Irene Latham's Blog, page 27

Merry Merry Poetry Friday (Roundup is Here!)

 For my last ArtSpeak: RED poem of 2020—and for a Poetry Friday that falls on Christmas— I thought it would be fun to find a piece of Christmas art. 

... but then Richard Jones, who has been my muse in these last months of RED, posted a "Christmas Bird." How could I not write about it? 

How to Make Merry

just for today
believe
in elves and fairies

eat too many
cherries

bury your
worries,
marry joy

sing!
(with or without
canaries)

tarry—
whether the day
ferries clouds
                or flowers

let love carry you
across all hours
- Irene Latham

----

Merry Christmas, and Happy Poetry Friday! Please leave your link below... see you in 2021!!

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ArtSpeak: RED poem "Because Every Day is a Red-Letter Day"

 

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit for Michelle Kogan for Roundup.

Also, please see my "Friend Friday" guest post over at Kirby Larson's blog, about friends and friendship poems from THIS POEM IS A NEST.

My desk has been stacked this week, as editors close up shop before the holidays, so I will keep most post here short. 

I've been thinking about the days we celebrate, and how the work of a poet is to be mindful of the small ordinary miracles, too... and also about how challenging the holidays can be for many of us. What emerged is this poem! 

Another shout-out to Richard Jones for sharing his art and welcoming these poems... just  one more ArtSpeak: RED poem to write, and I will post it here next week when I host a Very Merry Poetry Friday Christmas Roundup. :) Thank you for reading!

Because Every Day is a Red-Letter Day

wake up
                   wake up

a new day is here


time to wiggle  wander                   wonder  wag

chew through the blues

new day
                    new you
- Irene Latham

The Muse in December

 

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Buffy Silverman for Roundup.

Update: The Artist's Way Jan-March 2021 group has two slots left. If you're interested, please leave a comment, and I will send you the information. 

Wanted to share a little December from THIS POEM IS A NEST, art by Johanna Wright:

Isn't that sweet? :) 

And... here is a post I wrote over at Smack Dab in the Middle, about something I do every December.

I'm feeling a bit blue about my ArtSpeak: RED year coming to a close... I've enjoyed the energy of this color-themed-art-year so very much... and the slew of Richard Jones-inspired poems here at the end has been a lovely surprise! Today I've got a short one for all of us who enjoy creating. Thank you for reading. xo

Birthday Poem

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit the birthday girl Mary Lee at A Year of Reading. 

back cover D-39
advertisement!
(final will be in color)
I'm super-honored Mary Lee is hosting the cover reveal for D-39: A Robodog's Journey, my dystopian verse novel coming May 18, 2021. I hope you like it!

Cover art is by illustrator Jamie Green (learn a little about Jamie in Mary Lee's post as well!), the publisher is Charlesbridge, and it's a book I started out calling my boy-dog-war story... and then it morphed into the girl-robodog-war story you see depicted on the cover.  And it's so much more than that... about tinkering and heroes and made-up words and surprises and acceptance and love and friendship and finding one's way... I hope you'll give it a read! 

And if you'd like to review it on your blog, the publisher is offering digital galleys! You can email me irene (at) irenelatham (dot) com or leave a comment below.

Meanwhile: Thank you, Mary Lee!! My ArtSpeak: RED poetry offering today continues the birthday (and dog) theme. It's a revision of an e.e. cummings-inspired birthday poem I wrote a while back. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARY LEE!

Dog's Birthday Song
to you happy birthday
on this most yippity day
stick a candle in every hour
lickety-sniffety every plate

to you happy birthday
in my teeth a thousand thank yous
for party-hats cake the universe you
on this most yippety day
for you i wish
- Irene Latham
p.s. in other happy news: THIS POEM IS A NEST was included on Kirkus' Best Middle Grade Books of the Year. Yay for poetry for middle grade! xo

Book + Gift = Happy Holidays! (2020 Gift Guide)

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Carol's Corner for Roundup.

2020 has been some kind of year, hasn't it? I'm incredibly thankful to have had 4 books release this year. And since it's Black Friday, I'll be buying books for friends -- and  perhaps you will be, too! With that in mind, I thought I'd offer some shopping suggestions.

To pair with THE CAT MAN OF ALEPPO, how about some cat-themed memo pads? Or adopt one of these adorable crochet kitties! Or (my favorite), these cat socks?

For DICTIONARY FOR A BETTER WORLD, I am loving this "Together We are Better" poster from SeasideShedStudio. (If you've read the last poem in the book --  a byte entitled "The Etymology of Progress," you'll know that's what Charles and I learned from our experience creating this book! Art by Mehrdokht Amini.)

To pair with THIS POEM IS A NEST, might I suggest this "Found Poem" t-shirt, available from TourDeBookshop which, when I discovered it, I promptly gifted myself?


Finally, for NINE: A BOOK OF NONET POEMS, try Play Nine (a card game!) and... if the recipient happens to be a 9-year-old child, you can't beat this "Nine Years/108 months/3,287 days/78,894 hours/4,733,640 minutes/284,018,400 seconds of Being Awesome" t-shirt available at Vintagestylearts! (Add to the fun by checking the math!)

And now, the latest installment of ArtSpeak: RED... inspired by another one of Richard Jones' illustrations! I was thinking about how the holidays can be difficult for many -- and for me, honestly  -- and I wanted to write a poem for us. Savvy readers will also notice that it's a tricube: 3 3-line stanzas, in which each line has 3 syllables.

Bear's Promise

When day bends
burnt yellow,
bear with me.

When red heart
hollows blue,
bear with me—

tomorrow,
paintsplash skies
will arrive!
- Irene Latham

ArtSpeak: RED Bee + Apple = Love Poem!

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Suzy at The Poetry Garden for Roundup.

Quickly, for my #NCTE20 peeps, here again is my schedule. I am excited to be learning from so many this weekend!

And here's an update for those of you who submitted to our IF anthology: we have our final contributor's list and are in the process of contacting all who submitted work. If you haven't heard from us already, you will very soon! Truly, it was an honor to read so many wonderful poems. I wanted to hug them (and you) all!

In other news, this pandemic year has meant lots of home improvement projects for us (and for many!)... this week we painted our kitchen cabinets! Well we didn't do it—Bruce & Mike did. Even if you're not putting in the brushstrokes, it can be kinda chaotic when you're kitchen is out of order! So I am feeling behind on pretty much everything. We're very much looking forward to a quiet Thanksgiving here at the lake. I wasn't going to cook, then I was... and then I decided to go half-n-half: we ordered a turkey and a dessert, and I will make a few sides... including a new one called "Irene's Cranberry Salad," which my mom clipped for me from Guideposts magazine. I'll let you know how if it makes this Irene's tastebuds sing!

And now I'm pleased to offer you another red poem inspired by art created by Richard Jones. Thank you so much for reading this little love poem... are you the bee, the apple... or something else?? xo

Once Upon a Time
by Irene Latham

Bee spied something red—
Home is where the apple is, she said.

You are the heart of my desiring,
Red said, admiring each intricate wing.

Bee danced until the sky turned dizzy.
To think yesterday she'd been in such a tizzy!

Buzzily buzzily buzzily, Bee sighed.
Life is but a dream, Red replied,

for she knew bees could be capricious.
Still her cheeks blushed crimson delicious.

And so the day wept rain and laughter
as Bee + Red lived apple-y ever after.

Three New Poetry Books and ArtSpeak: RED poem "Water Lilies"

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Robyn at Life on the Deckle Edge for Roundup.

I'm excited to share with you some poetry books today. One you already know about, as many of you have poems included— congratulations!! The other two are from the UK, and I learned about them through the CLiPPA Awards. Beautiful books, all!

But first: my session info for #NCTE20. Our title was inspired by the poem "Remember" by Joy Harjo.

... also, good news for THE CAT MAN OF ALEPPO: it's the winner of the 2020 Middle East Book Award (Middle East Outreach Council). Hooray! Also, the audiobook will soon be available (the narrator's voice is PERFECT, I say. PERFECT!), and it's been listed on Evanston Public Library's 101 Great Books for Kids of 2020. Yay for more folks discovering Alaa's amazing good works.

And now, the books. I selected 2 poems from each, just to whet your appetite. You'll want to add these to your holiday gift list for sure. Enjoy!

CHERRY MOON: Little Poems Big Ideas Mindful of Nature by Zaro Weil, illustrated by Junli Song

After the Purple Rainsby Zaro Weil
after the purple rainsrestless clouds ofcrayon-box wildflowershurtle and tumbleskimble-skambleharum-scarumhelter-skelterin between rock bedsover squelchy slopesthrough stone wallsto up-popoutside my windowhow very luck-dazzlehow very spring

Mixumgatherumby Zaro Weil
mixumgatherumsaid the wise-talking windto the seedthen rainumandgrowumand infivehudredyearsuma mighty greatforest you'llbeum


HOP TO IT: Poems to Get You Moving by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, illustrations by Franzi Paetzoid
When I Moveby Carole Boston Weatherford
When I swim, I become a fish.When I jump, I become a wish.When I run, I become the heat.When I dance, I become the beat.When I bike, I become the wind.When I flip, I become the spin.When I lift, I become the strength.When I stretch, I become the length.When I grind, I'm beyond extreme.When I climb, I behold my dream.When I move, I'm a force so freeI feel the planet move with me.
Rabbit Danceby Joseph Bruchac
Over the meadowa full moon is shiningalmost as bright as the sun.
It is the time whenthe rabbits all gatherafter the day's light is done.
Making a circlethey dance in the moonlighthopping and stomping their feet,
hearing the musicthat's kept in their heartsmoving to that ancient beat.
I've never seen themdancing and dancingbut I know that it is so.
I've seen their footprintsall in a circlethere in the late winter snow.

POEMS THE WIND BLEW IN poems by Karmelo C. Iribarren, translated by Lawrence Schimel, illustrated by Riya Chowdhury

What the Streetlight Says
by Karmelo C. Iribarren, translated by Lawrence Schimel

What a humiliating life:
by day
the dogs
and at night
the drunks.
Why wasn't I borna table lamp?

Nightby Karmelo C. Iribarren, translated by Lawrence Schimel
When night begins to falland the first apartments turn on their lights,the buildings that border the plazalook like gigantic crossword puzzles.
...Finally, here's my latest ArtSpeak: RED poem. I'm so glad that several of you have discovered the padlet galleries -- I love seeing all that art in one place! Yes, please share these with students. Thank you!
This week, I've returned to Monet— and revised "red" to "pink" —all in the name of alliteration.:) 
I am hyper-aware that my "red" year will soon come to a close... just six more RED poems! Which art to choose, which art to choose? And... what should be my theme for 2021??? These are the questions... meanwhile, thank you so much for reading!

Water Lilies
Spring ponddons glossygreen skirtdottedwith plump             pinkbuttons
- Irene Latham

ArtSpeak: RED poem "somewhere"

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Susan at Soul Blossom Living for Roundup for what I think is her first Roundup. Yay!

What a strange week... I don't know about you, but it's been a bit hard to focus. I do have some happy book news to share:

THIS POEM IS A NEST received another starred review, this one from School Library Journal!  

★ "A beautiful, emotional, and incredibly creative poetry book that inspires reflection, dreaming, and writing. A must for libraries and schools."

Big smiles from this poet. :) :) :)

And... I got to kitten-sit for one night, which was absolutely delightful. Nothing quite as hopeful as a kitten!

Lacy! (my mom's new cuddle-love)

 Finally, here is my third poem in a row inspired by illustrations shared by Richard Jones on Twitter. Enjoy!

somewhere
a world turns
without words
like lost,
             forgotten—

we are not
confounded
by winter

each moment
cozy,

              wondrous
as a red coat
with no pockets
- Irene Latham

A Trio of Poems to Get you: Voting / Dreaming / Listening to Owls

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Linda at TeacherDance for Roundup. I've got a trio of poems for you today:
1. Election Day / Go Vote poem (first published in Scholastic's Storyworks magazine):

 Election Day
Sift through promises,replay interviews;
step inside the booth.Forget scripted speeches
and candy-wrapped slogans.Weigh again each pro
and con. Rememberthe teeming world,
its people who dreamof freedom —
so many deniedthe right to decide.
Read the names,imagine a future;
make the best choice.In the space between breaths
your voice is heardwithout a word.
- Irene Latham

2. A Halloween Poem (a revision of a poem I posted in August last year... time and distance helps!)

October Dreams

Inside October
waits a fieldof plump pumpkins
Inside a pumpkinnests a clutchof white seeds
Inside a seedechoes a breathof fresh hope
Inside hopeexists a worldof joined hands
Inside a handrests a spoonto scoop a pumpkin
Inside a pumpkinlives a lifetimeof Octobers
Inside Octobersleeps a childwith orange dreams.
- Irene Latham

3. The latest ArtSpeak: RED poem, after a (dapper) owl by Richard Jones. This is my second Richard Jones offering... the first was last week's "Night Swimming," about writing. Today's poem a pure fun, because that's what this little owl inspires in me! Thank you so much for reading. xo

When Dapper Owl Dons a Hat

he wants you to say,
look at that!
He wants you
to point, giggle,
perhaps even clap.

And if indeed
you point, giggle, clap,
that owl might even
croon for you.
Listen —

               thank-youuuuu
               thank-youuuuu

- Irene Latham

ArtSpeak: RED poem "Night Swimming," with thanks to Richard Jones

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Jama's Alphabet Soup for what's sure to be a delicious Roundup.

I'm taking a break from Monet to spend some time with a modern-day artist Richard Jones, who illustrated THE PROPER WAY TO MEET A HEDGEHOG: And Other How-To Poems. He often posts art on Twitter, and lately some have featured the color red! With his permission, I snagged a few that called to my muse, and I'll be sharing those on coming Fridays.

Today's poem is inspired as much by the name of Richard's piece as the piece itself... I don't know about you, but most of my "night swimming" involves swimming in words... I often wake to record ideas/lines/book fixes in the Notes feature on my phone. So I wrote a poem about it. Enjoy!

Night Swimming

Poems find me
in the sigh

between red sky
and blue tide—

words swell,
                     dart—

a gleam
of quicksilver dreams

teeming inside
my heart.
- Irene Latham