Happy Poetry Friday! I’m sharing a poem today from one of my favorite poets, Joyce Sidman. Her new book, What the Heart Knows: Chants, Charms & Blessings (Houghton Mifflin, 2013)?is a treasure from front to back. There’s so much beauty inside of it, equally from Joyce’s words and Pamela Zagarenski’s stunning illustrations. There are Chants & Charms (to bolster courage and guard against evil), Spells & Invocations (to cause something to happen), Laments & Remembrances (to remember, regret, or grieve), and Praise Songs & Blessings (to celebrate, thank or express love)–all packed into a deliciously small trim size (compared to her other collections).
Read more about this lovely book with Julie Danielson of 7 Impossible Things Before Breakfast here and here.
And here’s one of my favorites: “Sleep Charm.”?I chose it not only for its beauty, but also as a wish or blessing for my several family members who have insomnia issues!
Sleep Charm
This bed is the perfect bed.
Sink into its healing
cloud-softness,
cheek against cool pillow-white.
Forget anything you ever wanted,
hoped, or feared.
One by one, those cares will drop
from you like stones
into deep water.
Slip from your dayskin
and swim, shimmering,
into the dream beyond the dream.
The world will wait for you
through all its dark and absent hours,
and the creatures of the night
will sing your name.
–Joyce Sidman, all rights reserved
And here’s my audio clip of me reading the poem, with (hi, teachers!) an invitation to write your own poem at the end.?
I’m blessed to be in a crit group with Joyce, and one of our traditions is celebrating new books or awards or any kind of writing triumph with a plastic tiara bearing a #1 Author label that we force the “lucky” recipient to wear while we cheer her on and take pictures. So this is what our last meeting looked like:>)
Go, Joyce!
Joyce Sidman
Diane Mayr, wonderful?poet, librarian, and prolific poster over at Random Noodling (and more) has the Poetry Friday Roundup–enjoy!
Laura,
I love, love, love your post on Joyce Sidman’s new poetry book. What a great idea for a classroom project. I’m sure kids would love writing their own blessings. Spells,encantations and chants. What fun.
I definitely have to read this one.
I love the Princess picture of Joyce.
Thank you.
She’s a treasure, Joy! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post and poem I hope you love the book when you get ahold of it:>)
Laura,
I love, love, love your post on Joyce Sidman’s new poetry book. What a great idea for a classroom project. I’m sure kids would love writing their own blessings. Spells,encantations and chants. What fun.
I definitely have to read this one.
I love the Princess picture of Joyce.
Thank you.
She’s a treasure, Joy! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post and poem I hope you love the book when you get ahold of it:>)
I love this book! Glad to see it getting a lot of attention.
Me, too!
I love this book! Glad to see it getting a lot of attention.
Me, too!
Great choice for today, Laura! And I love the tiara idea. Every girl needs to wear a tiara once in a while to celebrate! Is it at all intimidating to have Joyce in your critique group?
You would think it would be, but her personality is so un-star-like. She’s just a regular, lovely, person, who happens to write the most outstanding poetry!
Actually, it’s a little intimidating to have Laura in MY critique group! She accomplishes more than all the rest of us combined, plus she’s an ace critiquer, always putting her finger on whatever’s working/not working with a manuscript. I feel super lucky to have her in my corner.
Aw, thanks, Joyce:>)
Great choice for today, Laura! And I love the tiara idea. Every girl needs to wear a tiara once in a while to celebrate! Is it at all intimidating to have Joyce in your critique group?
You would think it would be, but her personality is so un-star-like. She’s just a regular, lovely, person, who happens to write the most outstanding poetry!
Actually, it’s a little intimidating to have Laura in MY critique group! She accomplishes more than all the rest of us combined, plus she’s an ace critiquer, always putting her finger on whatever’s working/not working with a manuscript. I feel super lucky to have her in my corner.
Aw, thanks, Joyce:>)
Laura it sounds fabulous and that is a very soothing poem for insomnia. You make a fabulous team of poets.
Thanks, Catherine!
Laura it sounds fabulous and that is a very soothing poem for insomnia. You make a fabulous team of poets.
Thanks, Catherine!
What a beautiful poem — can’t wait to see the whole book. Lovely reading, too, Laura. Joyce is Queen of all things :).
She is, Jama. She is so thought-ful, both as a person and as a poet. Her poems are jewels.
What a beautiful poem — can’t wait to see the whole book. Lovely reading, too, Laura. Joyce is Queen of all things :).
She is, Jama. She is so thought-ful, both as a person and as a poet. Her poems are jewels.
Just love the way this poem ended – and thanks, too, for sharing your voice and your teaching idea.
So glad you enjoyed it, Tara–thanks!
Just love the way this poem ended – and thanks, too, for sharing your voice and your teaching idea.
So glad you enjoyed it, Tara–thanks!
I loved this poem so much that I immediately ordered Sidman’s book. THANK YOU.
Wonderful! Enjoy it–let it bring a bit of magic to each day!
I loved this poem so much that I immediately ordered Sidman’s book. THANK YOU.
Wonderful! Enjoy it–let it bring a bit of magic to each day!
I LOVE this book. Every page, every poem, every picture, every word. I am so glad I have it and I visit it often — for peace, for warmth, and for inspiration.
I love your description of what you visit it for, Rosi!
I LOVE this book. Every page, every poem, every picture, every word. I am so glad I have it and I visit it often — for peace, for warmth, and for inspiration.
I love your description of what you visit it for, Rosi!
I so enjoyed the selection that Diane posted from this book that I had to run right over for another Sidman fix. “Slip from your dayskin” made me groan, it’s that good. Guess I have no choice but to buy myself a copy now.
Yep, it’s inevitable… And that’s I think my very favorite line from the poem, too:>)
I so enjoyed the selection that Diane posted from this book that I had to run right over for another Sidman fix. “Slip from your dayskin” made me groan, it’s that good. Guess I have no choice but to buy myself a copy now.
Yep, it’s inevitable… And that’s I think my very favorite line from the poem, too:>)
Congratulations to Her Lovely Highness Joyce – I’ve had my eye on this book for a while and feel a need to buy it for Christmas presents (keeping one for me, of course!). Such a worthy and beautiful concept for a collection. And Pamela Zagarenski?s art always makes me swoon. Thanks for sharing today!
Great idea–I always think poetry books make wonderful gifts, of course. But this one is especially perfectly suited to giving to people you have an emotional connection with. I’m going to buy two copies for my daughters and ask Joyce to sign them. It’s like giving someone you love a hug, a steadying hand, a “You’re not alone–ever.” I guess those qualities make it perfect to give to strangers, too, people who might not get those sentiments from anyone in their lives… Anyway, an excellent gift choice!
Congratulations to Her Lovely Highness Joyce – I’ve had my eye on this book for a while and feel a need to buy it for Christmas presents (keeping one for me, of course!). Such a worthy and beautiful concept for a collection. And Pamela Zagarenski?s art always makes me swoon. Thanks for sharing today!
Great idea–I always think poetry books make wonderful gifts, of course. But this one is especially perfectly suited to giving to people you have an emotional connection with. I’m going to buy two copies for my daughters and ask Joyce to sign them. It’s like giving someone you love a hug, a steadying hand, a “You’re not alone–ever.” I guess those qualities make it perfect to give to strangers, too, people who might not get those sentiments from anyone in their lives… Anyway, an excellent gift choice!
I’m reading this at 3:30 a.m. — just what I needed, Laura! 🙂
Oh, dear. That’s not good. Hope you are getting some sleep!
I’m reading this at 3:30 a.m. — just what I needed, Laura! 🙂
Oh, dear. That’s not good. Hope you are getting some sleep!
Joyce Sidman is one of my favorite poets. I love “sink into its healing/cloud softness…” So inviting!
She’s fabulous! So glad you enjoyed this–thanks for coming by:>)
Joyce Sidman is one of my favorite poets. I love “sink into its healing/cloud softness…” So inviting!
She’s fabulous! So glad you enjoyed this–thanks for coming by:>)
Lovely.
I can’t wait to read the whole book.
I know you’ll love it, Mary Lee!
Lovely.
I can’t wait to read the whole book.
I know you’ll love it, Mary Lee!
It looks like a really special book and a lovely holiday gift. Thanks for sharing!
It is perfect for a holiday gift. I’ll be buying two for my daughters. In fact, I should contact a local indie and buy them now!
It looks like a really special book and a lovely holiday gift. Thanks for sharing!
It is perfect for a holiday gift. I’ll be buying two for my daughters. In fact, I should contact a local indie and buy them now!
I love the tiara — what a fun way to celebrate success in your group! I’ll be asking Santa for this for Christmas!
We always feel a bit silly taking our turn in the tiara, but, really, we SHOULD feel like a princess when we have some success to celebrate! I hope Santa grants your wish:>)
I love the tiara — what a fun way to celebrate success in your group! I’ll be asking Santa for this for Christmas!
We always feel a bit silly taking our turn in the tiara, but, really, we SHOULD feel like a princess when we have some success to celebrate! I hope Santa grants your wish:>)
GRANDMA AND THE KIDDO
Thoughts bursts in a fury, neurons are popping like a vat of overheated kernels.
All my homework assignments done, did I forget one?
I studied hard for tomorrows test, now please rest!
Why doesn?t Tiffany Bree ever look at me?
My little brother?s a pain, now it?s starting to rain.
As drizzle tap dances on my windowsill Grandma knocks,
Walks in. ?Heard you tossing and turning, you?re keeping me awake.?
?Sorry.? I say. ?I?ve got a lot on my mind.? Grandma gives me a soul to soul hug.
I nestle one side of my face against the back of her neck. She smells of lavender and baby powder. ?You?re a good kid kiddo.? She whispers in my ear before getting up, closing my door on her way out. For the first time today or tonight I feel the shackles of stress release from my body. I relax into my mattress as the rhythm of nature?s tears help put me to sleep.
(c) Charles Waters 2013 all rights reserved.
GRANDMA AND THE KIDDO
Thoughts bursts in a fury, neurons are popping like a vat of overheated kernels.
All my homework assignments done, did I forget one?
I studied hard for tomorrows test, now please rest!
Why doesn?t Tiffany Bree ever look at me?
My little brother?s a pain, now it?s starting to rain.
As drizzle tap dances on my windowsill Grandma knocks,
Walks in. ?Heard you tossing and turning, you?re keeping me awake.?
?Sorry.? I say. ?I?ve got a lot on my mind.? Grandma gives me a soul to soul hug.
I nestle one side of my face against the back of her neck. She smells of lavender and baby powder. ?You?re a good kid kiddo.? She whispers in my ear before getting up, closing my door on her way out. For the first time today or tonight I feel the shackles of stress release from my body. I relax into my mattress as the rhythm of nature?s tears help put me to sleep.
(c) Charles Waters 2013 all rights reserved.