Irene Latham's Blog, page 95

Wisdom of Our Mothers

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Sylvia at Poetry for Children for Roundup.

Today, on the Friday before Mother's Day, I am excited to share with you a bit of mother-love.

It came to me by way of quilter who read LEAVING GEE'S BEND.

LEAVING GEE'S BEND is a book about a girl who loves her mother more than anything. When she embarks on a journey to find medical help for her mom, it's her mother's voice in her head that guides her. Mama is full of wisdom, and Ludelphia tries to listen.

This part of the book was inspired by MY mother's words of wisdom to me: "Err on the side of Love."


So, last year, when I spoke to Birmingham Quilters Guild, one of the amazing quilters Ann Griffin presented me with this quilt piece, with the instructions to take it with me on my travels and add bits of wisdom. Here's what it looks like right now:
Wisdom of Our Mothers
If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all.
There are seasons in your life. Don't worry if you can't do it now. You will.
What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.
Read the Bible.
If you make your bed hard, don't forget you've got to lay in it.
Before you speak: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
Pray about it.
Don't put your elbows on the table.
Love one another.
Wherever you are keep you're peace shoes on.
A stitch in time saves nine.
Wipe from the front to the back.
Nice girls do NOT fight!
If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.
Treat others the way you would like to be treated.
You look good in pink.
Act well your part, for there all honour lies.
Pretty is as pretty does.
The best way to cure the "blues" is to do something nice for someone.
Be the best that you can be.
You must have passion! If there's anything I'd like to pass on to you, it's that passion will energize you.
Learn to enjoy your own company.
Be kind.
Forgive.-----------------------------There's still room for more... a poem of sorts! If you  have some mother-wisdom you'd like to share, please put it in comments. Thank you! 

Spiritual Journey Thursday: Creativity & Vulnerability

Hello! I'm still recovering from the madness and delight that was National Poetry Month. I enjoyed so much my ARTSPEAK! Plant. Grow. Eat. series... part of me is sorry it's over!

The other part of me is turning cartwheels.

Now I can catch up on all the blogworthy things I've wanted to post about! First on my list: Creativity & Vulnerability.

That's because I read on airplanes during April BIG MAGIC by Elizabeth Gilbert and RISING STRONG by Brene Brown. (Sorry, I don't know how to put that accent on Brene's name.)

I can't tell you how nurtured I've felt by each of these books. And since I can't tell you everything I loved about them, I will share one takeaway from each that springs first to mind.

BIG MAGIC: Liz Gilbert tells a story about meeting fellow author Ann Patchett, how there was a moment (and a kiss!) that was big magic. It has to do with a book Liz was working on that was set in the Amazon. The book just wasn't happening, and eventually Liz set it aside. When she next met with Ann (years later, if I recall correctly), Ann revealed that she, too, had written a book set in the
Amazon - a book that was published as STATE OF WONDER. Liz felt like Ann had written HER book. But Liz didn't see this as a bad thing. There was no bitterness, no angsty "I should have finished that story, how come you wrote it, it was MINE." For Liz it was affirmation that Ann - not Liz - was the one meant to write the book all along.

I LOVE THIS. What a generous outlook! Creativity as abundance! And guess what? When I was at Texas Library Association conference in Houston, I met and shared a panel with K.A. Holt (author of verse novel HOUSE ARREST, which I loved). In her closing comments, Kari Anne revealed her work-in-progress about Guatemalan kids who ride atop trains across Mexico to cross into the U.S. I couldn't help it, I started smiling so big! Because *I* started a book several years ago with the same premise. But mine stalled out, and now here's Kari Anne writing the book, as she was meant to. I can't wait to read it.

RISING STRONG: Brene Brown's book is all about vulnerability as the key to getting through the tough times -- in getting up again. The story that sticks out is one she tells about a moment when she was swimming with her husband, how she was trying to connect with him, but he wasn't responding. She started spinning all these ideas about how HE was feeling, why he wasn't engaging. She was filled with fear. And yet, instead of shutting down, she made herself vulnerable. She shared with her husband all the crazy thoughts by saying these magic words, "The story I'm telling myself is..." She cites this as a tool for more vulnerable living. Instead of living in the spin, share. Risk finding out what's really going on by telling another person what's really going on inside you.

Read the books! Be generous and vulnerable! CREATE.

Thanks so much for reading!

ARTSPEAK! 2016: "Garden Rabbit's Dream"

WELCOME to the final poem of my National Poetry Month poem-a-day-project ARTSPEAK! in which I respond to images found in the online collections at the National Gallery of Art. Woohooo! We made it!!

It's also the final day of our 2016 Progressive Poem. Wow! Be sure to visit Donna at Mainely Write  to read the last line.


 This year's ARTSPEAK! theme is "Plant. Grow Eat." It was inspired by the release of my latest book FRESH DELICIOUS: Poems from the Farmers' Market. Here are the poems so far:

"These Al Fresco Summer Nights" after Repast in the Garden by Edouard Vuillard
"Strawberry Basket" after Strawberry Basket by William Spiecker
"When We Meet in the Garden" after The Artist's Garden at Argentheuil - A Corner of the Garden with Dahlias by Claude Monet
"Sunday Afternoon" after Madame Monet and her Son by Auguste Renoir
"Let Us Now Praise Leafy Things" after The Gardener - Old Peasant with Cabbage by Camille Pissarro
"Just Like the Garden" after On the Fence by Winslow Homer
"What Grapes Say" after Plate by Dorothy Posten
"A Dream of Wheat" after Field of Green Wheat by Vincent van Gogh
"Fruit Jar" after Fruit Jar by J. Howard Iams
"Child in the Garden" after The Artist's Garden at Vetheuil by Claude Monet
"Math Lesson (from the Garden)" after Still Life with Lemons and Oranges wit Blue Gloves" by Vincent van Gogh
"Gardening Basics" after The Watering Can/Emblems: the Garden by Roger de La Fresnaye
"Mary in the Garden" after Reading in the Garden by Pompeo Mariani
"This Wheelbarrow" after A Woman Emptying a Wheelbarrow by Camille Pissarro
"A Dream of Sheep" after Warm Afternoon by Winslow Homer
"Harvest" after The Last Days of Harvest by Winslow Homer
"Anticipation (in the Garden) after George Moore in the Artist's Garden by Edouard Manet
"Gathering Fruit" after Gathering Fruit by Mary Cassatt
"Bread's Lament" after Boy with Basket of Fruit by an unknown American artist
"After the Fire" after Ruined Farm by Hubert Robert
"Cow at the Gate" after Landscape with Open Gate by Pieter Molijin
"I Am the Plate" after Still Life with Milk Jug and Fruit by Paul Cezanne
"Courtship (According to the Cat)" by Winslow Homer
"Courage" after Planting Corn by Stanley Mazur
"Orchard Barber Shop" after Gardener Pruning a Tree by Jacques Callot
"Gardener's Companion" after The Watering Can by Georges Seurat"Man, Reading" after Denoisel Reading in the Garden by James Tissot"At the Vegetable Market" after Vegetable Market at Pontoise by Camille Pissarro"Triolet for Planting Day" after The Artist's Garden at Eragny by Camille Pissarro

Today's poem is inspired by a garden ornament. I wasn't sure what this rabbit had to say until I worked with it a while.... and somehow it ended up another "dream" poem! (My 3rd this series.)




Garden Rabbit's Dream
My whiskers twitchwhen you're not watching –my ears flicklike weather vanes.My eyes growroundand rounder,I hippety-hopalong the row.Sometimes I nibblecabbage.Sometimes I napamid the squash.When the sun shines,my coat turns to rust.But when the moon glowsI dance!
- Irene Latham
Listen to the poem on Soundcloud.

ARTSPEAK! 2016: Poem #29 "These Al Fresco Summer Nights"

Hello, and Happy Poetry Friday! Can you believe it's the final Friday of the month? Wow! Just one more poem to go... be sure to visit Buffy's Blog for Roundup.

A great big WELCOME to day 29 of my National Poetry Month poem-a-day-project ARTSPEAK! in which I respond to images found in the online collections at the National Gallery of Art. Big big THANK YOU for those who have stopped by to read these poems and leave comments. You make me smile, and you inspire me. Mwah!

And another THANK YOU to the creative, fearless  poets who've contributed this year to our Progressive Poem, now titled (by Heidi!) "West Wing Dreams of Taking Shape." What a marvelous journey it's been this year! Please visit Sheila Renfro's blog to read the next-to-last line.


 This year's ARTSPEAK! theme is "Plant. Grow Eat." It was inspired by the release of my latest book FRESH DELICIOUS: Poems from the Farmers' Market. Here are the poems so far:

"Strawberry Basket" after Strawberry Basket by William Spiecker
"When We Meet in the Garden" after The Artist's Garden at Argentheuil - A Corner of the Garden with Dahlias by Claude Monet
"Sunday Afternoon" after Madame Monet and her Son by Auguste Renoir
"Let Us Now Praise Leafy Things" after The Gardener - Old Peasant with Cabbage by Camille Pissarro"Just Like the Garden" after On the Fence by Winslow Homer
"What Grapes Say" after Plate by Dorothy Posten
"A Dream of Wheat" after Field of Green Wheat by Vincent van Gogh
"Fruit Jar" after Fruit Jar by J. Howard Iams
"Child in the Garden" after The Artist's Garden at Vetheuil by Claude Monet
"Math Lesson (from the Garden)" after Still Life with Lemons and Oranges wit Blue Gloves" by Vincent van Gogh
"Gardening Basics" after The Watering Can/Emblems: the Garden by Roger de La Fresnaye
"Mary in the Garden" after Reading in the Garden by Pompeo Mariani
"This Wheelbarrow" after A Woman Emptying a Wheelbarrow by Camille Pissarro
"A Dream of Sheep" after Warm Afternoon by Winslow Homer
"Harvest" after The Last Days of Harvest by Winslow Homer
"Anticipation (in the Garden) after George Moore in the Artist's Garden by Edouard Manet
"Gathering Fruit" after Gathering Fruit by Mary Cassatt
"Bread's Lament" after Boy with Basket of Fruit by an unknown American artist
"After the Fire" after Ruined Farm by Hubert Robert
"Cow at the Gate" after Landscape with Open Gate by Pieter Molijin
"I Am the Plate" after Still Life with Milk Jug and Fruit by Paul Cezanne
"Courtship (According to the Cat)" by Winslow Homer
"Courage" after Planting Corn by Stanley Mazur
"Orchard Barber Shop" after Gardener Pruning a Tree by Jacques Callot
"Gardener's Companion" after The Watering Can by Georges Seurat"Man, Reading" after Denoisel Reading in the Garden by James Tissot"At the Vegetable Market" after Vegetable Market at Pontoise by Camille Pissarro"Triolet for Planting Day" after The Artist's Garden at Eragny by Camille Pissarro

Today's poem is inspired by a magical (to me) piece "Repast in the Garden" by Edouard Vuillard. It's magical because I love dusk, love lighting the mosquito torches and taking our supper out to our back porch, which overlooks our woodsy, private backyard. We keep chair cushions and a little caddy of silver and napkins and salt-n-pepper and such right by the back door, always at the ready. Sometimes we talk, sometimes we laugh, sometimes we just listen to the world around us. I tried to put some of that magic into the poem.



These Al Fresco Summer Nights
Sky is the napkinwe spread on our laps
as firefly chandeliersblinkon offon offon
and small handslift a platefor, More, please
just beforethe sundisappearsbehindthe trees.
- Irene LathamListen to the poem on Soundcloud.

ARTSPEAK! 2016: Poem #28 "Strawberry Basket"

Hello, and welcome to day 28 of my National Poetry Month poem-a-day-project ARTSPEAK! in which I respond to images found in the online collections at the National Gallery of Art. Please join me, if you feel so inspired!

But first, please visit Heidi at My Juicy Little Universe to see a title! And punctuation! And a new line full of verbs!


 This year's ARTSPEAK! theme is "Plant. Grow Eat." It was inspired by the release of my latest book FRESH DELICIOUS: Poems from the Farmers' Market. Here are the poems so far:

"When We Meet in the Garden" after The Artist's Garden at Argentheuil - A Corner of the Garden with Dahlias by Claude Monet
"Sunday Afternoon" after Madame Monet and her Son by Auguste Renoir
"Let Us Now Praise Leafy Things" after The Gardener - Old Peasant with Cabbage by Camille Pissarro"Just Like the Garden" after On the Fence by Winslow Homer
"What Grapes Say" after Plate by Dorothy Posten
"A Dream of Wheat" after Field of Green Wheat by Vincent van Gogh
"Fruit Jar" after Fruit Jar by J. Howard Iams
"Child in the Garden" after The Artist's Garden at Vetheuil by Claude Monet
"Math Lesson (from the Garden)" after Still Life with Lemons and Oranges wit Blue Gloves" by Vincent van Gogh
"Gardening Basics" after The Watering Can/Emblems: the Garden by Roger de La Fresnaye
"Mary in the Garden" after Reading in the Garden by Pompeo Mariani
"This Wheelbarrow" after A Woman Emptying a Wheelbarrow by Camille Pissarro
"A Dream of Sheep" after Warm Afternoon by Winslow Homer
"Harvest" after The Last Days of Harvest by Winslow Homer
"Anticipation (in the Garden) after George Moore in the Artist's Garden by Edouard Manet
"Gathering Fruit" after Gathering Fruit by Mary Cassatt
"Bread's Lament" after Boy with Basket of Fruit by an unknown American artist
"After the Fire" after Ruined Farm by Hubert Robert
"Cow at the Gate" after Landscape with Open Gate by Pieter Molijin
"I Am the Plate" after Still Life with Milk Jug and Fruit by Paul Cezanne
"Courtship (According to the Cat)" by Winslow Homer
"Courage" after Planting Corn by Stanley Mazur
"Orchard Barber Shop" after Gardener Pruning a Tree by Jacques Callot
"Gardener's Companion" after The Watering Can by Georges Seurat"Man, Reading" after Denoisel Reading in the Garden by James Tissot"At the Vegetable Market" after Vegetable Market at Pontoise by Camille Pissarro"Triolet for Planting Day" after The Artist's Garden at Eragny by Camille Pissarro

Today's poem is inspired by "Strawberry Basket" by William Spiecker. I wasn't sure what to do with this image until I played around with it for a while. It's such a simple image... compelling in its nakedness. The more I looked at it, the more I knew this basket was brave and confident. I decided to give it a voice.



Strawberry Basket
Call me emptyor call me full
say I'm interesting,say I'm dull.
I know who I am.I know what I'm for:
I carry strawberries.
In holdingI am held.
I need nothing more.
- Irene Latham
Listen to the poem on Soundcloud.

ARTSPEAK! 2016: Poem #27 "When We Meet in the Garden"

Hello, and welcome to day 27 of my National Poetry Month poem-a-day-project ARTSPEAK! in which I respond to images found in the online collections at the National Gallery of Art. Please join me, if you feel so inspired!

But first, please visit Mary Lee at Poetrepository to see how our Progressive Poem is progressing!


 This year's ARTSPEAK! theme is "Plant. Grow Eat." It was inspired by the release of my latest book FRESH DELICIOUS: Poems from the Farmers' Market. Here are the poems so far:

"Sunday Afternoon" after Madame Monet and her Son by Auguste Renoir
"Let Us Now Praise Leafy Things" after The Gardener - Old Peasant with Cabbage by Camille Pissarro"Just Like the Garden" after On the Fence by Winslow Homer
"What Grapes Say" after Plate by Dorothy Posten
"A Dream of Wheat" after Field of Green Wheat by Vincent van Gogh
"Fruit Jar" after Fruit Jar by J. Howard Iams
"Child in the Garden" after The Artist's Garden at Vetheuil by Claude Monet
"Math Lesson (from the Garden)" after Still Life with Lemons and Oranges wit Blue Gloves" by Vincent van Gogh
"Gardening Basics" after The Watering Can/Emblems: the Garden by Roger de La Fresnaye
"Mary in the Garden" after Reading in the Garden by Pompeo Mariani
"This Wheelbarrow" after A Woman Emptying a Wheelbarrow by Camille Pissarro
"A Dream of Sheep" after Warm Afternoon by Winslow Homer
"Harvest" after The Last Days of Harvest by Winslow Homer
"Anticipation (in the Garden) after George Moore in the Artist's Garden by Edouard Manet
"Gathering Fruit" after Gathering Fruit by Mary Cassatt
"Bread's Lament" after Boy with Basket of Fruit by an unknown American artist
"After the Fire" after Ruined Farm by Hubert Robert
"Cow at the Gate" after Landscape with Open Gate by Pieter Molijin
"I Am the Plate" after Still Life with Milk Jug and Fruit by Paul Cezanne
"Courtship (According to the Cat)" by Winslow Homer
"Courage" after Planting Corn by Stanley Mazur
"Orchard Barber Shop" after Gardener Pruning a Tree by Jacques Callot
"Gardener's Companion" after The Watering Can by Georges Seurat"Man, Reading" after Denoisel Reading in the Garden by James Tissot"At the Vegetable Market" after Vegetable Market at Pontoise by Camille Pissarro"Triolet for Planting Day" after The Artist's Garden at Eragny by Camille Pissarro

Today's poem is inspired by "The Artist's Garden in Argenteuil (A corner of the Garden with Dahlias)" by Claude Monet. At first glance the painting is all dahlias, but then there's that tiny couple hiding beneath that tree... so of course I had to make this a love poem! (How many of these poems have been love poems? Soon I will count them all up and let you know.)



When Me Meet in the Garden
The old treeleans in to listen
and the dahliasin their Sunday dressesclamorfor the best view
and I know theremust be skyand sunand tiny sprigs and sproutsshouting Look at me!
but all I seeis you.
- Irene Latham
Listen to the poem on Soundcloud.

ARTSPEAK! 2016: Poem #26 "Sunday Afternoon"

Hello, and welcome to day 26 of my National Poetry Month poem-a-day-project ARTSPEAK! in which I respond to images found in the online collections at the National Gallery of Art. Please join me, if you feel so inspired!

But first, please visit Renee at No Water River to see how our Progressive Poem is progressing!


 This year's ARTSPEAK! theme is "Plant. Grow Eat." It was inspired by the release of my latest book FRESH DELICIOUS: Poems from the Farmers' Market. Here are the poems so far:

"Let Us Now Praise Leafy Things" after The Gardener - Old Peasant with Cabbage by Camille Pissarro"Just Like the Garden" after On the Fence by Winslow Homer
"What Grapes Say" after Plate by Dorothy Posten
"A Dream of Wheat" after Field of Green Wheat by Vincent van Gogh
"Fruit Jar" after Fruit Jar by J. Howard Iams
"Child in the Garden" after The Artist's Garden at Vetheuil by Claude Monet
"Math Lesson (from the Garden)" after Still Life with Lemons and Oranges wit Blue Gloves" by Vincent van Gogh
"Gardening Basics" after The Watering Can/Emblems: the Garden by Roger de La Fresnaye
"Mary in the Garden" after Reading in the Garden by Pompeo Mariani
"This Wheelbarrow" after A Woman Emptying a Wheelbarrow by Camille Pissarro
"A Dream of Sheep" after Warm Afternoon by Winslow Homer
"Harvest" after The Last Days of Harvest by Winslow Homer
"Anticipation (in the Garden) after George Moore in the Artist's Garden by Edouard Manet
"Gathering Fruit" after Gathering Fruit by Mary Cassatt
"Bread's Lament" after Boy with Basket of Fruit by an unknown American artist
"After the Fire" after Ruined Farm by Hubert Robert
"Cow at the Gate" after Landscape with Open Gate by Pieter Molijin
"I Am the Plate" after Still Life with Milk Jug and Fruit by Paul Cezanne
"Courtship (According to the Cat)" by Winslow Homer
"Courage" after Planting Corn by Stanley Mazur
"Orchard Barber Shop" after Gardener Pruning a Tree by Jacques Callot
"Gardener's Companion" after The Watering Can by Georges Seurat"Man, Reading" after Denoisel Reading in the Garden by James Tissot"At the Vegetable Market" after Vegetable Market at Pontoise by Camille Pissarro"Triolet for Planting Day" after The Artist's Garden at Eragny by Camille Pissarro

Today's poem is inspired by a Renoir pieced called "Madame Monet and Her Son." I was drawn to the expression on the boy's face... he doesn't look all that happy, does he? And then I spied the chickens, and I thought I might know why...

Sunday Afternoon
Mama says we mustrest today –
no more running,no more chasing chickens.
But Clucky doesn't understand those words –
she and her chickskeep clucking and peeping,
squawking and cheeping –
Come on, they say.Let's have some fun!
- Irene Latham
Listen to the poem on Soundcloud.

ARTSPEAK! 2016: Poem #25 "Let Us Now Praise Leafy Things"

Hello, and welcome to day 25 of my National Poetry Month poem-a-day-project ARTSPEAK! in which I respond to images found in the online collections at the National Gallery of Art. Please join me, if you feel so inspired!

But first, please visit Mark at Jackett Writes to see how our Progressive Poem is progressing!


 This year's ARTSPEAK! theme is "Plant. Grow Eat." It was inspired by the release of my latest book FRESH DELICIOUS: Poems from the Farmers' Market. Here are the poems so far:

"Just Like the Garden" after On the Fence by Winslow Homer
"What Grapes Say" after Plate by Dorothy Posten
"A Dream of Wheat" after Field of Green Wheat by Vincent van Gogh
"Fruit Jar" after Fruit Jar by J. Howard Iams
"Child in the Garden" after The Artist's Garden at Vetheuil by Claude Monet
"Math Lesson (from the Garden)" after Still Life with Lemons and Oranges wit Blue Gloves" by Vincent van Gogh
"Gardening Basics" after The Watering Can/Emblems: the Garden by Roger de La Fresnaye
"Mary in the Garden" after Reading in the Garden by Pompeo Mariani
"This Wheelbarrow" after A Woman Emptying a Wheelbarrow by Camille Pissarro
"A Dream of Sheep" after Warm Afternoon by Winslow Homer
"Harvest" after The Last Days of Harvest by Winslow Homer
"Anticipation (in the Garden) after George Moore in the Artist's Garden by Edouard Manet
"Gathering Fruit" after Gathering Fruit by Mary Cassatt
"Bread's Lament" after Boy with Basket of Fruit by an unknown American artist
"After the Fire" after Ruined Farm by Hubert Robert
"Cow at the Gate" after Landscape with Open Gate by Pieter Molijin
"I Am the Plate" after Still Life with Milk Jug and Fruit by Paul Cezanne
"Courtship (According to the Cat)" by Winslow Homer
"Courage" after Planting Corn by Stanley Mazur
"Orchard Barber Shop" after Gardener Pruning a Tree by Jacques Callot
"Gardener's Companion" after The Watering Can by Georges Seurat"Man, Reading" after Denoisel Reading in the Garden by James Tissot"At the Vegetable Market" after Vegetable Market at Pontoise by Camille Pissarro"Triolet for Planting Day" after The Artist's Garden at Eragny by Camille Pissarro

Today's poem is inspired a piece I adore  -- "The Gardener- Old Peasant with Cabbage" by Camille Pissaro. The peasant reminds me of my grandfather, who loved his garden -- and my grandmother. Right away I knew I wanted this to be a love poem. I struggled a bit with the ending -- not sure I've got it quite right, but I do love the "we" in the poem and the picture I have in my head of these "old goats."


Let Us Now Praise Leafy Things
We'll trim awaythe browning leaves,until all that's leftis supple green.
Well flavor itwith a flick of pepper,add shiny tomatoes,cucumber rounds,and festive bell pepper.
Finally, a splash of flavored oiland we'll graze together –two old goats who know each moment,each bite,must be savored.
- Irene Latham

Listen to the poem on Soundcloud!

ARTSPEAK! 2016: Poem #24 "Just Like the Garden"

Hello, and welcome to day 24 of my National Poetry Month poem-a-day-project ARTSPEAK! in which I respond to images found in the online collections at the National Gallery of Art. Please join me, if you feel so inspired!

But first, please visit Amy at The Poem Farm to see how our Progressive Poem is progressing!


 This year's ARTSPEAK! theme is "Plant. Grow Eat." It was inspired by the release of my latest book FRESH DELICIOUS: Poems from the Farmers' Market. Here are the poems so far:

"What Grapes Say" after Plate by Dorothy Posten
"A Dream of Wheat" after Field of Green Wheat by Vincent van Gogh
"Fruit Jar" after Fruit Jar by J. Howard Iams
"Child in the Garden" after The Artist's Garden at Vetheuil by Claude Monet
"Math Lesson (from the Garden)" after Still Life with Lemons and Oranges wit Blue Gloves" by Vincent van Gogh
"Gardening Basics" after The Watering Can/Emblems: the Garden by Roger de La Fresnaye
"Mary in the Garden" after Reading in the Garden by Pompeo Mariani
"This Wheelbarrow" after A Woman Emptying a Wheelbarrow by Camille Pissarro
"A Dream of Sheep" after Warm Afternoon by Winslow Homer
"Harvest" after The Last Days of Harvest by Winslow Homer
"Anticipation (in the Garden) after George Moore in the Artist's Garden by Edouard Manet
"Gathering Fruit" after Gathering Fruit by Mary Cassatt
"Bread's Lament" after Boy with Basket of Fruit by an unknown American artist
"After the Fire" after Ruined Farm by Hubert Robert
"Cow at the Gate" after Landscape with Open Gate by Pieter Molijin
"I Am the Plate" after Still Life with Milk Jug and Fruit by Paul Cezanne
"Courtship (According to the Cat)" by Winslow Homer
"Courage" after Planting Corn by Stanley Mazur
"Orchard Barber Shop" after Gardener Pruning a Tree by Jacques Callot
"Gardener's Companion" after The Watering Can by Georges Seurat"Man, Reading" after Denoisel Reading in the Garden by James Tissot"At the Vegetable Market" after Vegetable Market at Pontoise by Camille Pissarro"Triolet for Planting Day" after The Artist's Garden at Eragny by Camille Pissarro

Today's poem is inspired by a piece by Winslow Homer called "On the Fence." I started thinking about how kids are like the garden -- how WE are like the garden.


Just Like the Garden
We growwhen know one'swatching:slow-fast-slow.
Some daysall we wantis shade.We crave rain.We seekthe companyof weeds.
Fruit comes,or it doesn't.
In the end,we are mostgratefulfor easy wordsand gentle hands.
- Irene Latham

Listen to the poem on Soundcloud.

ARTSPEAK! 2016: Poem #23 "What Grapes Say"

Hello, and welcome to day 23 of my National Poetry Month poem-a-day-project ARTSPEAK! in which I respond to images found in the online collections at the National Gallery of Art. Please join me, if you feel so inspired!

But first, please visit Ramona at Pleasures from the Page to see how our Progressive Poem is progressing!


 This year's ARTSPEAK! theme is "Plant. Grow Eat." It was inspired by the release of my latest book FRESH DELICIOUS: Poems from the Farmers' Market. Here are the poems so far:

"A Dream of Wheat" after Field of Green Wheat by Vincent van Gogh
"Fruit Jar" after Fruit Jar by J. Howard Iams
"Child in the Garden" after The Artist's Garden at Vetheuil by Claude Monet
"Math Lesson (from the Garden)" after Still Life with Lemons and Oranges wit Blue Gloves" by Vincent van Gogh
"Gardening Basics" after The Watering Can/Emblems: the Garden by Roger de La Fresnaye
"Mary in the Garden" after Reading in the Garden by Pompeo Mariani
"This Wheelbarrow" after A Woman Emptying a Wheelbarrow by Camille Pissarro
"A Dream of Sheep" after Warm Afternoon by Winslow Homer
"Harvest" after The Last Days of Harvest by Winslow Homer
"Anticipation (in the Garden) after George Moore in the Artist's Garden by Edouard Manet
"Gathering Fruit" after Gathering Fruit by Mary Cassatt
"Bread's Lament" after Boy with Basket of Fruit by an unknown American artist
"After the Fire" after Ruined Farm by Hubert Robert
"Cow at the Gate" after Landscape with Open Gate by Pieter Molijin
"I Am the Plate" after Still Life with Milk Jug and Fruit by Paul Cezanne
"Courtship (According to the Cat)" by Winslow Homer
"Courage" after Planting Corn by Stanley Mazur
"Orchard Barber Shop" after Gardener Pruning a Tree by Jacques Callot
"Gardener's Companion" after The Watering Can by Georges Seurat"Man, Reading" after Denoisel Reading in the Garden by James Tissot"At the Vegetable Market" after Vegetable Market at Pontoise by Camille Pissarro"Triolet for Planting Day" after The Artist's Garden at Eragny by Camille Pissarro

Today's poem is after an odd piece: "Plate" by Dorothy Posten. I wasn't sure what to do with it, but I wanted this plate to have some wisdom.... so I kept trying to find some. What I ended up with is a mishmash of wedding vows and the hokey-pokey. :)


What Grapes Say
We takethis plateto be ourleafy bed –
Thank you,sun and rain!Thank you,green and red!
Let's danceall day,let's singand shout!
Whisper now:Yes.
Togetheris what lifeis all about.

- Irene Latham

**Soundcloud TK! Having issues with my internet connection.