In yesterday’s DigiLit Sunday post, I talked about joining in this weekly round-up, It’s Monday: What are you Reading? I dreamt about it all night, so I guess the time is now to join in. The round-up can be found at Teach Mentor Texts.
For my spiritual life, I am currently reading the memoir of Amy Voskamp. I am enjoying her fresh language and her real struggle to find joy in every day. She makes a list of 1000 gratitudes. In making the list, she discovers joy in giving thanks and encourages, through her real experience, us to do the same.
I am reading 14 Fibs of Gregory K in preparation for a Skype visit with Greg Pincus next month. My boys enjoyed this book. In Gregory K, we have a boy in a family of mathematicians who is a writer. Each chapter begins with a clever Fib poem. Greg Pincus invented the form using the Fibonacci series as syllable counts. This is a great form to use with students. Greg’s debut novel is as clever as he is, but somehow his character just keeps getting deeper and deeper into a fib of his own. I am looking forward to visiting with Greg soon.
My own Fib poem, which is completely true.
We
find
magic
when poems
reveal inner truth
and breathe out a sigh of Ah, yes!–Margaret Simon
Today, I am the guest blog post at Laura Shovan’s Author Amok. For poetry month, she asked writers to submit a n essay about a source poem. I wrote about a professional struggle that ended in my discovery of myself and Mary Oliver’s wisdom in “Wild Geese.” It was harder than I thought it would be to let this go public. I want to thank Laura for her continued encouragement and inspiration to me as a writer.
Reflections on the Teche 
I loved The 14 Fibs of Gregory K. I thought it was very clever and the fibs were really fun, but I have always enjoyed reading Greg’s poems.
I have Greg’s book sitting in my TBR pile – how exciting to have an author Skype all set up!
I think I told you I had read One Thousand Gifts and really liked it. Did you know there was an app? It has daily thoughts. Today’s is “God’s gifts are on shelves, one beneath the other, and the Christian life is always about bending lower for the best gifts.” She also has a Bible study that I want to look into for my church. I may consider leading it. Happy reading!
I have the 14 Fibs in my pile, & wish I’d read it sooner. I will, someday. Loved your post at Laura’s!
Hi there Margaret, the memoir you just shared seems like a really powerful read, I shall be on the lookout for it. Will check out Laura Shovan’s blog post as well, Wild Geese is an absolutely beautiful poem, Mary Oliver is a treasure. 🙂