You, Moon, a Poetryaction to the Museum on the Moon

Poetry Friday logo by Linda Mitchell

Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)

I haven’t read as many picture books/poetry books this year as I usually do. But I finally got my hands on one I’ve been eager to read. I bet you’ve read or at least read about Irene Latham’s lovely The Museum on the Moon poetry collection. It’s so wonderful–the kind of mash-up of poetry and nonfiction that I adore. I learned so much! More importantly for me, I was enchanted. I already love the moon, but this collection both broadened and deepened my connection to it. Thank you, Irene.

My favorite poem in the collection is called “Moon’s Message Upon Reading the Apollo 11 Silicon Disc.” It both begins and ends with the line, “Me, Moon.” And it features lines like “Clear mirror of peace” and “Unshakable. Wild. Beautiful.” Sigh. I couldn’t get the moon off my mind after reading this book, so I decided to write a poetryaction, modeled a bit after that favorite poem. I was thinking about how the moon always feels both so very close and so very far away. It’s like a best friend who knows all your secrets, but it’s also got the wisdom and perspective of something distant and objective. What a contradiction! Here’s my draft. (You can see all my poetryactions here.)

You can learn more about Irene and the beautiful books she writes at her website.

And for more poetry, including poems about mysterious, silly, terrible, and fabulous topics, check out the Poetry Friday Roundup with the imaginative and kind Janice Scully at Salt City Verse.

Save

19 Responses

  1. Beautiful, Laura. I love thinking of the moon as knowing all our secrets. The line “unfolded golden umbrella” is lovely to say out loud.

    1. Thanks, Rose. That first stanza initially had small, silver curve, but then I didn’t know if that would be too contradictory–even though the moon is indeed mostly silvery looking but occasionally gold looking too. But I couldn’t bear to change my gold line…

  2. I’ve read The Museum on the Moon and was struck by the clear and concise word choice alongside the historical facts, a teacher’s wheelhouse. Thanks for adding your poetry action poem to the mix. “your best friend’s ear/ there to hear all my secrets” describes how we trust the moon to hold onto us.

  3. Irene’s book is a gem, I agree, Laura, & your poem response shows the love in it and from you. We never tire of feeling that “glowing hug”! Have a lovely weekend!

  4. Laura, I love our response to Irene’s book, your poem to the moon as something safe to tell secrets to. Thanks for sharing this gorgeous book. It’s on my TBR list.

  5. Laura, that unfolding golden umbrella! I love love love this, and I am excited it add it to the MOON padlet (which already includes your beautiful IF YOU WERE THE MOON). Yay for sharing the moon-love. xo

    1. It’s such a wonderful book, Irene. Congratulations on creating this beauty! I hope it finds many readers.

  6. Laura, I like your simile likening the moon to a friend’s ear. So perfect on multiple levels! I, too, love the poetry-nonfiction blend that Irene creates in Museum on the Moon. You both have such a perfect sense of balance.

  7. Fabulous PoetryAction, Laura. Love that the moon feels both near and far away, and how you’ve personified it as a friend who knows our secrets. Your directly addressing it makes for a sweet, intimate moment. Thank you!

    1. Thanks, Jama. I loved the way the initial poem by Irene is in the first person, and I wanted to answer back, with love :>)

  8. Absolutely beautiful, Laura! I love the moon, Irene’s book, and your lovely poem. I tell the moon a whole lot of secrets, too!

  9. It’s those specific details…best friend’s ear, A+ that make this poem appeal to me and so many. Imagine the number of poems that moon has inspired over milennia…countless, I’m sure!

  10. What a lovely and comforting line, “there to hear all my secrets” and the moon’s “glowing hug” always makes me feel good–beautiful poem Laura, thanks!

  11. Laura, it was wonderful to hear your perspective on Irene’s wonderful book. Your ending lines in your poetryaction poem is shares your love of the moon. Perhaps, you will share your poetryaction project at NCTE next year, among your wealth of creative new books.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 2,546 other subscribers

Are You Looking For?

Poetry Friday posts

Classroom Connections posts

All my poetryactions

Go to my Poetry page for:

  • National Poetry Month projects through the years
  • Small Reads Roundups (poems grouped by topic)
  • Introductions to several favorite poetry forms
Tags
#waterpoemproject15 Words or Less Poems20for2030 Painless Classroom Poems50 State Poemsacrosticsactivity pagesactivity sheetALAA Leaf Can Be...Amy Ludwig VanDerwaterA Need to FeedanthologiesanthologyA Rock Can Be...art projectsaudiopoemsawardsbad newsBarbara Juster EsbensenBilly Collinsbiopoemsblog tourbookalikesbook festivalsBookSpeak!book spine poemsbook trailersbop poembyr a thoddaidcafepresscalendar poemsCamp Read-a-LotCan Be... bookscan be... poemsCapstoneCarol Varsalonacascade poemsCatherine FlynnccbcCCRA.W.3CCRA.W.4CCRA.W.5centoschapter booksCharles Waterschoral compositionschristina rossetticinquainsCLAclassified ad poemsclassroom connectionclassroom connectionsClover Kittyconferences and conventionscrown sonnetscybilsdansaDare to DreamDavid Elliottdeeper wisdom poemdefinitosdiamantesdiversitydizaindodoitsuDot DayDouglas Floriandownloadablesdrum corpse.e. cummingsekphrastic poemsepistolary poemsequation poemsessentialethereeseventsexquisite corpseFairy Tale Garage Salefamilyfibonaccifiction picture booksfinding familyfirefightersforeign editionsfound poemsfree author zoomsfree versefrom studentsgeesegeorgia heardghazalGift Taggiveawaygolden shovelgoldilocksgratitudehaikuheart of aheart of a teacherHeidi MordhorstHelen FrostHighlightshow-to poemshow to make a rainbowI Am FromI Am poemsidiomsif you want to knit some mittensIf You Were the MoonILAimagepoemsinterviewin the middle of the nightIRAIrelandIrene LathamJ. Patrick LewisJanet WongJoyce SidmanKendraKerlanKidlit Comboslailaura's board booksLaura's booksLaura's poemsLaura's readingsLaura ShovanLee Bennett HopkinsLilian MoorelimericksLinda Booth SweeneyLine Leads the WayLion of the Skylist poemslittle free librarylive writingLullaby and Kisses Sweetlyricsmadness poetrymagnipoemsmargaret simonMarilyn Singermary lee hahnmask poemsMatt Forrest EsenwineMeet My FamilyMelissa StewartMentors for Rentmentor textsmetaphorMichelle Myers LacknerMillbrookMinnesota Book Awardsmoneymoonmy reading lifemy writing processN+7naaninarrative poemsNational Poetry Month 2012 (haiku a day)National Poetry Month 2014 (riddle-ku)National Poetry Month 2015National Poetry Month 2016National Poetry Month 2017 (#wonderbreak)national poetry month 2018 (haiku a day)National Poetry Month 2020National Poetry Month 2021 (#EquationPoem)national poetry month 2022 (sticky-note poems)National Poetry Month 2023 (Digging for Poems)National Poetry Month 2024 (magnipoems)ncteNerdy Book Clubnifty newsnifty stuffNikki Grimesnonfictionnonfiction booksNonfiction Writers Dig Deepnovelsnovels in verseodesOne Minute Till BedtimeoppositifyOskar's VoyagepadletpantoumsparodiesPatreonpeacepersonalpet poemsphotopoetryphrase acrosticspicture booksplagiarismpoempicspoemspoems for two voicespoemsketchpoetic pursuitsPoetry 7poetryactionspoetry activitiesPoetry Blastpoetry booksPoetry FridayPoetry Friday AnthologiesPoetry Princessespoetry promptspoetry sistersPoetry Tips for Teachersprogressive poempublishing processpuddle songPutridquotationsraccontinosRandy Salasread-aloudreadaloudreading poetry in the classroomRebecca Kai Dotlichrecipe poemsrefugeesresearchreview copiesreviewsrevisionrhyming booksrhyming nonfictionrhyming picture booksRhyming Picture Books the Write Wayrhyming poemsRiddle-kuriddle poemsRock Can Be...Rock the Blogrondeau redoublesRudyard Kiplingsalas snippetsSCBWIschool visitsScotlandseasonssecrets of the loonSELsestinasshrinking daysskinnyskypeslice of lifesmall readssnack snooze skedaddlesnowman-coldsonnetsStampede!storm poemstorytimestorywalkstudent poemsstudent workSylvia VardellTanita Davistankatautogramteachableteacher resourcesteen/adult poemsterza rimasthankfulthank yous and referencesthe business sidethings to do iftracy nelson maurertrioletstunie munson-bensonvideosVikram MadanvillanellevillanellesWater Can Be...wealthy elementaryWe BelongWhat's InsideWhy-kuwinterwonderwonderbreakword of the yearwordplaywordsmithswork for hirewritingwriting bookswriting processwriting promptswriting the life poeticyoung authors conferencesYouTubeZapZap Clap Boomzenozentangle
Show More Show Less

Discover more from Laura Purdie Salas

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

Join Laura's monthly newsletter for eductators

Get three of Laura's favorite poetry activities when you subscribe to "Small Reads."