Happy Poetry Friday!
This was indeed a week of pleasant surprises in the mail. I was excited to receive my preorder of The Museum on the Moon: The Curious Objects on the Lunar Surface by Irene Latham with illustrations by Myriam Wares. As a fellow poet and moon-lover, Irene’s book hits all the right spots.
In the opening triolet, “Welcome, Earthlings!” Irene invites us to explore and learn that “…the Moon is more than an empty, gray cocoon.” Irene uses several other poetry forms including a Golden Shovel with the striking line “We come in peace for all mankind,” an acrostic, a ghazal, an epitaph, and more. Each poem is accompanied by a short nonfiction sidebar, with additional information in the back, making it a must-have for teachers, parents, and poetry lovers of all ages.
Throughout the book we are treated to Irene’s gift of finding the exact right word:
Human tracks tattoo
Moon’s rutted face—
from “Forever Footprints”
Now time-tattered,
sun-battered
from “Old Glory”
If you haven’t already done so, please put this book on your TBR list. Like the moondust Irene describes, it is a “…glow that ignites.”
This week I also received my copies of What Is Hope? This anthology is the latest from Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, and I am proud to have a poem included along with several other Poetry Friday friends. The profits From What Is Hope? go to the IBBY Children in Crisis Fund. This fund provides help and support to children around the world whose lives have been disrupted by war, civil disorder, or natural disaster. Thank you, Janet and Sylvia, for all you do as champions of literacy.
Amy Ludwig VanDerwater has the roundup today at The Poem Farm. Be sure to stop by for some helpful writing tips and lots more poetry goodness.
Imagine the Possibilities 
Congratulations on your poem in WHAT IS HOPE! I’ve definitely had more wishes on my line than fish…and that’s quite alright!
Huzzah for Irene’s new book! I can’t wait to see it IRL!!
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Thanks, Mary Lee!
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Yay!! I opened the same two packages this week! Rose, I love your poem, especially how you stretched fishing into wishing 😊!
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Your poem “Wonder” is so beautiful, Patricia. I’m so proud to share space with you and Marcie.
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Rose, I love your double header book reviews of Irene Latham’s and Sylvia Vardell’s & Janet Wong’s new books. Your poem on fishing is child friendly that opens with a wonderful stanza that echoes the stance of the child and your last stanza is whimsical in nature making it a great addition to What Is Hope? Congratulations on your poem entry into the book.
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Thanks for reading, Carol.
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I love Irene’s book though I haven’t shared it yet and your ‘hope’ for the nibble and maybe other wonderful things is so clever, Rose! I like the rhythm of it, too!
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Thanks, Linda.
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Rose, I adore your hopeful poem and that it ends on a wish. Love your rhyme and meter!
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Thanks, Tracey.
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Rose, I love your poem, especially the final verse, from What is Hope?. I look forward to Irene’s books. Her talent for the just right word is admirable.
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Oh, my goodness! Fishing is delightful. Well, done. I love the idea of catching a wish. And, three cheers for ‘The Museum on the Moon.’ I love it and can’t wait for the kids in my area to be able to check it out from our public library.
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Rose: Each of the poems that you sent for the WHAT IS HOPE? anthology could easily have been included in the book. I hope you’ll use the “unused” poems in your own poetry collection or expand them into picture book texts!!
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Thanks, Janet. Great to see you and Sylvia today. I have all my poems saved and am thinking of expanding the lost dog one into a PB in verse. Thanks for planting the seed.
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I love your poem, Rose. It embodies the theme of “hope” so well! And Irene’s book sounds amazing!
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Thanks, Mary! ________________________________
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Your poem is full of optimism and happy hopefulness! 🙂 Congrats on the anthology! And thanks for highlighting Irene’s new book, too.
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Thanks, Karen! ________________________________
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I really love the ending to your poem! And I’m so excited to share Irene’s book with students!
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Thanks, Marcie! ________________________________
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What a fun fishing poem, Rose! Congrats on the new book!
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What a delightful poem, I love going fishing and catching wishes, and mermaids–you’ve hooked some great treasures there, congrats! Thanks also for sharing more on Irene’s Moon book, I’m looking forward to reading it!
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Rose, congratulations on your wonderful poem, Fishing in What Is Hope!! Great voice! You hooked me by the third line. I love your rhythm, rhyme, and your spaces to make the reader pause more. I especially love your question, “What if it’s a treasure instead of a fish?” and how this creates a new and surprising direction/ending. Great effect of your repetitive “a skateboard, a mermaid, a ship – or a wish” and full of hope. 🙂 I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the book. Excellent review of Irene’s The Museum on the Moon, which I’m also looking forward to reading! Thank you for your review, your poem and inspiration.
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Thanks, Gail.
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Ah, a wish is the best kind of treasure! What a magical surprise at the end. And what a fun poem to read aloud. Congratulations on the publication, and thank you for sharing this and also Irene’s new book. You are right about her word choice for sure.
Speaking of finding things in water, I just listened to a fabulous podcast about a message in a bottle…your poem reminds me of it.
xo, a.
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Thanks so much, Amy!
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