Being a part of the Poetry Friday community has given me much to be grateful for. We are writing together a wonderful Progressive Poem. Today’s line is with Denise Krebs and yesterday was Linda Mitchell. I’ve met these poets along with many others through our weekly postings. These posts have led to collaboration on other projects. Linda is a writing group partner and Denise and I are a part of Ethical ELA and a book we are collaborating on. (More on that later.) I would never have met them in real life. The gathering of a like-minded community of writers has all occurred right here with my blog.
This week I attended the Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival and had the privilege of presenting with Irene Latham. Irene and I met through Poetry Friday and in person years ago at the Louisiana Book Festival. We’ve presented together before at NCTE.
Irene is such a humble leader. She turns every eye away from herself toward you. She makes everyone in the room feel like confident poets. What joy! You can see our slideshow here.
Next year, you should consider attending the festival in person. They invite the most inspiring speakers. This year I heard keynotes from Lesa Cline-Ransome as well as her talented husband, James Ransome, Cynthia Leitich Smith (Southern Miss Medallion), and Juana Martinez-Neal who won the Coleen Salley Storytelling Award. Jason Chin, deGrummond Children’s Literature Lecturer, impressed me with his curiosity about the world and how that curiosity has led him to illustrating. He won a Caledecott Medal for Watercress. The book that impressed me the most was The Universe in You: A Microscopic Journey (Caldecott and Sibert Honoree). As you can see, the Fay B Kaigler invites some of the best authors and illustrators in the children’s literature realm.
And now for a poem. Following Ethical ELA VerseLove has kept me writing a poem each day. Yesterday’s prompt was an ode to the unworthy. I’ve lived in Louisiana and Mississippi all my life, so I’ve had many hurricane experiences. I wrote an Ode to the Hurricane.
Ode to the Hurricane
As the wild winds swirl
together above the Gulf,
you become a massive creation
threatening a nation.No matter how we prepare–
buy bread, water, flashlights,
charge up Sparky, the generator,
your fierce presence is feared.They give you gentle names:
Katrina, Ida, Andrew, Camille.
Names that will live in history.
Names that define an era.After you pass through, an eerie
calm descends upon a community.
We band together to feed each other,
to clean up destruction you left behind.Oh, hurricane, you are the hint of end times.
Margaret Simon, draft
Behold your survivors–we tell your story.
Wow! Your poem is as powerful as an (unworthy) hurricane! Love the strength and hope in the ending.
I was hoping you’d share about the conference! Have you ever read the picture book, ‘Hurricane’ by John Rocco? This poem pairs perfectly with that book. No one likes seeing a hurricane coming…but that silver lining of community in the repair is really something. What a great idea for an ode! That last stanza that has the word, “behold” is great.
Margaret, it was great to hear about the conference. It does sound like so many great speakers. Thank you for sharing the slides from your and Irene’s presentation. I’ve been lost for a while in these wonderful ideas. I’m going to go through them all for some May poems. Thanks again for hosting the Progressive Poem and keeping everyone aware of where it is going each day.
Thanks for sharing your slides–I would love to have heard you and Irene speak, but so many good ideas from just looking at the slides! And the ending of your ode is so powerful and poignant.
Thinking of a hurricane as a ‘being’ is powerful & rather alarming to me, too, Margaret. But I have never experienced one, and there is a kind of respect for them in your words, too. . . Mother Nature rules? “you are the hint of end times” – wow. However, the actual end line, with “We tell your story” feels like you’re taking back the power! Super poem, so many layers!
I forgot to say how wonderful the festival looks, would have loved to see you & Irene! I met Jason Chin here at our state reading assn conference a long time ago. He is great!
A class taught by you and Irene has to be phenomenal, Margaret! I scanned through your slides, but I am making a note to come back and really read them. What an interesting concept – an ode to the unworthy! Your Ode to the Hurricane certainly fits the bill. Well done!
What an amazing experience to present at the book festival! Your presentation looks amazing!
The ending lines of your poem is so powerful. I cannot imagine living in a place with hurricane season. And you are so correct with the gentle names they give the hurricanes.
I would have loved to hear that presentation! And I love your hurricane poem! It’s true that after disaster, the community comes together like at no other time. Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
Oh, Margaret, that last line! Wow. And it applies to so many facets of life.
I would love to know more about the festival!
You should come! It’s during the work week so I had to take professional leave. But so worth it. Always in April at university of southern Mississippi. If you present you don’t have to pay the conference fee or for the lunches. They also get some wonderful keynote speakers. This was only my second time and I loved it. I want to go every year.
Wow – powerful perspective in your poem! And I LOVE that pic of you and Irene!! I’ve only been to the festival once, but I got to present with Irene & April Halprin Wayland, so it was a time I’ll forever treasure. :0)
So cool on every level. 🙂