Greetings, Poetry Lovers!
I've been thinking of our own Amy Ludwig VanDerwater's WITH MY HANDS this week (Clarion Books, 2018). It's full of poetry to delight and inspire the youngest creatives, celebrating a variety of projects made by hand. It works on us old(er) creatives, too! Its own illustrations were made by Lou Fancher & Steve Johnson.
Did you know WITH MY HANDS is a 2019 NCTE Notable Poetry Book? Congratulations, Amy!
If you enjoyed my picture of the fun little birdhouse in Scotland that I included in last week's post, you'll enjoy the following poem. (The birds are still twitterpated around my neighborhood, raising a ruckus for Spring's arrival.)
Birdhouse
We hammered out
a little house.
It has a circle door
four sturdy walls
a pointed roof
a simple wooden floor.
It's hanging on
a fence post
and I'm imagining
a bluebird mom
in there
with babies
tucked beneath
her wing.
Someday
I'll see them fly.
Someday
I'll hear them sing.
©Amy Ludwig VanDerwater. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Such a lovely poem!
I've been thinking of Amy's book this week because tonight is our little downtown's FIRST FRIDAY, when businesses and galleries stay open late and welcome folks with wine, gab, and general Southern hospitallity. I am always scrambling at the last minute getting ready. This week I'm especially scrambling, because artsyletters is the "Spotlight Business" - meaning, I'll be down at street level with a couple of wonderful City folks at the Clock, sharing some wares and meeting folks, and my wonderful hubby Jeff will be up at my studio literally minding the store. Kim Poovey has offered to help. Wish us all luck! (As I type this Thursday night, I confess it's going to be a late night/early morning....)
Anyway, I DO love making things by hand - always have, since I landed on the planet. My latest obsession is with antique maps and manuscripts I've been collecting (the aforementioned husband might have thrown out the word, "intervention") - using images from these for cards, bookmarks, journals and such. I'll get these new items listed on Etsy as soon as I can - but not before Friday night! ;0)
Other poems in WITH MY HANDS especially call to me in this current endeavor, such as "Painting," "Card," "Collage," "Drawing," and, perhaps most appropriate, "Mess"!
See what all our creative poetic souls are up to today at TeacherDance, where our beautiful Linda is rounding up Poetry Friday and welcoming Spring along with the birds.