Sally Murphy's Blog, page 19
August 17, 2021
Still Floating
Last week, at my day job as a university lecturer, I read The Floatingest Frog to my students, who are pre-service teachers, accompanied by two froggy puppets, and with all the voices and silliness I always use when I read this book.
Afterwards, I realised I have been reading about Frankie and Ferdinand for seventeen years. No wonder I can now read it with my eyes closed. In that time I have read it to audiences and classes of all sizes, and all ages and stages, as well as to my own children and, more recently, my grandchildren. The good news is – I have as much fun reading it now as I did seventeen years ago.
The even better news is that it is, amazingly, still in print.
And the best news of all is that I still get to read not just this book, but my other books as well, at Bookweek, which is only days away, as well as other times. No wonder I love being an author.
(PS, If you are a teacher and want to use this book, you can find teaching ideas here or purchase it here. It isn’t just a fun read – it can also link to units about frogs, and is a retold Aesop’s Fable)
July 31, 2021
What I Read in July
I’m not sure where I found time to get through 16 books this crazy busy month, especially given only two were audiobooks. But when you have a good book on the go, you steal moments to read. So much goodness this month, and this brings to 97 books for the year.
Books for Children
Swallow’s Dance, by Wendy Orr (Allen & Unwin, 2018). I’m not sure why I hadn’t read Orr’s Bronze age books before, but having read Dragonfly Song in June, I searched out this one, too. I love the way she brings this period alive through strong girl characters overcoming big adversity.
Everywhere Blue, by Joanne Rossmassler Fritz. Look at the amazing cover of this verse novel. Just stunning. And the book itself is excellent, too. The story of a family fractured by the disappearance of a son, and his sister particularly trying to make sense of everything.
The Treehouse Joke Book 2, by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton (Pan, 2021). Yes, i really did sit down and read a joke book for children cover to cover and yes I got quite a few laughs. This was sent to me as a review copy and was just the right thing to find in in TBR pile one wet miserable day.
Mel and Shell, by Julia Lawrinson (Fremantle Press, 2021). Another review copy – this one isn’t out until September and I have been resisting reading it too early, but the cover kept calling to me. Set in the 70s, with ABBA, horses, school camps, WAY79 (if you grew up in WA in the 70s you’ll know what this is) and Lawrinson’s typical deft touch with blending fun and issues including family, friendship and more. Love it!
Bella and the Voyaging House, by Meg McKinlay (Fremantle Press, 2021). And yes, another review copy. Always a pleasure to read Meg McKinlay’s writing. She is one of Australia’s finest writers for young people. This is a sequel to Bell and the Wandering House, but could also be read as a stand alone. Whimsy, adventure and loveliness. McKinlay also blogged at Aussiereviews this month about where her ideas come from.
The Twilight Ghost, by Colin Thiele (Puffin, 2004). I picked this one up from a library discard sale a while ago. Part of the now defunct (and much-missed) Aussie Chomps series, and written by one our most loved authors, this ghost story adventure is set in rural Australia.
When Days Tilt, by Karen Ginnane (Penguin, 2021). Ooooh. I was very excited to get to read this, having waited impatiently for its release. I went to university with the author, and was excited to reconnect with her via twitter and realise she had her first book coming out. Anyway, that’s a bit beside the point because even if I didn’t know Karen, i would have adored this book. A fantasy set in Victorian London and an alternate world, where the city of Donlon is familiar yet very different. It is beautifully crafted, and I’m now eagerly awaiting its sequel.Books for Young Adults
Echo in the Memory, by Cameron Nunn (Walker Books, 2021). Another from my review pile. Dual narratives – of a convict boy sent to work as a shepherd on a remote property, and a contemporary teen sent live on he same property with his grandparents after a family tragedy. Not always easy reading – it deals with some heavy topics, including suicide, family breakdown, the treatment of Aboriginal people by early settlers and more – but well done.Books for Adults
Her Last Holiday, by C.L. Taylor (Avon, 2021). Was given this by a friend and read it in two evenings. A well woven suspense story with the mystery of a disappearance at a self help retreat.
Locust Summer, by David Allan-Petale (Fremantle Press, 2021). I enjoyed this one from my review pile – read over two evenings. I always love books set in Western Australia, because they take me places I’ve been. this one is set in the Wheatbelt, so felt very familiar. A story of a family’s final harvest as they prepare to sell up, and face their pasts and their altered future. David Allan-Petale also guest blogged over at Aussiereviews this month.
The Other Side of Beautiful, by Kim Lock (Harper Collins, 2021). Funny and heartwarming, and at times sad, I really enjoyed this road trip story. When Mercy blain’s house burns down it is not the worst thing happening in her life – and soon she is on the road, in a hastily bought van, travelling across the middle of the continent. I enjoyed this.
Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray, by Anita Heiss (Simon & Schuster, 2021). My read of the month! This is beautiful, heartbreaking, and important. The story of Wagadhaany, forced to leave her family behind as an unpaid domestic to settler landowners. Her heart is broken by the knowledge she might never return to her country and her family and, while she finds love and friendship, her longing to go home is constant. Such a privilege to read and to grow more understanding of something which is a terrible, unforgiveable, part of Australia’s history – the treatment of our first peoples as slaves, the degradation of their land and so much more.Non Fiction
Working Class Boy, by Jimmy Barnes (Harper Collins, 2017). . Have always loved Cold Chisel and Jimmy Barnes’ music, but probably wouldn’t have listened to or read this if I listened to this one if it didn’t show up on my Audible account as one of their monthly free downloads. I’m glad I did though – having Jimmy read/recount the story made the listening experience. And the story paints a really vivid picture of his childhood and youth, as well as giving an insight into life in Elizabeth and Adelaide. I suspect I will end up buying the sequel, which deals with his adult life.What have you been reading?
July 8, 2021
Poetry Friday: Hay(na)ku
I may not have been sharing much poetry here on my blog, but my past month has involved lots of poetry related tasks. I have been finishing off last edits on Teaching Poetry for Pleasure and Purpose, a resource for Australian teachers, which will be out in August through PETAA, the Primary English Teacher’s Association. With a blend of poems (my own and others) and practical ideas for teaching poetry in the primary school classroom, I am hoping it will be a handy resource for Australian teachers and help get more poetry into the hands and hearts of children.
Then, last weekend, I presented at the 56th International Conference of UKLA (The UK Literacy Association). How strange to be presenting from my loungeroom on a cold winter’s evening, to people from around the world. My session focussed on verse novels including my own, and how they can be used in the classroom.
The time differences made it difficult to attend all of the other sessions – most of them happened in the middle of the night, my time – but how lovely to be able to listen, where I could, to passionate educators all wanting to ensure every child has the best possible access to literature and literacy.
One session I did get to was a workshop run by Rebecca Simpson-Hargreaves, a UK based lecturer and fellow poetry advocate. In a 30 minute session, Rebecca gave attendees a taste of four different poetic forms – and even got us writing. Not a bad feat in such a short space of time.
One form that was new to me was the Hay(na)ku. You’ll find a great explanation, including the history of the form, here. Simply, though, a hay(na)ku is a three line poem with just six words – one on the first line, two on the second and three on the third. Simple, huh? Well, yes and no – because of course with so few words you have to choose carefully.
Here was my first attempt, during the workshop:
Mushrooms
taste like
mud to me.
(This was a little tongue in cheek – in a previous exercise we had to argue for or against mushrooms, and so when it came to this exercise, my mind was still working on that).
Afterwards, I wanted to try again, and, because my whole day had been about poetry, the topic seemed obvious. So, here’s my second attempt:
Poetry
flows from
page to heart.
And, much later still my third attempt, after reflecting on the differences of this online conference versus the in person version, initially scheduled to be in Oxford but, of course, cancelled. because of the pandemic.
Conferences
can happen
without leaving home.
You know what else can happen without leaving home? Poetry Friday! Today’s roundup of poetry goodness is hosted by Margaret. Head over there and read her touching poem written during the Covid 19 lockdowns. And then, why don’t you try your hand at a hay(na)ku of your own?
June 30, 2021
What I Read in June
Another month down and we are halfway through 2021. Time flies! That means it’s time to take stock of what I read in June. I can report that after struggling to read in May, in June I got back on track and read 14 books, though some were picture books (I only include picture books in my total if it’s the first time I’ve read them, and if I take the time to really examine them). Some good ones here, but I think my favourite was Poems That Do not Sleep, because I am still thinking about it, long after I put it down. Isn’t that what poetry is supposed to do?
Books for Kids
Our Home, Our Heartbeat, by Briggs, with illustrations by Kate Moon & Rachel Sarra. (Hardie Grant, 2020). How wonderful to come across this picture book adaption of Briggs’ song The Children Came Back. A celebration of Aboriginal legends from history, sport, music and more. A must have for every classroom and home. 
Dragonfly Song, by Wendy Orr (Allen & Unwin, 2016). I love Wendy Orr’s writing, so am not sure why it has taken me so long to get to this one, but I am really glad I finally picked it up. A mythic story set in the Bronze Age, with action, twists and turns and featuring a resilient main character, Aissa.
Common Wealth, by Gregg Dreise (Scholastic, 2021).
Hello and Welcome, by Gregg Dreise (Penguin, 2021)My Culture and Me, by Gregg Dreise (Penguin, 2019) You might notice a theme emerging in my picture book reads this month. I went looking for the voices of more First Nations poets because I felt there was a gap in my reading, and perhaps in publishing, too. I was heartened to find three books by Dreise, as well as the Briggs book above. Each very different, and all books that I will be sharing with my education students and recommending widely.
Paws, by Kate Foster (Walker Books, 2021). A charming story of friendship, dogs and coping with change. Max, the main character, lives with autism, and is trying to navigate the challenges of his final year of primary school, and his desire to make friends.
Wednesday Weeks and the Tower of Shadows , by Denis Knight & Cristy Burne (Lothian, 2021). This is the first in a series, and i am already looking forward to the second. Wednesday Weeks isn’t super keen on being a sorcerer’s apprentice but when her grandpa (the sorcerer) is kidnapped. Wednesday has to find a way to rescue him, along with the help of her best friend Alfie. Lots of magic and a satisfying mix of science too.
A Boat of Stars, edited by Margaret Connolly & Natalie Jane Prior (ABC Books, 2018). Not my first read of this beautiful anthology, and I have dipped in and out of it many times, but a great pleasure to take the time to reread from cover to cover. The world needs more beautiful poetry books – and Australia needs more such books produced by Australian creators.Books for Young Adults
The Gathering, by Isobelle Carmody (Puffin Books, 1993). I had read this last year, after picking it up in an op shop, but somehow it went back into my to be read pile, and so I read it again. This is a gripping young adult story, about how Nat, and a group of other seemingly misfit teens find the way to tackle the dark force which is taking over their school and their town.
We Were Wolves, by Jason Cockcroft. I have to confess to not enjoying this one, which says nothing about the quality of the writing and more about the events of the book. It was grim at the start, grim in the middle and grim at the end. Although there were glimmers of hope, I wasn’t sure the boy (he didn’t even have a name) was left any better off.Books for Adults
The Little Boat on Trusting Lane, by Mel Hall (Fremantle Press, 2021). The author of this one guest blogged on Aussiereviews earlier this month, inspiring me to pick up a read the book. I really enjoyed this book, though it’s hard to explain – it’s a gentle satire about religion, and new aged healing, and coping with pain. And, if you know Fremantle, the settings will resonate with you, as they did for me.
The Emporium of Imagination, by Tabitha Bird. I raced off to buy this when I read an article about it in the paper in May, then had to wait a while to read it, because I was in the midst of grief and wondered if a book about grief was the best thing for me. I needn’t have worried – yes, this book has its sadness, but it also uplifting and even in places humorous. I loved it.
The Night Village, by Zoe Deleuil (Fremantle Press, 2021). From my review pile (and actually not released until August), I enjoyed this, reading it over two evenings. Dealing with the realties of early motherhood – the birth experience, the impact of sleeplessness, the isolation and so on, against the backdrop of an air of threat/mystery.Non Fiction Books
The Way of Integrity, by Martha Beck (Audible). I found this one through a recommendation on Audible, and really enjoyed the messages of this book, as well as the easy to listen to narration, by the author. Clear messages about being true to yourself – ie living in integrity – if you want to be truly happy.Poetry
Poems That Do not Sleep, by Hassan Al Nawwab (Fremantle Press, 2021). I picked this one late one evening from my to read pile, and then couldn’t go to bed until I had read every poem. Easy to read, in their accessibility, but sometimes hard to digest because they deal with such real, difficult experiences. The poet is a former Iraqi soldier and refugee. the title should have been enough hint to me of their challenge, but I am very glad I read them, and will do so again.
That brings my total to the year to 81. Not bad when I consider just how busy I really am. What have you been reading lately? I’d love to hear.
June 10, 2021
Poetry Friday: Leisure
Not so many beach walks, and no snorkels, this week. I have been busy, but it’s actually the weather that has kept me inside – bitterly cold and a lot of rain. I don’t mind one or the other, but when both hit, I am firmly an inside person. which, in a busy week, is not a terrible thing. I got a lot done this week.
One evening as I was reading in my recliner with my weighted blanket and the heater blasting warm air I came across this poem – new to me, and nodded my agreement, then laughed at myself because I was kind of doing the opposite right there and then.
Leisureby W. H. Davies
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?—
No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep and cows:
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:
No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
And then, I realised that sometimes we just can’t be out and amongst this treasures of nature – especially in this Covid world, where so many are in lockdowns or isolation. And I reread the poem, and realised it isn’t saying we have to be doing those things all the time – just that when those things are there, we should allow ourselves leisure (rhymes with pleasure!) to enjoy. You don’t have to be on the beach or in the woods, or snorkelling to notice a moment of beauty. I call them ‘this’ moments. When I spot a tiny spider clinging to a web, or the way the sun shines through my back window making silvery fairy dust and I give myself a second, or a minute or whatever to think ‘this’ – this is lovely, or this is awe inspiring, or even this is kind of cool. Sometimes my ‘this’ comes when I am curled up inside with a wonderful book of poetry.
This morning, though, the rain has stopped for a while, and I was lucky enough to get back onto the beach. And it was a great big ‘this’ I was thinking as I strolled along the sand. I captured a minute of it in the hopes it might give someone else a this moment.
I hope there are lots of thises in your day. You might start by saying ‘this’ as you nod along to the poetry goodness being shared by other Poetry Friday bloggers. The round up is being hosted by Carol.
June 4, 2021
What I Read in May
In April I was surprised to have read only 12 books. In May I am surprised that I managed to get through 6. What a month May was! My darling Dad passed away, my work was chaotic with deadlines, and I worked through grief and day job stuff to try to meet a writing deadline for my poetry resource which will be published later this year. So yes, I’m not surprised to tally my reads and find only 6 – but 6 is better than none. And there are some goodies in this list.
Books for Children (an adults too!)
Aster’s Good, Right Things, by Kate Gordon (Riveted Press, 2020). I love everything Kate Gordon writes, and this is no exception. A really touching story about a girl who believes that if she does enough good things then her life will turn around. When she makes friends with a boy who lives next door to her school, but doesn’t got o school himself, things gradually shift. Hard to explain this book – you just need to read it to see how lovely it is.
We Are Wolves, by Katrina Nannestad (ABC Books, 2020). Wow. Sometimes I read a book that is just so perfect I have no words. This is one such book. Set in Germany and East Prussia at the close of World War II, it tells the story of Liesel and her siblings as they flee the advancing Russian Army and struggle for survival and to be reunited with their mother. heart wrenching but also beautiful.Books for Young Adult Readers
Displaced, by Cristina Sanders (Walker Books, 2021). I love historical fiction, and this one took me into a slice of history I was unfamiliar with – new Zealand in the late 19th century. the main character, Eloise, emigrates from Cornwall with her family, but nothing goes to plan and she finds herself increasingly needing to hold her family together in ways she could never have foreseen.2.
Game Changer, by Neal Shusterman (Walker Books, 2021). this one took me a while to get into, but that is perhaps more about my interrupted month than about the book. Ash is a high school football player who gets a knock on the head which knocks him into an alternate universe. Only he knows that things are changing and, as weeks progress, he is catapulted into increasingly shifted versions of reality. He has to try to figure out a way to get everything back to where it was.
3. 
One of Us is Lying, by Karen M. McManus (Penguin, 2017). I picked this one up on a remainders table and then it sat in my pile for a while. part murder-mystery, part thriller, and an exploration of the ways teens interact with each other and with social media. I really enjoyed this one.
A Year of Loving Kindness to Myself & Other Essays, by Brigid Lowry. This little gem of a book was a soothing balm in a period when I was grieving and unsettled. Lowry writes with wisdom, honesty and wonder. A lovely book. Brigid also guest blogged at Aussiereviews last month, which you can read here.
This brings my total for the year to 67 books, which isn’t too shabby, and June is looking a little more laid back, so hopefully I can at least crack double digits again. What have you been reading? I’d love to hear.
June 3, 2021
Poetry Friday: Jellyfish
May was a busy busy month for me. Actually, every month is busy, but May was super busy, with some personal stuff, some day job stuff, and a looming deadline for my poetry resource for Australian teachers. And that all meant I missed several Poetry Fridays.
Another thing I missed was snorkelling. That busyness coupled with the cooler weather kept me out of the water most of the month. But this week some of the busyness has gone, and on Tuesday I bought a new, warmer, wetsuit – and so I managed a snorkel both Wednesday and Thursday.
On Thursday I did my first ever river snorkel. I’d heard of a site where seahorses are regularly spotted, and it is close to my city unit, so I headed there. I spotted only the one seahorse, but it was my first ever seahorse, so I was pleased. But what really took my breath away were the jellyfish.
I confess that I have always had a bit of hesitancy to get anywhere near jellyfish. Some sting, and all seem, from the surface, weird, sticky creatures. But snorkelling has given me the opportunity to really see these amazing creatures up close. I am fascinated by the way they move, and could watch them for hours.
Here’s a little footage so you can see what I mean.
Beautiful aren’t they?
And, of course, I came away wanting to write poetry about the beauty and the grace of these creatures. But nothing came out quite right. Yet. I will keep trying, but in the meantime, I found this beautiful poem, which says all the things I wanted to say.
A Jelly-Fish
by Marianne Moore
Visible, invisible,
A fluctuating charm,
An amber-colored amethyst
Inhabits it; your arm
Approaches, and
It opens and
It closes;
You have meant
To catch it,
And it shrivels;
You abandon
Your intent—
It opens, and it
Closes and you
Reach for it—
The blue
Surrounding it
Grows cloudy, and
It floats away
From you.
Have a wonderful Friday, and, if you love poetry, head over to Margaret’s blog to see lots more poetry goodness.
April 30, 2021
April Reads
Another month has ended, so it’s time for my monthly reading roundup. I managed only 12 books in April, but there were some beauties in that 12.
Books for Children
Backyard Bugs, by Helen Milroy (Fremantle Press, 2021). This little picture book offering is lovely, and my two year old granddaughter seemed to agree. After I read her the simple rhyming text, she sat for a long time flipping through the pages and ‘reading’, emulating the lyrical feel and the names of the different minibeasts. The illustrations are sumptuous.2. Redback Mansion, by Lorraine Marwood (Five Islands Press, 2002). It’s been fifteen years since I reviewed this collection of poetry on Aussiereviews, but love to dip in and out of it, as well as others of Marwood’s collections. This is the first time in a long while that I have read it cover to cover, and it didn’t disappoint. It’s a shame it is no longer in print for a new generation of readers, but luckily Marwood continues to produce new work, so there is still plenty out there to read.
3. 
Nobody’s Boy, by Dianne Bates (Celapene Press, 2012). Another one I had read before. I love to revisit verse novels, because not only are they my favourite form, but reading them is about really experiencing the characters’ perspectives. This is the story of Ron, who has been in foster care most of his life and craves a chance to live with his dad.
4.
Fish Kid and the Turtle Torpedo, by Kylie Howarth (Walker Books, 2021). This is the third book in excellent series for young readers, especially those who love marine life, swimming and adventure. Fish Kid (Bodhi) has a love of the ocean and has special powers which let him swim like a fish and even communicate with sea life. In this instalment he and his friend Emely rescue a sick turtle and even swim with dolphins. Along the way readers learn lots of animal fact and conservation messages, but the story is foremost.
Books for Young Adults
All Our Hidden Gifts, by Caroline O’Donoghue (Walker Books, 2021). This was sent to be by Walker Books, and took me a little while to get into, probably more because it was the first book I read for the month, and was busy, than because of the book itself. Maeve finds a set of tarot cards, discovers she has a knack for reading them, and then, to her horror, that she seems to have the power to make her former best friend disappear. What it might cost to get her back is too much. With magic and the occult, as well as explorations of gender diversity, religion and more, there is a lot going on here, which makes for an intriguing read.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou (Audible Edition, 2014). I am so glad I chose to listen to this book, because it is read by Angelou herself, which adds so much to the reading experience. This is the autobiography of her childhood, characterised by hardship, displacement, violence and racism – but is also a story filled with strength and the beauty of Angelou’s writing. I cried but I also smiled. I’ve put it here in the young adult section because it is suitable for young adults, but will equally appeal to adult readers.
Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal, by Anna Whatley (Allen & Unwin, 2020). I loved this own voices novel about a gutsy girl who tries hard to act ‘normal’ by following the rules drummed into her by therapists, parents and teachers over her lifetime, but with the laugh of her aunt and new friends learns not just to like herself but also to see her strengths and expect others to, too. So glad this is is on the CBCA Children’s Book of the Year shortlist. Books for Adult Readers
Everyday Madness, by Susan Midalia (Fremantle Press, 2021). Susan recently guest blogged over at my review site, Aussiereviews, about her writing life and the story behind this book. I enjoyed the weaving of the different stories – that of Bernard, newly unemployed, his wife Gloria, whose breakdown and caused a huge shift in their marriage, their daughter on law Meg, struggling to raise her daughter, study full time and navigate supporting the in laws her ex-husband seems to not take responsibility for, and her daughter Ella.The Cuckoo’s Cry, by Caroline Overington (Audible, 2020). Set in Bondi during the first Covid 19 lockdown, this novella was an interesting free read, part family drama, part mystery.Life After Truth, by Cerdiwen Dovey (Audible, 2019). You can tell how much time I have spent int he car in any month by the number of Audible reads, especially the free reads. This was again part mystery (the US president’s son is murdered) and part soul-searching drama. The characters did have me interested, but I must admit I spent most of the book just gobsmacked at the utter privilege of the Harvard world (the book is set during a 15 year reunion, on campus). It really just seems like another world. 
The Last Bookshop, by Emma Young (Fremantle Press, 2021). Any book set in a bookshop is likely to engage me. Put that bookshop in Hay Street, Perth, and I am hooked. What I didn’t expect was to blubber helplessly while reading this. Loved it! Emma Young also guest blogged over on my Aussiereviews site here.Nonfiction BooksAn Island
Solution: Rottnest reveals our colonial secrets, by Eversley Ruth Mortlock (Gwelup Creative Life Writing Press, 20219). I picked this up in the Rottnest store when I was visiting Rottnest/Wadjemup earlier this year. An insight into a chapter of Western Australian history which must be redressed: the incarceration, and inhumane treatment, of Aboriginal men from around the state on Rottnest Island. Not an easy read, because of its subject matter, but important for that reason.These 12 books bring my total to 61 books read for the year to date., roughly one book every two days, if my maths is correct. What have you been reading lately?
April 29, 2021
Poetry Friday: Autumn Rain
It’s Autumn here in my neck of the woods, and I am in my annual state of denial about the inevitability of the changing weather. I am a summer person – I love to swim, and snorkel and enjoy the heat. I am not so keen on being cold and wet. But it is, as I said, inevitable that the seasons will change and roll through, and in spite of my objections, I always end up remembering that there are lovely things about every season.
This week is a case in point. The week began warm and bright, and on Wednesday I was able to squeeze in an early morning snorkel, at a place called Castle Rock. Here’s a glimpse of what I saw.
(Incidentally, as I was getting ready to leave, I ran into a man who was setting up his drone for some aerial footage. He told me where to find him on Instagram and, lo and behold, he posted an image from above the very spot I had been snorkelling. So, if you want to see the same scene from above, head here).
Back home, and yesterday saw a complete change in the weather, with a big autumn rain storm. I was at my desk working on a poetry resource I am writing, and watching the weather change out my window, so I wasn’t surprised when the rain came down. But I did get a giggle when I realised what I was working on just at that time. I was busily adding two poems to the resource – both about rain! As the rain pelted down, I was entering this:
A Song of Rain
by C.J. Dennis
Patter, patter … Boolcoomatta,
Adelaide and Oodnadatta,
Pepegoona, parched and dry,
Laugh beneath a dripping sky.
Riverina’s thirsting plain
Knows the benison of rain.
Ararat and Arkaroola
Render thanks with Tantanoola
For the blessings they are gaining,
And it’s raining—raining—raining!
Weeps the sky at Wipipipee
Far Farina’s folk are dippy
With sheer joy, while Ballarat
Shouts and flings aloft it’s hat.
Thirsty Thackaringa yells;
Taltabooka gladly yells
Of a season wet and windy;
Men Rejoice on Murrindindie;
Kalioota’s ceased complaining;
For it’s raining—raining—raining!
(This is an extract from a longer poem which can be found here).
I love that this poem manages to gather the pace and momentum of a big rain storm. I also love the way it celebrates so many of Australia’s unique place names. You don’t have to know where they are to get real pleasure from the sound of them.
You might imagine that, when I realised the synchronicity of the rain outside and the rain poem on my computer screen, that the storm took on new meaning, and I was soon giggling and chanting ‘And it’s raining – raining – raining’ .
The next poem I worked on was also about rain, though not quite as joyful:
An Ode to the Rain
by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
I know it is dark; and though I have lain,
Awake, as I guess, an hour or twain,
I have not once opened the lids of my eyes,
But I lie in the dark, as a blind man lies.
O Rain! that I lie listening to,
You’re but a doleful sound at best:
I owe you little thanks, ’tis true,
For breaking thus my needful rest!
Yet if, as soon as it is light,
O Rain! you will but take your flight,
I’ll neither rail, nor malice keep,
Though sick and sore for want of sleep.
But only now, for this one day,
Do go, dear Rain! do go away!
(Again you will find the full poem here). I love that Coleridge took the Ode form, which is usually about praising something, and turned it humorously on its head to beg the rain to go away.
And me? Having smiled my way through the rain storm, which was a good one, with thunder and lightning and torrential rain, I got back to work and then, this morning, have woken to a cool but fine day. That’s Autumn for you!
Whatever season you are celebrating, it’s the right season for poetry. And, on Poetry Friday there is plenty of poetry to be found across the world wide web. Matt is hosting the Poetry Friday roundup today and also sharing a fun new poetic form, the tricube. I might have to tri try my hand at one – or three.
April 8, 2021
Poetry Friday: My Occy Friend
You may have noticed I am a little octopus-obsessed of late, having been lucky enough to see them in the sea for the first time this summer and autumn – and, of course, having seen one I have managed to see many on my snorkelling trips. I’ve also been happy to manage to get some interesting videos.
Last week I was surprised to find one sitting on the bottom step of one of my favourite snorkelling spots. Very surprised in fact – because usually I sit on this very step to put my flippers on and off, but this day I snorkelled all the way to the stairs, and thus spotted my new friend sitting right where I usually do. And of course instead of climbing out I stopped and watched (and filmed). Here’s what I saw:
The stair octopus is a close neighbour of the cannon octopus I have shared previously – but, if you missed that video, here it is again. (Sorry. I can’t help resharing this – it still takes my breath way!):
I have been trying to write a poem that captures the beauty and awe of this creature, and am not yet quite satisfied with my efforts, nor ready to share them. But here’s a little tribute that I’ve come up with in the meantime:
My Occy Friend
The cephalopod
is rather odd
and some folk think she’s freaky
She can lurk in caves
or under rocks
in ways that may seem sneaky
But me I think
she’s clever
in the way she fits and squeezes
then shows an eye
or tentacle
or erupts whenever she pleases
To shoot herself
like an arrow
to catch herself some lunch
and just as quick
return herself
to her spot for a quiet munch.
She likes to change
her colour
to match wherever she goes
and can sucker herself
or climb
and cling.
How this works only she knows.
So I’m not scared
of occy
And I hope she’s not scared of me
I can float
and watch for hours
when I spot her in the sea.
(Sally Murphy, 2021)Tabatha is hosting Poetry Friday today. Float over there and gaze on the other poetry treasures on offer this week.
