Poetry Friday round-up is with Sylvia today at Poetry for Children.
Rain is falling again. That’s the way it is here in South Louisiana in the summer.
Rain and green.
Rain and steam.
Rain and gleam.
I could write a bayou poem about it always raining. In my new book, Bayou Song, I have a few favorite poems. Like children, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but today I am thinking about the poem There is always…
This poem uses anaphora, a repeated line. I think I stole it from Jane Yolen, but I can’t be sure. One thing about writing poetry is poetry begets more poetry. For my next writing project, I hope to keep better tabs on where the inspiration comes from.
If you’d like a personalized copy of Bayou Song, I can mail it directly to you with payment using Paypal. Email me at margaretsmn at gmail.
Bayou Song has had a beautiful blog tour so far. Today the stop is with my friend and writing critique partner, Linda Mitchell. Check it out.
Friday, June 22:
Michelle Kogan
Tuesday, June 26:
Catherine Flynn at Reading to the Core
Friday, June 29:
Ruth Hersey at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town
Friday, July 6:
Kimberly Hutmacher at Kimberly Hutmacher Writes
Friday, July 13:
Linda Mitchell at A Word Edgewise
Tuesday, July 17:
Laura Shovan
Tuesday, July 24
Amanda Potts at Persistence and Pedagogy
Friday, July 27:
Carol Varsalona at Beyond LiteracyLink
Monday, July 30
Linda Baie at Teacher Dance
Friday, Aug. 3
Dani Burtsfield at Doing the Work that Matters
Reflections on the Teche 
My copy arrived this week. Can’t wait to start reading and writing. First impression, LOVE the spiral notebook format! Congratulations!
I am so glad you included this poem, to pair with your writing prompt on Linda’s blog! Delightful.
I am a bit scattered today. I thought I had read your post, but perhaps only saw part of it about the rain & steam on FB. I am going to try an anaphora while at the beach. Yours is lovely, such vivid images, like that ‘stained glass’ on ‘duckweed carpet’. Terrific! Have a wonderful book signing!
I enjoyed your poem. It’s definitely a mentor text for me and a form I can incorporate into my own writing.
Congrats on your beautiful book!
Oooh, book signing! So exciting! I love the weaving of the double meaning of “sanctuary” in this.
So excited for you! Book signings, readings, great reviews…HUZZAH!!
The third stanza feels very grand and etherial. I also like your line and image,
“Rain and steam.” I can see more growing from this … Have fun with the readings and signings!
Lovely! Great use of anaphora. I visited a load of cathedrals in Europe recently. There was a lot of beauty, but I couldn’t help but feel that in the end I prefer nature’s cathedrals.
Beautiful! Your choice of “There is always” for your anaphora added such a sense of timelessness to your poem. I especially love your first stanza.
Is this the poem you read at the ALA Poetry Blast? I think it was… so beautiful! Can’t wait to get this book! Congratulations!
Yes. It is one of my favorites. Sorry we didn’t get to visit at ALA. I hope to see you at NCTE.
Me, too. I had to race off to a gathering with my Caldecott committee for our big evening– not that I’m complaining! 🙂 Yes, let’s connect again at NCTE!
Can you send some of that rain up here? Love this one, especially the image of stained glass on a duckweed carpet.
Oh, Margaret–I hope you had a terrific reading today! I do want a personalized copy, of course, and I love Friday’s anaphora “rain and…” I plan to try an anaphora this week for one of my memoir poems…
I am hoping to find a copy of Bayou Song while we are in Louisiana this week. We’re on our way today!
Where will you be? I’m afraid they are only available in Breaux Bridge and New Iberia as far as I know.