While working on poems to submit for Dare to Dream, the fantastic new anthology edited by Jill Corcoran, I wrote two poems about environmental pioneer Rachel Carson. Jill chose a different poem, but I’m excited to say that both my Carson poems will be shared publicly. This first one, a triolet, is in the September issue of Cricket Magazine. It’s my first publication in Cricket, though I’ve been in Spider before. So excited!
Rachel Carson, Reborn at Sea
I found myself reborn–at sea–
In rising tides of silver world
Where salt and stars and minds float free
I found myself, reborn at sea,
My old plans drifted far from me
My destiny in waves uncurled
I found myself reborn at sea
In rising tides of silver world
–Laura Purdie Salas
In the magazine, the poem is paired with a terrific feature article about Carson that they already had planned when I sold them my poem earlier this year. Talk about a fast turn-around! And there’s a picture of Carson on her trip to Woods Hole the year she first saw the ocean. So cool! 
In case you’re not familiar with Carson, here’s a little background: Rachel Carson planned to be a writer, but her college science classes so intrigued her that she switched her major to biology. In 1929, at age 22, Rachel went to study for six weeks at the Marine Biology Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. She saw the ocean for the first time and fell in love with it and its creatures. That and her fervent belief that all animals, including humans, are connected to and dependent upon each other led to her many books, including Silent Spring (1962). Silent Spring documented the effects of pesticides on our natural world and helped launch the environmental movement.
Sylvia Vardell at Poetry for Children has the Poetry Friday roundup. Speaking of fantabulous anthologies, I hope you’ll check out the Poetry Friday Anthology. It is amazing!
42 Responses
I love your poem- that first line so fits. Congrats for finding a home for it! (And I’m glad they are using it so quickly!)
Thanks, Cindyb. Yeah, I placed both Carson poems quickly–I believe this month is the 50th anniversary of the publication of Silent Spring, so that time hook gave it more urgency:>)
I love your poem- that first line so fits. Congrats for finding a home for it! (And I’m glad they are using it so quickly!)
Thanks, Cindyb. Yeah, I placed both Carson poems quickly–I believe this month is the 50th anniversary of the publication of Silent Spring, so that time hook gave it more urgency:>)
Laura, I am a big fan of poems about/inspired by historic women.. thanks so much for writing this one and congrats on CRICKET!
Thanks, Irene–I was thrilled Cricket took this:>)
Laura, I am a big fan of poems about/inspired by historic women.. thanks so much for writing this one and congrats on CRICKET!
Thanks, Irene–I was thrilled Cricket took this:>)
Your poem is beautiful!!! And congruatulations!
Thank you, Penny. It was fun to do a triolet (not a form I work often in).
Your poem is beautiful!!! And congruatulations!
Thank you, Penny. It was fun to do a triolet (not a form I work often in).
Many congratulations, Laura! I love the rolling beauty of your poem, and it looks great on the page too!
Thanks, Amy!
Thanks, Amy–I’m not sure if my other reply went through:>)
Many congratulations, Laura! I love the rolling beauty of your poem, and it looks great on the page too!
Thanks, Amy!
Thanks, Amy–I’m not sure if my other reply went through:>)
This week I’ve been helpig the librarian weed the books as we re-shelved them. We finally got to the poetry books this morning and I was so excited that Chatter, Sing, Roar, Buzz was on our school shelf!
Fun! I use the lemur mom poem in school visits sometimes. Though the bristled boar (or whatever it was called) one might be my favorite:>)
This week I’ve been helpig the librarian weed the books as we re-shelved them. We finally got to the poetry books this morning and I was so excited that Chatter, Sing, Roar, Buzz was on our school shelf!
Fun! I use the lemur mom poem in school visits sometimes. Though the bristled boar (or whatever it was called) one might be my favorite:>)
Congratulations! What a great sale!
Thanks, Tanita!
Congratulations! What a great sale!
Thanks, Tanita!
Congrats, Laura. Beautiful poem!
Thanks, Catherine:>)
Congrats, Laura. Beautiful poem!
Thanks, Catherine:>)
A masterful triolet, Laura. Brava!
Thanks so much, Pat–that means a lot!
A masterful triolet, Laura. Brava!
Thanks so much, Pat–that means a lot!
Great poem, Laura! I like it a lot. I’m impressed by your savvy submission skills, also. 🙂
Thanks, Tabatha! Well, this time it worked out really well. Of course, that’s not the norm:>)
Great poem, Laura! I like it a lot. I’m impressed by your savvy submission skills, also. 🙂
Thanks, Tabatha! Well, this time it worked out really well. Of course, that’s not the norm:>)
I’m so proud of you Laura! Also I love your poems in TPFA. You put on a poetry form smackdown. SALAS POWER!
Thanks, Charles! I will be sharing a poem of yours from TPFA on a Poetry Friday post soon. Thanks for the permission to do so:>)
I’m so proud of you Laura! Also I love your poems in TPFA. You put on a poetry form smackdown. SALAS POWER!
Thanks, Charles! I will be sharing a poem of yours from TPFA on a Poetry Friday post soon. Thanks for the permission to do so:>)