Celebrate: Five Star Things About the Week

It’s Saturday; time to reflect on the goodness of the week. Thanks to Ruth we have a place to share at Ruth Ayres Writes.

ONE
Community: I hosted Poetry Friday yesterday. It’s always fun to see who shares poems, originals, and poetry books. Yesterday didn’t disappoint.

TWO
Perseverance: Nothing like awaking early this morning, adding a late entry to Poetry Friday, and clicking something which causes all your work to dissapear. So I needed to persevere and rewrite my Poetry Friday post.

THREE
Friendship: This week, I was able to have lunch dates with friends. The end of summer means catching up with friends in a leisurely way.

FOUR
Students and Parents: Thursday evening we had our annual back-to-school bar-b-que. It was so great to reconnect with families after summer break. Students meet their teachers for the coming year.

FIVE
Poems: I received a poem in the mail this week from Margaret Simon. (plan to share next Friday). The Summer Poetry Swap was a great way to be connected to community and keep writing.

What are you celebrating?

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Poetry Friday: Let’s Celebrate!

Welcome everyone! I am so pleased to host PF today. I started the summer hosting and am ending the summer hosting (as according to the school calendar).

First of all, have you considered becoming a CYBILs poetry panelist or judged? There is one week left to apply. You can find out more info about the Poetry Category HERE. To apply, go HERE. It’s fun to discuss the best poetry books of 2014. Join us.

This week has found me at school.

Summer
ending. School begins.
Square metal lunch boxes.
Yellow pencils and a new dress.
Ready.

If you are ready to share your poem, please leave your link in the comments. I will round up throughout the day.

SATURDAY MORNING
I just had an epic fail. I added a link and lost all the work I did on Friday.

At Beyond Literacy, Carol offers a close of summer.

At Todays’s Little Ditty, Michelle has the end-of-month wrap-up post for Lori Degman’s DMC challenge.

In honor of Monday’s holiday, Bridget has a poem with another perspective on Labor Day.

Linda shares one more swap poem, a bonus from Donna Smith!

Myra’s Poetry Friday post at Gathering Books is this amazing collection of letters, illustrations, folk tales, animal tales, short stories, fragments from longer novels, and most of all poetry that talk about war and peace: “Lines in the Sand: New Writing on War and Peace” edited by Mary Hoffman and Rhiannon Lassiter.

Last week Matt got stung and wrote a poem about it. This week, he got stung and wrote…three poems!

Over at The Drift Record today Julie has a link to my new post on Books Around the Table, where she shares some thoughts about using all six (yes, six) senses to write while she’s in Oaxaca this September. In honor of Poetry Friday, she’s added a previously-shared (by Jama Rattigan) poem of her own about Mexican markets.

Tabatha has two poems today (one is by the Buddha).

Mary Lee shares I have a retro post from 2011 — “I’m Your Mom.”

Margaret has a lesson on fingerprints and my own original fingerprint poem inspired by Eve Merriam.

Bookseedstudio thinks about charmed words.

Tara shares a poignant poem from one of my favorite poets, Naomi Shihab Nye.

Jama features Irene Latham’s debut poetry book, Dear Wandering Wildebeest with a review and a giveaway.

Irene has a post and a poem by James Wright about beginnings.

From Laura, Her “Summer Reads: Chapter & Verse” continues today with guest blogger Kathy MacMillan. Kathy is a fellow 2016 debut author. Her summer read is ENTHUSIASM, by Polly Shulman, a YA romance which features an Austen-obsessed character. The poem is Sonnet 3 from Elizabeth Barrett Brownings’ Sonnets from the Portugese.

Heidi has some long ago and far away right now reflections on HVAC repair and fishing.

Today, at Random Noodling, Diane is celebrating Labor Day with a poem about a little Maine laborer.

And Kurious Kitty has “The Mockingbird” by Mary Oliver.

Linda has two back to school icebreakers at Write Time.

Keri shares one of my poetry swap poems and one by Joy today.

Karen has a new poetry collection from an author I much admire — Mike Aquilina writes a ton of non-fiction, but is a brilliant poet, too.

At the Florian Cafe, Doug has a poem on innocence by Billy Collins, America’s Poet Laureate Forever (in his eyes and ears), as well as a picture of me and a friend age six.

JoAnn at Teaching Authors answers to the question, Do you write on paper or computer?

Becky shares a poem about the “Dog Days” of summer.

Sylvia is in with a “poet to poet” interview between Julie Larios and Skila Brown.

Reading to the Core has Cid Corman’s “Headline. (I wonder if kids will get the reference to newspapers being delivered to the door?)

Donna has an original poem about fall.

At The Poem Farm, Amy offers a poem titled “She Sells Seashells” about a girl she met last week.

Little Willow posted Reality by Anna Wickham at my blog, Bildungsroman.

Violet’s post today is a continuation of the poems she found in a park we visited this summer. Today’s edition is, well, a bit chilly. It will help cool off those of you still in August heat, Dawson Trail tanka (2).

Janet shares “Monumental Verses” by J. Patrick

At On Point Lori has a haiku, Elle of Joy.

Ramona has Toasting Marshamallows, a favorite book of poems to spark summer memories and stories.

Ruth has some Shakespeare today in honor of the opportunity she had in Haiti had last night to attend a traveling production of Hamlet that is visiting every country in the world over the course of two years.

At Booktalking Ananstasia shares a board book poem that is also a song! Dinnertime for Chickies by

Happy Poetry.
Happy Friday.(Actually now Saturday)

Celebrate: Five Things About the Week

 

It’s Saturday. Time to reflect on the goodness of the week at Ruth Ayres’ Writes.

ONE

I was able to drive this week. First time since my surgery!  Woohoo! So thankful that my husband has been there to take me places and to appointments but it’s also so great to be able to be independent.

TWO

GRAND GIRLS!! The oldest we get to see a lot as she lives close. But the middle and the youngest live about five hundred miles south of us. Our visits are farther apart.  

 

Oldest and Middle: They are about 14 months apart. We call them “The Corporation” because these cousins are like sisters and what one doesn’t think of the other does. Like the gloves? They went to the doctor’s appointment with me.

Youngest:  We had time with her alone.  Sometimes when she’s with the olders, she’s the odd person out.

THREE

 

 

 

The water park. This is genius to have fountains where there once was a wading pool. 

FOUR

I finished reading Revolution by Deborah Wiles. I was powerfully moved by the book and wrote about it HERE.  AND the bonus?  I tweeted about it and received a reply from the author: “I *love* this review. Thanks for comparison to BrianSelznick’s work (humbled), and for mention of Ferguson. Another world, yes.”

FIVE

The CYBILS Award season has started.  I am excited to see that poetry lovers are applying to be either a panelist or a judge.  Are you curious or interested.  Go to the CYBILS site and read about it.

What are you celebrating?

Poetry Friday: That Time by Linda Baie

Poetry Friday is hosted by Irene Latham at Live Your Poem so be sure to hop on over and see all the wonderful poetry.

This summer I have participated in the Summer Poetry Swap, facilitated by Tabatha Yeatts.  Such great fun and it has pushed me.  Last week I received this poem from Linda Baie.

That Time

On summer afternoons, that shimmering sunshine
send playmates hurrying,
under the lilacs, into the shade.

Young girls in cotton dresses giggle,
as one brings out a Big Chief tablet and a pencil,
reporter in charge.

Each whispers a rule.
and promises a bond,
the first of many
among little girls.

Linda Baie, 2014© all rights reserved”

*(I realized the poem wasn’t showing well after I published the post so I included it for easier reading.)

I read this poem and wondered, “How did Linda know about my childhood?”  You see, I had a really good friend, her yard looked like the photo, and we did create and make-up stories.  Often about fairy tales and fairies.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

WANTED: Panelists and Judges for the CYBILS Poetry AWARDS!  More information HERE.

Google application HERE.

DEADLINE?  Friday, September 5, 2014.

Happy Friday.

Happy Poetry.

WANTED! Panelists and Judges Needed for the 2014 CYBILS Poetry Award

How do you know you might be a good candidate? Here are ten things to consider:

1. You love poetry as much or more than dark chocolate.
2. You love posting for Poetry Friday.
3. You email others about poetry books they should read.
4. You send poetry postcards
5. You are known as the poetry person.
6. You blog ALOT about poetry.
7. You try to convince your book club to read a poetry book.
8. You want to receive poetry in the mail.
9. You go to conferences and search for your poetry people.
10.You are heard saying, “For the love of poetry” often.

Panelist for Round One: plan on reading 30-40 poetry books and whittle the selection to 5-7 finalists.

Judge for Round Two: read the 5-7 finalists and select the Winner for the CYBILS Poetry Award.

If you are interested in participating in this year’s CYBILs award, please sign-up HERE.
There are a lot of links to explain all the ins and outs of being a panelist or judge.

Friday, September 5, 2014 is the deadline for applying. Participants will be announced September 15, 2014.

Celebrate: Five Star Things About This Week

It’s Saturday. Time to reflect on the week and it’s goodness. Thank Ruth for providing that space at Ruth Ayres Writes.

ONE
Recovery from shoulder surgery. This coming Monday marks a month since surgery. Still a long road but so far it’s going well.

TWO
Summer Poetry Swap. This week I received a poem in the mail from Linda Baie as part of the summer poetry swap. Her poem reminded me of my childhood. It was as if she had played in the same neighborhood.

THREE
Reading. I love to read but I am also very active. My surgery has made it so I have more sitting time(which is difficult). I have tackled my pile of middle grade novels. REVOLUTION by Deborah Wiles is my current read.

FOUR
Time with my friend of forty plus years. We are like sisters. During the last three years she has spent more time as a snow bird in Arizona. These past few weeks we have had a lot of time together. Today’s her’s daughter’s wedding shower, so the celebration continues.

FIVE
The new CYBILS website. The season of the CYBILS is upon us. The call for panelists and judges goes out on Monday.
Also the eight annual Kidlit Con is coming up in October in Sacramento, CA. It’s a really great way to meet other bloggers. The theme is diversity and Mitali Perkins is presenting the keynote.

What are you celebrating?

Poetry Friday: From Dead Poet’s Society

Today Heidi is hosting Poetry Round-up at My Juicy Little Universe. I am saddened by the passing of Robin Williams as have many.  Just a few weeks ago, I re-watched Dead Poet’s Society…And so today in his memory I share O Me! O Life! (From The Poetry Foundation)

O Me! O Life!

BY WALT WHITMAN

Oh me! Oh life! of the questions of these recurring,

Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish,

Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)

Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew’d,

Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,

Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined,

The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?

                                       Answer.

That you are here—that life exists and identity,

That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.

This poem is even more haunting with his passing.  And the movie, timeless.

Thankful for the Poetry Friday community where we may all contribute a verse.

Happy Friday.

Happy Poetry.