POETRY FRIDAY

Welcome to Poetry Friday!   

When I went looking for comfort this week, I stumbled across J. Patrick Lewis and George Ella Lyon's book, VOICES FROM THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON. The book, a collection of voices, real and imagined,  from the March on Washington, in July, 1963 resonated with me. 

FOR ALL, 1963

If you contend the noblest end

of all is human rights, amend

the laws: The beauty of the sun

is that it shines on everyone.

J. Patrick Lewis and George Ella Lyon

GRACE

Mama said,

"The one 

who stands out

is the one 

who dies."

Daddy said,

"Might as well 

try on

a noose 

for size."

My brother said,

"Think

of your future!

Stick

to your place."

My sister said,

Hallelujah!

I'll go 

with you,

Grace."

J. Patrick Lewis and George Ella Lyon

CREED (SONG)

I am not the you of you

And you are not the me of me

But we're here in solidarity--

Brothers, sisters: one   (one  one  one)

Brothers, sisters: One.

We live in different colored skin,

Kin to different colored kin

But it's one march we're marching in

For freedom to be won   (won  won  won)

Brothers, sisters: One.

One country gave us birth.

One birthright gives us worth.

We must stand equal on the earth

For justice to be done (done  done)

For freedom to be won   (won  won  won)

Brothers, sisters: One.

J. Patrick Lewis and George Ella Lyon

TURN

Aki Kimura, 46

Printer

San Jose, California

I'm neither black nor white but it's my March

too. My March because in Los Angeles

in the spring of 1942, I walked out of

an art class, out of my life, and onto

a bus, bound for internment

camp with all my family.

Japanese-American

threat was how

they saw us:

120,000

folks

about half

the number

who fill this

mile-long Mall.

Listen. Our country

takes very wrong turns

and counts on you and me

to set it right. In most countries

citizens can't do that, but here it's 

our job-- to steer toward justice together. 

J. Patrick Lewis and George Ella Lyon

This week, may we all steer toward justice together.

Leave your links in the comments and I will round them up the  old-fashioned way. I have comment moderation, so don't worry if you don't see your comment right away.  I'll do an early morning roundup, but then I have a class, so I probably won't get back until later on tomorrow night.


Some Early Posters:

• Laura Shovan's debut novel in verse, THE LAST FIFTH GRADE OF EMERSON ELEMENTARY, came out in April, but this week she is featuring another brand new novel, THE LAST BOY AT ST. EDITH'S and a very silly gnome poem!

• Brenda Harsham has a gorgeous floral photograph (I wish I was more of a botanist or gardener) and an original poem, "The Color of Teachers."

• The very lucky Sally Murphy lives close enough that she can walk to where the Australiand Estuary meets the Indian Ocean to see dolphins! She has photographs, a video of surfing dolphins AND an original poem! 

• Kathryn Appel introduced me to a whole new form of found poetry, Zentangle Poetry. She encourages people to check out another Zentangle poet, Miriam Paternoster. Definitely worth your time to watch her three minute video. 

• Diane Mayr treats us to fairy poems by William Shakespeare at both Kurious Kitty and Random Noodling. There's a beautiful choral rendition of "Sing and Dance It Trippingly" at Random Noodling. 

• Linda Baie is participating in the summer poem swap, hosted by Tabatha Yeatts. This week she received a very special poetry gift from Carol Varsalona. 

This Morning's Offerings…

• Jama Rattigan invites us to a birthday party! She's celebrating Paul McCartney's 74th with songs, videos, and a recipe for a yummy cake that sounds absolutely scrumptious!

• Matt Esenwine has come across many treasures, including four writing journals and an aqua blue typewriter, while helping his parents clear out his childhood home. Last week he shared "Ode to Toads," from his elementary years, this week it's "Ode to a Poem I'm Writing Because I Couldn't Think of Anything Else to Write About."

• Gathering Books is continuing their theme, "Universal Republic of Childhood," with two poems from CHILDREN OF LONG AGO, by Lessie Jones Little (Eloise Greenfield's mother). Fats also includes two black and white photographs from Niki Boon's series on contemporary childhood without technology.  

• At Books 4 Learning, you'll find a review for DANIEL FINDS A POEM, a new picture book that will be lovely for helping young children get started writing poetry. I read that book last week at Tattered Cover and considered using "finding poems" as the basis for today's Poetry Friday, before last weekend's events unfolded.

• Earlier this week, Holly Thompson attended a poetry reading at Temple University Japan. Poet Chika Nagawa's work were mentors for Holly's "Loaded June," a delicate and haunting original poem that made me cry.

• Holly Mordhorst is attempting to "leave dwarf orchard" and taste the tiniest bits of summer with images of watermelon boats, banana hammocks, broccoli trees, and "fireflies dragging the hush of evening up from the damp grass."

• Tabatha Yeatts is celebrating Father's Day with Suzanne Rancourt's poem, "Whose Mouth Do I Speak With?" Don't miss the Vincent Carrella quote at the top of her post, such big truth in just a few words. 

• We are sending lots of love, prayers, and good thoughts to Irene Latham, who recently lost her father.  Irene brings us the poetry of a fellow Alabaman, Tina Mozelle Braziel, and a giveaway of Tina's newly published chapbook. 

• Laura Purdie Salas brings us a poem from Laura Shovan's THE LAST FIFTH GRADE OF EMERSON ELEMENTARY. I have definitely got to read this book and then pass it on to our new fifth grade teacher. EMERSON ELEMENTARY sounds like a perfect beginning of the year read aloud!

• Poetry goddess and photographer extraordinaire, Mary Lee Hahn, has written a new poem, "by the lake at dusk." Does anyone besides me ever wonder how Mary Lee says so much with so few words?

• I know some of you are not even out of school yet, but over at Enjoy and Embrace Learning, Mandy is already thinking about going back! She offers a terrific resource, Jane Yolen's WHAT TO DO WITH A BOX along with The Box Project, which she uses to teach children to collaborate. 

Late Afternoon Roundup…

• It seems somehow ironic that I read Violet Nesdoly's original poem, "A little screed against project" today when I was sitting at a school district technology conference. The presenter had planned to start with a TED talk and couldn't get the sound to work on her computer!

• Steven Withrow wrote today's original poem, "Close Combat," after reading that the fisher is one of the porcupine's only enemies. Be sure to listen to Steve read his poem aloud.

• I love e.e. cummings, but I had never read the poem, "Love is More Thicker Than Forget," shared by Ruth at "There is No Such Thing as a God-Forsaken Town." Definitely a new favorite. 

• I  can't get Little Willow's blog to accept my comment, but if I could, I would tell her how much I love the line, "Nothing was greater there than the quality of robust love," in Walt Whitman's, "I Dreamed a Dream." A great companion to "Love is More Thicker Than Forget."

• Kelsey Empfield is a new teacher, and it's hard, hard work. She captures that roller coaster of emotions beautifully in an original poem, "I Cried and Laughed." This post is the first in a series; we will look forward to reading more Kelsey!

• This morning we were treated to Sally's poem and photographs about seeing dolphins on her morning walk, tonight I'm reading Catherine's poem, "A Bale of Turtles," along with a photograph of turtles by her house. Am I the only one who didn't know a group of turtles was a bale?

• This seems like a good time to share Dori's post about Lane Smith's new book, THERE IS A TRIBE OF KIDS, because it also focuses on groups of things. Dori shares lots of extra goodies about the book at the end of her post. 

• Margaret posted an original poem, "What Nature Knows," at Reflections on the Teche. It reminds me of Wendell Barry's "The Peace of Wild Things." And I learned another new word, mbuntu. 

• Karen Edmisten's offering, "Some Glad Morning," by Joyce Sutphen is another lovely poem that makes me think of "The Peace of Wild Things." There is just something about poetry when the world is hard…

• At Keep Your Feet, Amelia shared some Shakespeare from "As You Like It." I was surprised how much our eighth graders loved this play!

• Tara has written a special "Where We're From," goodbye poem to her students. It made me cry! How blessed those kids are to have shared a year with our friend from New York! She also includes several "Where I'm From" poems by her students. 

• At "A Word Edgewise," Linda Mitchell is also saying goodbye to her students, with an original reverso poem. Can't even tell you how much I admire people who can still write the last day of school, let alone write with a form. 

• Donna Smith's brother had a really scary experience with a pit bull this week. This experience was the basis of Donna's original poem, "Dogs."

• Joy apologizes for posting later, but reminds us that it's still early at her home in Hawaii! She has an original poem, "Logan Reads," that I could see our kindies and first graders personalizing when they come back in August.

• Another late poster, Mollie Hogan, has a beautiful poem, "Bottle It Up," that makes me think of Denver in January or February! Perfect!

• Ramona was sorting through her stacks of poems and found an Amy Ludwig Vanderwater poem that would be perfect for opening Poetry Friday. Listen to the first few lines: Let someone light/ the poem fire./Let all friends/gather here/passing poems/soul to soul/in voices/ bright and clear. Ramona says she wants to memorize this one. I do too!

• Carol Varsalona is just back from a three day Ambassadors' retreat for Wonderopolis. She has an original poem, enhanced by one of her ever creative presentations. 

• And finally, Sylvia Vardell blesses us with a lovely bibliography of summer poetry books. Can't wait to dig in!

Happy poeming! Here's to a peaceful week!