Irene Latham's Blog, page 67

ARTSPEAK! Harlem Renaissance poem "Measurements"

Welcome to day #9 of 2018 ARTSPEAK!, in which I am focusing on art and artists from the Harlem Renaissance.

Before we get to today's poem, please be sure and visit Ramona at Pleasures from the Page to see how our Progressive Poem is progressing!

Today I'm continuing my Harlem Renaissance poetry project with another piece by artist John Archibald Motley, Jr -- who went by "Archibald Motley." He was popular in the early days of the Harlem Renaissance (1920's) and is called a "modernist." Many of his pieces feature lively music and dancing scenes. I've selected two of them to write on for this project. One of the things I learned about Motley is that her grew up in a white neighborhood in Chicago, and that often there is a sense of humor or irony in his paintings. The perspective he uses is that of observer or outsider-looking-in (which I think all of us can relate to at one time in our lives or another!). And he shows African American people with a wide variety of skin tones and physical characteristics, which helped bucked the stereotypes.

Here are the poems in the series so far:

"Barbeque" after Barbecue by Archibald Motley
"American Idyll, 1934" after An Idyll of the Deep South by Aaron Douglas
"The Toiler" after The Toiler by Aaron Douglas
"Let There Be Poetry" after The Creation by Aaron Douglas
"Boy with Plane" after Boy with Plane by Aaron Douglas
"To a Dancer" after Sahdji (Tribal Women) by Aaron Douglas
"For the Builders" after Building More Stately Mansions by Aaron Douglas
"This Poem is a Dream" after Aspiration by Aaron Douglas


Today's piece is called "Octoroon Girl," and it's a portrait of a woman who is 1/8th white. Apparently that was the language of the day, along with "mulatto." These days we might say "mixed race" or "biracial." Oh we humans and our need to name things... here is my poem.


<!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } </style> </div>--> <br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>Measurements (for an Octoroon Girl)</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I'm no good</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">at fractions</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">but I can tell you</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">a person's worth</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">has more to do </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">with deeds than words,</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">and nothing to do</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">with money, </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">      ancestry </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">                  or fame:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">So throw away</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">your scales and rulers,</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">your raisin eyes</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">and peach-pit lips.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I am not 1/8^thanything.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I am one whole</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">                      ME.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i>- Irene Latham</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=..." width="100%"></iframe>

ARTSPEAK! Harlem Renaissance poem "Barbeque" and Janet's Line of Our Progressive Poem!

Welcome to day #8 of 2018 ARTSPEAK!, in which I am focusing on art and artists from the Harlem Renaissance.

Before we get to that, Janet F. is in the house with the next line of our Progressive Poem. Hi Janet!

Janet: I can’t believe how lucky I am to be able to participate for the 5thyear in Irene’s Progressive Poem. I do not have my own blog but you can find me around commenting as Janet F. or Janet Clare F. and I am Janet with a former studentJanet Clare on Facebook. I am in love with poetry and this place. I don’t do much on Twitter other than read. I have poems published in anthologies geared more for adults but am excited to have one in an upcoming Lee Bennett Hopkins anthology. (Anticipating a spring 2019 publication.) I am a retired teacher, a tireless poetry advocate, a fledgling poet and determined to keep involved in the blogosphere.
Each year I love the Progressive Poem more, even though the day I have to write my line is filled with lots of thought and writing, revision and only a little agonizing. (Probably like everyone else!) And a touch of nerves. I love the anticipation and the wonder. I worry about making my line something that adds and doesn’t subtract at all from the march of progress toward the essence of this poem for kids. But mainly, it is fun. I love being able to be part of this talented group of poets on the kidlitosphere and to contribute to this poetic feasting.
Heidi’s interview at My Juicy Universe with Liz Steinglass and Irene on March 29th was so helpful and interesting. Thanks, Heidi. So here are my predictions such as they are. Much of what I wrote were questions:
Where will this line take the Progressive Poem 2018:

Who is the she in line one? Is the seed the beginning of an idea? What is that idea?

Could the female be a writer or is she a child? Is she going to invent something? Is she a painter? Is her cozy bed a bulb beneath the ground, so a literal seed?

I foresee this seed growing and flowering...but into what? If the poem is for children, is the female a person who is going to do something remarkable for kids? Is it going to be a party? A trip? As seeds grow and they pop into being, they need nourishment. What will nourish this seed? What is its destiny?

I leaned toward the idea that it was a poet in the end. Child or adult, I wasn’t sure.


Here is the poem so far:(Doesn’t it make you wonder still?)
Nestled in her cozy bed, a seed stretched.Oh, what wonderful dreams she had had!Blooming in midnight moonlight, dancing withthe pulse of a thousand stars, sweet Jasmineinvented a game.“Moon?” she called across warm, honeyed air. “I’m sad you’re alone; come join Owl and me.
And keeping in mind the nature of children here is line 8:
We’re feasting on stardrops, we’ll share them with you.”
Please see all the contributors in this year's edition in the sidebar. Take it away, Ramona! There are so many possibilities for our friends.-------------
Today I'm continuing my Harlem Renaissance poetry project with a first look at artist John Archibald Motley, Jr -- who went by "Archibald Motley." He was popular in the early days of the Harlem Renaissance (1920's) and is called a "modernist." Many of his pieces feature lively music and dancing scenes. I've selected two of them to write on for this project. One of the things I learned about Motley is that he grew up in a white neighborhood in Chicago, and that often there is a sense of humor or irony in his paintings. The perspective he uses is that of observer or outsider-looking-in (which I think all of us can relate to at one time in our lives or another!). And he shows African American people with a wide variety of skin tones and physical characteristics, which helped bucked the stereotypes.

The first painting I want to share is "Barbeque." This one makes me think of a poem I often share with kids called "Knoxville, Tennessee" by Nikki Giovanni. I decided my goal would be to create a poem that engages all the senses, as Giovanni's poem does.

Here are the poems so far:

"American Idyll, 1934" after An Idyll of the Deep South by Aaron Douglas
"The Toiler" after The Toiler by Aaron Douglas
"Let There Be Poetry" after The Creation by Aaron Douglas
"Boy with Plane" after Boy with Plane by Aaron Douglas
"To a Dancer" after Sahdji (Tribal Women) by Aaron Douglas
"For the Builders" after Building More Stately Mansions by Aaron Douglas
"This Poem is a Dream" after Aspiration by Aaron Douglas

And here is today's poem:



Barbeque
Cue winking lights,strike up the jazz.
Let us gatherin mingling twilight
to savor smoky meatand summerwarm tomatoes,
stickysweet peach pieseasoned with street fumes
and guffaws across the table.Did you know
Auntie Rosa moved twoblocks over?
Cousin Rachael graduatednursing school?
Have you seen PastorPhilip's new 'do?
Cue smooth saxophone,grab a partner.
Let's dance! <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } </style> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><br /></i></div><i>- Irene Latham</i><br /><br /><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=..." width="100%"></iframe><br /><style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } </style> <br />-->

ARTSPEAK! Harlem Renaissance poem "American Idyll, 1934"

Welcome to day #7 of 2018 ARTSPEAK!, in which I am focusing on art and artists from the Harlem Renaissance.

Before we get to that, be sure to visit Linda at TeacherDance to find out how our Progressive Poem is progressing!

Today I'm continuing my Harlem Renaissance poetry project with my last painting by Aaron Douglas who was often called the “official artist of the Harlem Renaissance," or the “Father of Black American Art.” Check back tomorrow to meet Archibald Motley!

Aaron Douglas illustrated many books during the 1920's, and I learned in the book HARLEM STOMP! by Laban Carrick Hill that his work came to embody all that the Harlem Renaissance stood for – the culturally rich aspects of African-American life and heritage.
Aaron Douglas poems so far:

"The Toiler" after The Toiler by Aaron Douglas
"Let There Be Poetry" after The Creation by Aaron Douglas
"Boy with Plane" after Boy with Plane by Aaron Douglas
"To a Dancer" after Sahdji (Tribal Women) by Aaron Douglas
"For the Builders" after Building More Stately Mansions by Aaron Douglas
"This Poem is a Dream" after Aspiration by Aaron Douglas

Today's piece An Idyll of the Deep South came toward the end of the Harlem Renaissance (1934) and was commissioned for a mural at the Harlem branch of the New York Public Library. You can read more about it here. According to Mr. Douglas, that is NOT the North star in the painting!



American Idyll, 1934
Fields afirewith hunger,
cotton rootedin blood.
Equalitya colddistant star.
- Irene Latham

ARTSPEAK! Harlem Renaissance poem "The Toiler" and Line #6 in Our Progressive Poem!

Welcome to day #6 of 2018 ARTSPEAK!, in which I am focusing on art and artists from the Harlem Renaissance. It's also Poetry Friday, so be sure to visit Amy and her "1 Subject...30 Ways" project on Orion at the Poem Farm for Roundup. AND... it's my turn to add to the Progressive Poem! Eep!

First: Today I'm continuing my Harlem Renaissance poetry project with Aaron Douglas who was often called the “official artist of the Harlem Renaissance," or the “Father of Black American Art.” I'll stick with Mr. Douglas for just one more day before I move on!

Aaron Douglas illustrated many books during the 1920's, and I learned in the book HARLEM STOMP! by Laban Carrick Hill that his work came to embody all that the Harlem Renaissance stood for – the culturally rich aspects of African-American life and heritage. So for the first week of this project, I will be writing after his work.

Aaron Douglas poems so far:

"Let There Be Poetry" after The Creation by Aaron Douglas
"Boy with Plane" after Boy with Plane by Aaron Douglas
"To a Dancer" after Sahdji (Tribal Women) by Aaron Douglas
"For the Builders" after Building More Stately Mansions by Aaron Douglas
"This Poem is a Dream" after Aspiration by Aaron Douglas

Today's piece is called The Toiler. I learned that it is thought that Douglas created it after visiting the Tuskegee Institute (here in Alabama).

I have so much admiration for hard-working folk... I know it's because of the people who came before me that I can enjoy the life I live.

Also, I was thinking of how there are so many ways of toiling... we writers toil, don't we? I had a conversation with a few other writers recently, and it really struck me: so often we make excuses, we put obstacles in our own way, and then bemoan our lack of accomplishment.

The Toiler in this picture? He's not bemoaning anything. He's doing the work . And y'all: that's what it takes. You might also recognize the structure of this poem.. I used in in DEAR WANDERING WILDEBEEST for a poem entitled "What Rhino Knows."


The Toiler

The toiler knows
the mango-glowof daybreak
The toiler knowsall things growbit by bit
The toiler knowsthe furrowsare richwith fellowship
The toiler knowsto heave-swing-ho–and dreamswill follow.
- Irene Latham
<!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } </style><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=..." width="100%"></iframe> <br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">--------------------</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L3gjNhFyKj..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1317" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L3gjNhFyKj..." width="263" /></a>And now for the latest line in our <a href="http://irenelatham.blogspot.com/p/201... Poem</a>! I'm so grateful to the poets who have launched our poem this year... what loveliness! And,  following <a href="http://myjuicylittleuniverse.blogspot... lead</a>, here's what I wrote down Liz's day 1 line as my expectations for the poem:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>"We might get a picture of this seed awakening and discovering its family and home -- nearby plants and woodland critters."</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">When, in fact, we kind of buzzed right past all that! And with Jan's (inventive) line about inventing a game, I instantly started thinking of childhood games, that may or may not include counting or naming... and that got me wondering, with whom (or what?) would our (rooted) Jasmine play? Who might help her? Who might play with her? And so, I give you the latest:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>2018 Kidlitosphere Progressive Poem (as yet untitled)</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div>Nestled in her cozy bed, a seed stretched.<br />Oh, what wonderful dreams she had had!<br />Blooming in midnight moonlight, dancing with<br />the pulse of a thousand stars, sweet Jasmine<br />invented a game.<br />“Moon?” she called across warm, honeyed air. <style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } </style> <br />--><br /><div><br /></div><div>------</div><div>Please see in the sidebar all the poets participating this year... I look forward to Linda's line tomorrow at <a href="http://www.teacherdance.org/"&gt...! I also look forward to catching up very soon on some of the amazing-ness that everyone is sharing and creating! What an inspiring month...<br /><br />Finally, don't forget this Twitter chat on Monday evening:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P_sxX4FtKy..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P_sxX4FtKy..." width="400" /></a></div><br /></div>

ARTSPEAK! Harlem Renaissance poem "Let There Be Poetry"

Welcome to day #5 of 2018 ARTSPEAK!, in which I am focusing on art and artists from the Harlem Renaissance. It's also Spiritual Journey Thursday, and today we are gathering at Carol's Beyond LiteracyLink to talk about poetry as spiritual practice.

Before we get started, be sure to visit  Jan at bookseedstudio to read the next line of this year's Progressive Poem!

Today I'm continuing my Harlem Renaissance poetry project with Aaron Douglas who was often called the “official artist of the Harlem Renaissance," or the “Father of Black American Art.”

Aaron Douglas illustrated many books during the 1920's, and I learned in the book HARLEM STOMP! by Laban Carrick Hill that his work came to embody all that the Harlem Renaissance stood for – the culturally rich aspects of African-American life and heritage. So for the first week of this project, I will be writing after his work.

Aaron Douglas poems so far:

"Boy with Plane" after Boy with Plane by Aaron Douglas
"To a Dancer" after Sahdji (Tribal Women) by Aaron Douglas
"For the Builders" after Building More Stately Mansions by Aaron Douglas
"This Poem is a Dream" after Aspiration by Aaron Douglas

Today's piece is a powerful one. I love it so much that I very nearly made it the cover image for my project. Indeed, I DID make it my cover image, but then I showed it to some others, and they didn't think it screamed "Harlem Renaissance," so I went with another image (which I also love!).
Anyhow, this piece seemed perfect to me to do double-duty on this Spiritual Journey Thursday, in which we are talking about the spiritual practice of poetry.
What are we, if not creators? And where do these words come from anyway? What is more important to a spiritual life than gratitude? Isn't the best part sharing the words with others? So I tried to put all of that into today's poem. :) Which means my poem is longer than the ones I typically write for this series... which is fitting, right?


Let There Be Poetry
On that first bare day,God said, these words are yoursand letters and syllables came tumbling from his hands,a monsoon of words –
some words were swallowed,some were swept away; others hid, and the rest declared themselves:rainbow   butterfly     heartbeat
The bulging, soggy worldbegan to crumple,so you said to God, what now?And God was quiet for a long time.
Finally you heard it: Listen,and the words will create you anew.
You did listen, and words swarmed your skin,nestled themselves into your eyes, your ears, every crevice
until your beehive heart was so swollen with wordsyou couldn't even cry out –
but God heard, and he said, words are for giving awayand so you began with small wordsyes    we   love
Soon you could breathe again,and then words became phrases,phrases evolved into poems –poems and poems and poems
Yet somehow words didn't dry up,they multiplied, spilled over,and you didn't need God to tell youthat when it comes to poetry
there's always enoughfor everyone <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } </style></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i>- Irene Latham</i></div><br /><br /><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=..." width="100%"></iframe></div>

ARTSPEAK! Harlem Renaissance poem "Boy with Plane"

Welcome to day #4 of 2018 ARTSPEAK!, in which I am focusing on art and artists from the Harlem Renaissance.

Before we get started, be sure to visit Michelle at Today's Little Ditty to read the next line of this year's Progressive Poem!

Today I'm continuing my Harlem Renaissance poetry project with Aaron Douglas who was often called the “official artist of the Harlem Renaissance," or the “Father of Black American Art.”

Aaron Douglas illustrated many books during the 1920's, and I learned in the book HARLEM STOMP! by Laban Carrick Hill that his work came to embody all that the Harlem Renaissance stood for – the culturally rich aspects of African-American life and heritage. So for the first week of this project, I will be writing after his work.

Aaron Douglas poems so far:

"To a Dancer" after Sahdji (Tribal Women) by Aaron Douglas
"For the Builders" after Building More Stately Mansions by Aaron Douglas
"This Poem is a Dream" after Aspiration by Aaron Douglas

Today's piece represents another theme of Aaron Douglas's work -- that of portraying African American people in their everyday lives. You can learn more about the painting here.

I was puzzled by the boy's expression in this piece. Is he bored? Or daydreaming? I like that it's a moment of pause between swooping that plane. I wondered, what is he thinking? And then I remembered this poem I read recently, and thought it might make a nice mentor text:


Or Hounds to Follow on a Track?by Elizabeth Coatsworth
I wonder where the clouds go?I wonder what the wind says?I wonder what it is makes snow?And how the birds get back?
I wonder how the flowers grow,So many colors from one earth?And how is it that feathers knowWhich should be brown or red or black?
I wonder where the clouds go?I wonder what the wind says?Who teaches roosters how to crow?Or hounds to follow on a track? <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } </style> <br />--> <br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">-----</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">... and here's where I landed (ha!):</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2TKBWCTjis..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="963" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2TKBWCTjis..." width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>Boy with Plane</b></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Will I ever fly a real plane?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Can I really be that brave?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Will I like it better than a train?</div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Once I'm gone, will I ever come home?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I wonder how to pilot in whirring rain,</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">and how to tunnel through cloud-mountains?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">What if there comes a hurricane,</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">and the sky turns sticky as a honeycomb?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Will I ever fly a real plane?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Can I really be that brave?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Will it be easy as reading a weathervane?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Is there a word for a boy (like me) </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">who only wants to roam?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i>- Irene Latham</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><br /></i></div><style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } </style><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=..." width="100%"></iframe>

ARTSPEAK! Harlem Renaissance poem "To a Dancer"

Welcome to day #3 of 2018 ARTSPEAK!, in which I am focusing on art and artists from the Harlem Renaissance.

Before we get started, be sure to visit Laura at Writing the World for Kids to read the next line of this year's Progressive Poem!

Today I'm continuing my Harlem Renaissance poetry project with Aaron Douglas who was often called the “official artist of the Harlem Renaissance," or the “Father of Black American Art.”

Aaron Douglas illustrated many books during the 1920's, and I learned in the book HARLEM STOMP! by Laban Carrick Hill that his work came to embody all that the Harlem Renaissance stood for – the culturally rich aspects of African-American life and heritage. So for the first week of this project, I will be writing after his work.

Aaron Douglas poems so far:
"For the Builders" after Building More Stately Mansions by Aaron Douglas
"This Poem is a Dream" after Aspiration by Aaron Douglas

Today's piece has a different look. It's an ink and graphite illustration entitled Sadhji (Tribal Women). I learned Douglas illustrated this for a ballet called Sahdji, which is  composed by William Grant Still (another Harlem Renaissance star) and features a love triangle in the rainforest. You can learn more about it here.

Something that stood out to me about my research of the music for the ballet is that it included lots of drums. Perhaps my poem should include a drumbeat as well? And the women, who I immediately recognized as sisters... I knew I wanted to include them.



To a Dancer
it's your sisterswho urge youto own your nightskin
your sisterswho guide you past sunflashand mountaincrash
your sisterswho thunderstomp Go go go
when it's your turn <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } </style> <br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">to tango with tigers</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i>- Irene Latham</i></div><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=..." width="100%"></iframe><br /><br />Another note: when I went to record my poem for Soundcloud, I stumbled on a word in the third line... instead of "own" I had "shed." This was me thinking about being a shy person, coming out of the shadows... but as I am learning to be more sensitive to inclusive language, I realized a reader may see shedding of "nightskin" as a racial shedding, as in "we need to shed our black skin." And that of course is not what I mean at all! So I went back in to the image and changed the word and then re-recorded the new poem. My original message still stands, only now it is more sensitive. I am learning...

ARTSPEAK! Harlem Renaissance poem "For the Builders"

Welcome to day #2 of 2018 ARTSPEAK!, in which I am focusing on art and artists from the Harlem Renaissance.

Before we get started, be sure to visit Jane at Raincity Librarian to read the next line of this year's Progressive Poem!

Today I'm continuing my Harlem Renaissance poetry project with Aaron Douglas who was often called the “official artist of the Harlem Renaissance," or the “Father of Black American Art.”

Aaron Douglas illustrated many books during the 1920's, and I learned in the book HARLEM STOMP! by Laban Carrick Hill that his work came to embody all that the Harlem Renaissance stood for – the culturally rich aspects of African-American life and heritage. So for the first week of this project, I will be writing after his work.

Yesterday's poem:
"This Poem is A Dream" after Aspiration by Aaron Douglas

Today's piece is called Building More Stately Mansions. You can read more about the painting here. I knew right away I wanted to write something about/for builders, so I started looking for other builder poems. Here's what I found:
 "The Builders" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow"The Bridge Builder" by Will Allen Dromgoole"They, the Builders of the Nation" sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
stone picnic table at Palisades Park -
someone had to build it!And I thought I *might* want to include something about the Sphinx, which I have seen with my own two eyes! (Side note: both my parents have said that the one place they would return to from all our worldwide travels is Egypt. Interesting...) Other things that came to mind: my grandparents, who built their home themselves, brick by brick; the show "Bob the Builder," which my middle son loved!; the crew who recently built our stairs and boat dock; and Palisades Park in Oneonta, Alabama, where builders created picnic tables out of stone slabs!

And here is where I landed:


For the Builders- after "Building More Stately Mansions" by Aaron Douglas
For your arched back,tattered hands
your sandpaper mouthand battered feet.
For every stonebrick       nail             beam.
For years, for hours –we thank you.
For againand again.
For forging beauty,shelter.
For your relentless hammersong:Hope!       Success!                  Freedom!
- Irene Latham

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ARTSPEAK! Harlem Renaissance "This Poem is A Dream"

Welcome to 2018 ARTSPEAK!, in which I am focusing on art and artists from the Harlem Renaissance. Also, Happy Easter! :)

Before we get started, be sure to visit Liz at Elizabeth Steinglass to read the very first line of this year's Progressive Poem!

I've decided to start my Harlem Renaissance poetry project with Aaron Douglas who was often called the “official artist of the Harlem Renaissance," or the “Father of Black American Art.”

Aaron Douglas illustrated many books during the 1920's, and I learned in the book HARLEM STOMP! by Laban Carrick Hill that his work came to embody all that the Harlem Renaissance stood for – the culturally rich aspects of African-American life and heritage. So for the first week of this project, I will be writing after his work.

The first piece I've selected is "Aspiration." You can read some information about the painting here. I'm impressed by all that's going on in the painting, but it's not my job to include everything in my poem. I knew by the title and by the lights that what I wanted to write about was dreams and dreamers.


This Poem is A Dream- after “Aspiration” by Aaron Douglas
This poem shakes offthe shackles of meter,chains of history.It leaves behind lined fieldsand dives into wide-open
                        sky
where it beams a North Staracross skyscrapersand pine cathedrals,promising all dreamers:
          We can fly <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } </style> <br />--> <br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i>          We can FLY</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i>- Irene Latham</i></div><style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } </style> <br />--> <iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=..." width="100%"></iframe>

Announcing my 2018 ARTSPEAK! Theme (and Some Other Stuff, Too!)

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday on this the eve of National Poetry Month! Be sure to visit Heidi at my juicy little universe for Roundup, where you can learn some interesting things about our Progressive Poem tradition! I'm excited to read Liz's first line Sunday! (Yes, it will be a surprise to me as well!)

I know so many of you have celebratory things planned for the month... I'm so grateful for Jama's roundup post of National Poetry Month happenings!

Here I'll be continuing my ARTSPEAK! tradition of writing poems inspired by art. The fancy word for this is "ekphrasis" or "ekphrastic" poems, but I do NOT like the way that word tastes AT ALL! So 'round here, I'll just call them "art poems." :)

I mentioned in this post how I've been inspired by ONE LITTLE WORD by Nikki Grimes. No, I haven't written a single Golden Shovel poem. But reading that book totally made me want to learn about art from the Harlem Renaissance! I realized I knew something about the musicians and poets/writers from that time, but nothing about a single visual artist. And so, in order to remedy that, I give you.... ARTSPEAK! Harlem Renaissance.



The cover image is "Lift Up Thy Voice and Sing" by William H. Johnson. Don't you love it? I've selected works by Aaron Douglas, Meta Warrick Fuller, Palmer Hayden, William H. Johnson, Archibald Motley and James Van Der Zee. I'll be learning more about these artists as I go, and about art's place in the Harlem Renaissance as well. My goal is to create poems that embody the spirit of the Harlem Renaissance: creativity, reawakening, change, vitality, unity, dreams... I'm excited to find out what these pieces of art will say to me.
<!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } </style> <br />--> <br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L_iXg1Hdhs..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L_iXg1Hdhs..." /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">On the topic of art poems, I am also excited to share with you <a href="https://www.amazon.com/World-Make-Way... MAKE WAY: New Poems Inspired by Art from The Metropolitan Museum of Art </a>edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins, brought to us by Abrams. I am in love with this book! And not just because I have a poem in it. :) The words and art are breathtaking... I sent a note right away to Lee to tell him this is a book I will read and read again... truly the mark of a good book. It really deserves its own post, but I won't be able to during April, so I will leave you with a look at my contribution. Please do find this book! It's gorgeous!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jjnwrbi3c4..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="600" height="259" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jjnwrbi3c4..." width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painted Plaster Pavement Fragment,<br />ca. 1390-1353 BC, Anonymous</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><b><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />This Is the Hour</b></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><br /></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">This is the hour</div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">the sun dreams,</div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">and the river </div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">sings </div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">its silky song.</div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><br /></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">This is the hour</div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">Duck wades </div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">into the warm,</div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">whispery grass</div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">to settle</div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">onto its nest.</div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><br /></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">This is the hour</div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">Duck asks: </div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><i>     What is yours?</i></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><i>     What is </i></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><i>      mine?</i></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><br /></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">River answers:</div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><br /></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">     <i>Look how </i></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><i>     your </i><i style="font-size: 19.2px;">wings </i></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><i style="font-size: 19.2px;">     glisten.</i></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><i style="font-size: 19.2px;"><br /></i></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><i>     How my eyes </i></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><i>     wink.</i></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><br /></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><i>Yes, </i>Duck says.</div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><br /></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><i>     Now I see –</i></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><i>     this is the hour</i></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><i>     almighty sun </i></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><i>     gives itself</i></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><i>     to everything.</i></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><i>- Irene Latham</i></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><i>----------------------------</i></div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;">And now, to make this the longest post EVER, allow me to share with you some of my April events! I've got a few school and Skype visits that are private, and here are the open-to-the-public happenings:</div><div class="m_-1137894859252614209gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px; text-align: center;"><b>April 9 (Twitter)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sOAlJ46s9p..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sOAlJ46s9p..." width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>April 11-12 (Hattiesburg, MS)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.usm.edu/childrens-book-fe... B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(presenting on diversity with Leah Henderson)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jDgzrn2XTk..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="183" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jDgzrn2XTk..." width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>April 14 (Tallahassee, FL)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.wordofsouthfestival.com/&... of South Festival</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cTxqzXKGbS..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="1280" height="219" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cTxqzXKGbS..." width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>April 21 (New York City)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://worldvoices.pen.org/session/s... World Voices Festival</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(with Charles Waters, Selina Alko and Sean Qualls)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-feDipxHBqz..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="159" data-original-width="318" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-feDipxHBqz..." /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>April 21 (New York City)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.poetshouse.org/programs-a... House (with Charles Waters)</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rMp3v0Itq8..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="800" height="140" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rMp3v0Itq8..." width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Please let me know if you are able to join me for any of these things -- would love to see you! Wishing all the most glorious April ever! Can't wait to read everyone's offerings. xo</div>