Laura Purdie Salas

Writing the World for Kids

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[Poetry Friday] “The Slugger”

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Two items for Poetry Friday today!
1) Since it’s the start of Black History Month and the time of year that baseball springs to life again, I thought I’d share ?The Slugger? from J. Patrick Lewis? newest collection When Thunder Comes: Poems for Civil Rights Leaders.This poem is about Josh Gibson (1911-1947).

The Slugger

Our national pastime by the name
Of baseball was once mired in shame.
A prejudice-sized fear
Whitewashed the truth when history wrote
An unforgivable footnote–
The asterisk career.

Tape-measuring his home-run success,
800 of ?em more or less,
Won’t get you very far.
Josh Gibson always knew the score?
Only to die three months before
The black man broke the bar.

He hit a mile the Jim Crow snub?
?No coloreds in a white man’s club.?
All anyone could do
Was name him to the Hall of Fame,
A tower in the tarnished game
That Gibson never knew.

–J. Patrick Lewis, all rights reserved

I almost hesitated to share this collection now, because I don’t want it to get relegated to only February! And?When Thunder Comes?is not just about black civil rights. Pat has poems about people in many countries and of various backgrounds who have fought for equality of all people. The poems and backmatter are powerful, and, as the flap copy says, they invite ?the reader to hear in them the thunder that lies in even the smallest voice.? This is a book that every school and library should own.

2) If you know students grades 3-8 who like writing, Kane Miller has a cool poetry contest going on. Check out my post from Wednesday about it.

Tara at?A Teaching Life has?today’s Poetry Friday roundup?— enjoy!
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Comments

  1. “The asterisk career” – what a sad part of our national pastime, indeed. I shall have to look for this collection, Laura, thanks for sharing it today.

  2. “The asterisk career” – what a sad part of our national pastime, indeed. I shall have to look for this collection, Laura, thanks for sharing it today.

  3. Your post made me miss watching my little cousins’ baseball games. And having “no coloreds in a white man’s club” is such a sad, sad thought. But things are different now, aren’t they? Thanks for highlighting this poetry collection, Laura. =)

    • I’m not a baseball fan, but I really like watching my nephew’s games. The bleachers, the concession stand, the cheering…

      Things *are* different now, thank goodness, in many big ways, and this book celebrates those who helped it happen. Sadly, still lots of prejudice in the world, too. Using these poems in an older classroom could lead to great discussions about discrimination and equality.

  4. Your post made me miss watching my little cousins’ baseball games. And having “no coloreds in a white man’s club” is such a sad, sad thought. But things are different now, aren’t they? Thanks for highlighting this poetry collection, Laura. =)

    • I’m not a baseball fan, but I really like watching my nephew’s games. The bleachers, the concession stand, the cheering…

      Things *are* different now, thank goodness, in many big ways, and this book celebrates those who helped it happen. Sadly, still lots of prejudice in the world, too. Using these poems in an older classroom could lead to great discussions about discrimination and equality.

  9. Thank you for highlighting this collection, Laura! My hope is that Josh Gibson knows, somehow, that his accomplishments were finally brought to light. Thanks to J. Patrick Lewis for shedding this light. =)

  10. Thank you for highlighting this collection, Laura! My hope is that Josh Gibson knows, somehow, that his accomplishments were finally brought to light. Thanks to J. Patrick Lewis for shedding this light. =)

  11. I heard a talk given this week about Carter G. Woodson, the man who started what he called “Negro History Week” back in the 20s. His idea was that it would be a full year of study and preparation for the concentrated week of programs to teach African American History. Not that it all gets done during that one time frame; but that the year’s worth of study and development is heralded and broadcast during the highlighted time. So Black History Month is a time to trumpet what should be developed all year long. Pat took a long time making the book – you are celebrating it in the right time!! YAY!!

    • Interesting, Andi–I didn’t know that! I’m always sad to see great things like Black History and Poetry and causes like Breast Cancer Awareness relegated to a single month, because they seem largely ignored the rest of the time. But we should at least celebrate that they are the focus for a short period:>) And try to learn/promote/study them the rest of the time, when possible.

  12. I heard a talk given this week about Carter G. Woodson, the man who started what he called “Negro History Week” back in the 20s. His idea was that it would be a full year of study and preparation for the concentrated week of programs to teach African American History. Not that it all gets done during that one time frame; but that the year’s worth of study and development is heralded and broadcast during the highlighted time. So Black History Month is a time to trumpet what should be developed all year long. Pat took a long time making the book – you are celebrating it in the right time!! YAY!!

    • Interesting, Andi–I didn’t know that! I’m always sad to see great things like Black History and Poetry and causes like Breast Cancer Awareness relegated to a single month, because they seem largely ignored the rest of the time. But we should at least celebrate that they are the focus for a short period:>) And try to learn/promote/study them the rest of the time, when possible.

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