem, Laura! Beautiful in its simplicity.
Oh, this is one of those poems I do wish that I wrote. Those last lines are so elegant! It is an honor to have inspired a small corner of your blog, Laura. You have inspired me in many many ways, and I love how much we all learn from each other here in Poetry Friday land. We are lucky! xx
With so much gloom & doom, it’s a blessing to read something light and airy to distract–even for just a few moments! God bless you! Thanks for sharing, Laura!
I love it! Nice bubbles of rhyme.
Thanks for this poem that reminds me to be playful! You and Amy are two of my favorite poets.
Now I want to go blow bubbles with my nephews! I’ll read it to them the next time we do blow bubbles 🙂 Hope to see you this afternoon!
Lovely to see you at NCTE!
I do read all of Amy’s poems, Laura, so what a wonderful thing your own Poetry Sampler will be. Love this bubble poem, that ‘shiny cage’.
Thanks, Linda!
I love the idea of the soap bubble as a shiny cage. What might be trapped inside, waiting to break out?
Thanks, Laura! A teacher at NCTE was gushing over your work/blog to me, by the way:>)
Super poem, Laura! I like the way the layout reflects the journey of the bubbles. Having a sampler is a great idea.
THanks, Tabatha–and I agree on the great idea (ahem, Amy!).
Laura, this is such a wonderful poem, and I’m glad you decided to offer a Sampler. You are so right about Amy being huge source of inspiration — as are you! So happy to know you. Wishing you a happy NCTE! Hugs to Janet and Sylvia. xo
Thanks, Irene–and right back at you. Hearing you and Amy present at…ILA? NCTE? Not sure which, but it inspired me tons!
Y’know, it’s A GOOD SIGN when you have so many poems out you’re not sure where you’ve stashed them all.
Happy NCTE-ing.
True! But when you like to be organized…sigh. Had a wonderful, exhausting NCTE! Thanks!
I love that you explore the bubble to the point where it is still part of you, a trap for your breath. Lovely poem.
I hadn’t thought of that, Brenda, of the connectedness of it–thank you for showing me that!
It was your poem that gave me the thought. 😀
I loved this poem and all the poems in your Sampler. Your website looks rich and inviting–lots to explore, altogether an interesting place!
Thank you, Violet!
I’m starting Thanksgiving vacation reading everyone’s Poetry Friday offerings. I was going to say that I loved the last few lines, but then I reread and I also love “perfect circle, shiny cage” so I guess I just love the whole thing. It feels like blowing bubbles. Thanks! And I love the new look of your website!
Thanks, Carol! And thank you on the website–there are still some colors I’d like to tweak, but I’m pretty darn happy with it overall!
Love this poem, Laura. And your website is looking fantabulous!
Fun float with the bubble. With a boffo ending.
And sweet to think about savoring your sampler.
Appreciations to you, to Amy, & all sharing authors, readers, writers.
Thanks–yes, Amy and this whole community! Including you and other readers and contributors:>)