Irene Latham's Blog, page 23

End of Summer (poem)

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Denise at Dare to Care for Roundup.

Thank you for all the well wishes for my mom's 75th birthday party! We had a wonderful time, and my mom was practically floating the entire day. Here's a pic with me and my youngest (5 months old) great-niece. Isn't she adorable??

Introvert that I am, it's taken me most of the week to recover from the party. (I know some of you will know exactly what I'm talking about!)

Good news: The first review of WILD PEACE (coming October 19) is in! Here's a pull-quote selected by my lovely editorial team:

"A meditative exploration of the peace that exists in the communion between humans and nature." - Kirkus

I'm excited to share more about this book in the coming weeks, as it's my first picture book that's one long poem featuring lots of woodland animals... and it clocks in at a spare 150 words! It's got a gentle goodnight-moon kind of vibe to it, which I think will make for some sweet reading time.

On the ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS front, this poem marks the end of summer. YAY! Bring on the pumpkins and falling leaves, because I am ready to write some fall poems... how 'bout you?

End of Summer

Morning's breath
turns sweet

as cool air
creeps between trees,

fills weary fields
and fallows.

Sun, too, softens,
trading glare

for twinkle.
We stow the boat,

store the hummingbird
feeder, grateful for

safe passage
between seasons—

for light
for light
for light.
- Irene Latham

A Poppy Day (poem)

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure and visit Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect for Roundup.

Football season is here, which is happy-making in these parts. Some leaves are already turning, and the mornings air has dried and cooled—so we don't return from our walk quite so wet and bedraggled!

I'm learning in my gardening class that the reason so many of my plants don't thrive, is because I'm planting the wrong ones! (Our yard falls into the part-shade to all-shade categories.)

In art history we are studying ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. I've had about 15 billion ideas for children's books!

And this is the weekend of my mom's big 75 party, so when you read this, I will likely be either baking a Coca-cola cake (one of my mom's favorites) OR...even better!... eating it!

My ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS poem for this week went through several metamorphoses before I landed with this poem that includes a mother, freedom, and some wistfulness, too. (Truly, I will be glad to leave behind the Summer poems and write some Fall ones. One more Summer poem to go!) Thank you for reading!

A Poppy Day

Mother says the poppy field
is more than just
happy blossoms;
it's a jungle of bees,
ants, and grasshoppers.

Explore, she urges.
But not too far.
She paces along the narrow path, her parasol painting
shadows on her face.

We buzz—drunk on heat
and freedom—fall into our lives,
a flurry of feet and secrets.

May we forever remember this day: Mother watching,
and summer's
                  surprise bouquet.
- Irene Latham

The Truth About Sunflowers (poem)

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure and visit Heidi at my juicy little universe for Roundup.

First: I have to tell you about a beautiful book, INTO THE LIGHT by Jeff Zentner. It's a love poem to nature and poetry and friendship and love(!) and grandparents. Kind of old-fashioned, and partly set in Tennessee. Here's a quick quote.

“Every hurt, every sorrow, every scar has brought you here. Poetry lets us turn pain into fire by which to warm ourselves. Go build a fire.” - Jeff Zentner, Into the Wild Light

Please stop over at Smack Dab in the Middle to read my post about How to Mine Your Childhood for Story. (Artist's Way friends: you'll remember some of our work together!)

I've been thinking about how I can apply to upcoming teaching THE ANTI-RACIST WRITING WORKSHOP training through Highlights Foundation. 

Something funny: I just looked for the file I started on my computer, and I accidentally titled it "The Anti Writing Workshop," which is quite a different thing. :)

This year on Saturday, September 18, I'm part of the virtual nErDcampGA. Sign up for my "Experience the Transformative Power of Poetry" session and other great sessions FREE! 

Today's ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS turned out to be more for the adults among us than the children. While I intend this series for children, I've learned not to fight it when a renegade adult poem pops up! Thanks so much for reading.

The Truth about Sunflowers
By September
their blazing faces
droop,
          drop seeds.

Petals and stalks
shrivel.

You, too, will fade.

Your body will
disappear,
become something
                         new.
- Irene Latham

Because Poetry is Full of Fun & Mystery

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Elisabeth at Unexpected Intersections for Roundup.

This week I've been settling into my Art History class. (Yes: Master Gardening class AND Art History class this fall! Lucky me!) My head might explode with all I'm learning—or more likely, it'll all spill out into new poems and stories. :)

Some fun/ny things, too: Dear Heidi alerted me to a Special Edition of D-39: A Robodog's Journey! Turns out there was a print run error early on that resulted in a handful of hybrid books that are part D-39, part Something Else. 

I kind of love this, although I know it's frustrating as a reader...if this happens to you (with any book), simply let the bookseller know, who will let the publisher know, and they will send you a new copy. :)

Also, I'm working on a birthday party for my mom, who will be 75! It's turned into a Family Weekend Reunion at a rental house, which is great! And also overwhelming (as the daughter who lives closest to the venue and started the whole thing)...

Did you know? CYBILS is looking for judges! It may seem overwhelming, but as someone who served quite a few years and in several categories, I am here to tell you that the rewards of participating as a judge are tremendous! It helps sharpen your critical skills, and hearing other panelists' responses to books you've read is quite an education and meaningful experience. AND you get to see what publishers are currently saying YES to, and that can help inform your own writing projects. Apply here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfE2o-XMSrW_ZQhq8sJPPU8j5_p-D7D9GepiwPYpB5_k-uORw/viewform

This week's ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS poem is a bit of a mystery. Where did it come from? What does it mean? I love when that happens! Thanks so much for reading... and if you'd like, please do share what the poem means to YOU. xo

 

The Harvester Shouts at Vincent
Don't you dare
cast this billowing
wheatfield as ocean.

Yes, yes, when the wind
rises, it may resemble
high tide. But make

no mistake:
there's no boat to carry you—
only these boots.

True, sun is a circling shark.
The blade leaves stubble
sharp enough to slice leather.

If I drown,
it will be no fault of water.
You need not remember me.

- Irene Latham

On the First Morning in a New Country (poem)

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Carol at The Apples in My Orchard for Roundup.

My life was interrupted this week when I decided to pull ragweed while wearing flip flops. (I do most everything in flip flops!) I had an awful skin reaction on my feet and ankles, or wherever the ragweed stalks happened to brush my skin. 

I mean, I knew ragweed can be brutal for some on nasal/breathing, but a topical rash?? It's a fire-y itch, I tell you... No more gardening in my flip flops, I promise you that! 

Today's ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS poem is for the travelers among us... I know many like to plunge into exploration, not wasting a moment. These days I find myself preferring to ease in... and so this poem.

On the First Morning
in a New Country

What if I don't want
to explore the city—
what if I'd rather stay
here,

on this balcony?
Must I always do?
Isn't watching, too,
a form of love?

What a waste, I suspect
you'll say. But today
I think I'll stay:
Take off the top hat

settle into a more
comfortable chair.
Today I'd rather be here
than anywhere.
- Irene Latham

The Swing (poem)

 

moth sleeping on the
swim stuff at our dock
Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Christie at Wondering and Wandering for Roundup.

It's been a busy week! School has started in these parts, and it's a bit of a shock to see that schoolbus twisting along these country roads. I've been reading A LOT. (Two recent middle grade faves: THE LAST WINDWITCH by Jennifer Adam and CECE RIOS AND THE DESERT OF SOULS by Kaela Rivera.) Whenever I get a chance, I've been watching recordings of the recent SCBWI conference—one of my favorite sessions so far was with Sophie Blackall, whose work is brilliant! I immediately reserved the picture books she referenced in her talk, and I'm kind of in love with LIFE ON MARS by Jon Agee. What a fabulous book.

In other news, I attended my first Master Gardener's class! I've wanted to do this course for years, but it's kind of a big commitment, and when do I have time for gardening? Well, y'all already know this: the time is now. 

I also got out the glue gun for a project this week, and also the upholstery stapler! OH. And I bought a sweet (blue) manual typewriter at a thrift store. I'm waiting on the ribbon to arrive, and then I look forward to playing around. 😊

Today's ArtSpeak: Four Seasons poem turned into something different than I was expecting.

The Swing

I swing,
        sway—

summer dapples
the day.

As birdsong
fades,
voices stay.

My thoughts
are a bouquet
of come closer
and go away.

Someday
I'll make decisions
without delay.

But today
I swing,
         sway.
- Irene Latham---Do you, too, ever have a problem with indecision??

Summer Story Poem, A Letter, & Manatees!

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Mary Lee at A(nother) Year of Reading for Roundup. My friend and fellow author/poet Sylvia Liu is here to celebrate her newly released MANATEE'S BEST FRIEND. Congratulations, Sylvia!
Before we get to that, I invite you to read a letter I wrote to 11-Year-Old Me. (This was really rewarding and surprising experience. I discovered I mostly wanted to be encouraging... and I didn't want to reveal much about the future. I highly recommend each of you write such a letter!)
Yes, I also wrote a new ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS poem. I confess to feeling a bit weary of summer art (!)... none of the paintings I selected at the start of the season are particularly calling to me... so I found another one! You'll find the poem at the end of this post.

K. Woodard Photography

And now: Please welcome author Sylvia Liu, who is a kind, generous, and inspiring human! Learn more about her current and forthcoming books at her website. Today's interview focuses on MANATEE'S BEST FRIEND, which released this week!
The DifficultSL: I wanted to create a unique friendship story, where my main character, Becca Wong Walker, is friend with a manatee, and where a dolphin and the manatees become friends. A challenge was to be accurate scientifically about how manatees and dolphins act, wile making it engaging and fun for readers.
The DeliciousSL: I loved going on a fact-finding research trip to northwest Florida, to see manatees in their natural habitat and to immerse myself in th environment. I also met with middle school students and local environmentalists to learn about manatees and the risks they face. I was lucky enough to snorkel with manatees, which I discovered were much larger than I imagined. [Note from Irene: Sylvia included a wonderful pic of her snorkeling with a manatee, but Blogger was too jealous to let me post it, apparently... could NOT get it in the post without wrecking all the text. Weird. So please use this space to imagine beautiful Sylvia floating just above a giant manatee!]
The FreshSL: I learned that manatees are a critical part of the shallow river systems. They act like lawnmowers eating the seagrass beds and encouraging grass to grow. They also stir up nutrients for baby fish to eat. --Thank you, Sylvia! I have yet to meet a manatee IRL, so this book helps meet a need for me. 
And now, here's my latest art poem. Thank you so much for reading!

A Summertime Story
You'll find me in the apple treeon hazy summer mornings. Up, up,I climb—hand over knee.
Don't worry if I disappear.You'll find me in the apple tree,pockets full of cakes and tea—
and in my hand a book to readto busy birds and beetles. Want a story?You'll find me in the apple tree.
- Irene Latham

Writing in Summer (poem)

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure and visit Becky at Sloth Reads for Roundup.

This week for ArtSpeak: Four Seasons, I found myself writing about writing. This happens from time to time, I think because I need these words for myself. (I often feel like my poetry is me talking to/coaching myself!) Poetry in particular feels like a bridge to my subconscious mind. 

The art for this one is by Claude Monet. (In a recent inventory, I discovered that I have written the most ArtSpeak poems after work by van Gogh, and Monet takes second place.) I want to draw your attention to a lovely new picture book biography about Monet entitled MORNINGS WITH MONET by Barb Rosenstock, illus. by Mary GrandPre. I loved learning about Monet's boat studio! And like Monet, I adore creating art in the early morning hours. Beautiful!

Monet also said this: "Everyone discusses my art and pretends to understand, as if it were necessary to understand, when it is simply necessary to love." - Claude Monet 

LOVE! And now, here's "Writing in Summer." Thank you so much for reading.

Writing in Summer

Not enough
to walk amid
waving wildflowers
and buzzy bees.
Keep going,
push into the wind.
Invite ocean's breath
to steal your hat
and collapse
that (safe) parasol.
Now is not the time
to whine about theft
or wet salt spray.
To discover your
best story,
you must dance
on the          edge.
- Irene Latham

Instructions for a Sunwashed Sunday (poem)

 

Beautiful 13!Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Kathryn Apel for what's sure to be an inspiring Roundup. 

I'm away from my desk this week—celebrating my little sister's 13th birthday and also helping my mom through hip replacement surgery. (!)

For my latest ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS, I totally should have written a "girl time" poem, but maybe that will come later! 

Instead I am again focusing on weather... it's been a rather wet summer here in the Alabama foothills! Thank you so much for reading.

OH. And I have beautiful new Home and Books pages at my website! Please head on over there right now and check them out. :)

Instructions for a Sunwashed Sunday (After a Week of Rain)
stash galoshes,forget strife;let go of pain—step into               your life
- Irene Latham

Because No One's Cheerful All the Time...

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Molly at Nix the Comfort Zone for Roundup.

There have been some exciting things this week, including:

...an early morning phone call with Radio Europe (in Spain!), sharing about THE CAT MAN OF ALEPPO.

...the arrival of a single author copy of WILD PEACE. I would buy this book for its endpapers alone... bravo, Il Sung Na! 

...also in the mailbox, the Japanese edition of CAT MAN. (You can imagine how special this is to Yuko Shimizu!)

...Betsy Bird's cover reveal of AFRICAN TOWN (and interview with me and Charles) over at A Fuse #8 Production.

...and a new octopus friend to add to my collection, thanks to a dear one among us. 🐙 I'm so grateful for this community!

For today's ArtSpeak: FOUR SEASONS poem, I return to van Gogh. We've had a lot of storms lately, and that kind of shows up in this poem! Thank you so much for reading.

Sometimes

Clouds rise,
thunder calls—

somewhere,
a raven:

caw caw
             caw—

Sun sputters,
cypress shudders.

No one's cheerful
all the time—

not even             summer.
- Irene Latham