Robyn Hood Black - children's author, poet, artist

Apr 10, 2020 1:47 AM EDT

Thank you for sharing this, Robyn. I love the cleverness of your title, the sumptuous word choice (Chartreuse!) and the pleasure of hearing and seeing you read on your porch swing.

- Sally Murphy

Apr 10, 2020 7:07 AM EDT

What a fun poem. I don't remember seeing the murals on our trip to Philadelphia, but it has been quite a few years ago. Sounds like I need another trip just to check these out!

- Kay Jernigan McGriff

Apr 10, 2020 7:58 AM EDT

Robyn, your expression in that pic is so very YOU! Love it. Thank you for all you're giving the world during this time. (Also, an aside: I have tried to comment on your blog the past several times, and it never will post... I don't know what's going on with that, and I am sorry! xo)

- Irene Latham

Apr 10, 2020 8:29 AM EDT

On buildings bare and bridges wide/ where history and hope collide. Love these lines and thanks, Robyn, for introducing me to this poetic form, new to me. .

- Janice Scully

Apr 10, 2020 9:48 AM EDT

Oh, my goodness....I want to hear how you wrote in the midst of a hurricane evacuation. What a funny place/time to be inspired. It's really nice to hear your voice and be introduced to the kyrielle in this way. Thank you.

- Linda Mitchell

Apr 10, 2020 10:01 AM EDT

I love that your poem focuses on a community art project!

- Holly Thompson hatbooks.com

Apr 10, 2020 10:38 AM EDT

--Hi there, Sally - hope you and yours are well. Thanks so much for the kind comments! Any excuse to get to use "chartreuse".... ha! :0)

--Kay, I'll go with you! :0) Thanks for traveling over here today.

--Dear Irene, I'm sorry for all the trouble! Argh. I was hoping that issue was improving, but I'll keep tabs. Thanks for reaching out on Twitter, and for leaving this very lovely comment today. Big virtual hugs!XO

--Thanks so much, Janice! It's a rewarding form to try. Been around forever, as it is liturgical, but I enjoyed exploring. :0)

--Thanks for the comments, Linda, here and on FB! And, oh - that was a crazy, crazy fall. It was a tight deadline, and my first submissions for the book, sent off just before the Children's Poetry conference out in Washington state that first weekend in Oct., were gently - rejected. I had a week to send something new. Back home to coastal SC from Washington a few days into that week, and five minutes later (felt like!) - boom! Hurricane Matthew on way. We loaded up pets and stuff and headed right back out the door to family in North Georgia, where I unpacked and got critters settled, then headed straight to the library with resource books ordered the week before (and delivered while we were gone). I spread out at an upstairs table with my laptop, notebooks and books (& some of theirs), and wrote, wrote, wrote, wrote til closing time, and managed to wrangle this poem out of it! ;0)

--Hi, Holly! Thanks. It grabbed my heart as well as my eye. Hope you and yours are well.

- Robyn Hood Black

Apr 10, 2020 11:53 AM EDT

Yet another book I am broken-hearted that is in my classroom. :-( What a wonderful project this was. Thank you so much for sharing it, Robyn! Cheers!

- Christie Wyman @ https://wonderingandwondering.wordpress.com/

Apr 10, 2020 12:42 PM EDT

It's wonderful to hear your voice and see you in this video, Robyn! Have you shared your videos with Susan Tan? She has a YouTube channel called "Authors Everywhere" for kids to access during the shelter-in-place.

- Laura Shovan

Apr 10, 2020 1:59 PM EDT

Am so loving all your poem videos, Robyn! I wasn't aware of this particular art project in Philly, so was glad to hear your poem about it. Need to get my hands on this anthology!

- jama

Apr 10, 2020 2:46 PM EDT

Robyn, I enjoyed listening to your video before reading the poem. These lines struck me immediately: where history and hope collide/shine songs of freedom, fame, and fun. I admire graffiti art that is so representative of a neighborhood. Thanks for sharing.

- Carol Varsalona

Apr 10, 2020 3:50 PM EDT

Since I could not get this to send off, I am trying it again.
Robyn, I enjoyed listening to your video before reading your poem. These lines resonate with me: where history & hope collide/shine songs of freedom, fame, & fun. I admire #graffitiart because it is so representative of a neighborhood. Thank you for sharing.

- Carol Varsalona

Apr 10, 2020 3:51 PM EDT

I love the repetition in your poem! I have been enjoying your videos! THANK YOU!

- Mary Lee

Apr 10, 2020 4:29 PM EDT

Beautiful reading of your poem Robyn, I like the "history and hope" colliding, and especially that hop. I'll have to try that new poem form on kyrielle, thanks Robyn!

- Michelle Kogan

Apr 10, 2020 4:55 PM EDT

I love learning new poetry forms. Thank you for introducing me to the kyrielle.

- Rose Cappelli

Apr 10, 2020 5:04 PM EDT

Oh my friend! How lovely to think about this poem now that our eldest is taking a class about graffiti art. I will share this with her this evening. I loved visiting your YouTube channel and seeing your face and hearing your voice again. Lots of love and health, friend. xx

- Amy Ludwig VanDerwater

Apr 10, 2020 5:50 PM EDT

I love the kyrielle form & the wordplay in the title, Robyn. Much to learn and love in that book, celebrated in your poem. Thanks, love seeing your porch and the green background surrounding!

- Linda Baie

Apr 10, 2020 6:37 PM EDT

I absolutely love this poem, Robyn. "Where history and hope collide" is a great line. I think we all need to read "Mural Compass" to help us reset our moral compass.

- Catherine Flynn

Apr 10, 2020 8:49 PM EDT

-- Hey up there, Christie! And, oh - I bet that's happening a LOT with you teachers, snatched away from your classrooms in these surreal days. Thanks for coming by!

--Hi, Laura - Thanks so much! And thank you for that info. I recently submitted this to the SCBWI 'collection' of online kidlit activities, as they were trying to get to 1,000, but I didn't know about Susan Tan's - I'll track that down. :0)

--Thank you, Jama! You'll see lots of PF names in this book if you end up with it. And Mr. C. can do all kinds of bear-y fun armchair traveling... ;0)

--Thanks for your persistence with my persnickety blog, Carol. A couple other folks had issues this week, too, and I appreciate y'all letting me know... so I'll contact the Authors Guild tech wizards. Glad you enjoyed the poem, and the art! Thanks for all the poetry and art YOU share for all to enjoy. :0)

--Hi, Mary Lee - Thank YOU for watching them! I fell in love with that rhyming line in the kyrielle form, too.

--Glad you enjoyed, Michelle, thank you! This form has been around a long, long time, as it's a liturgical form, but I'd never heard of it, or at least never tried it before this project. I need to get back to it myself, too....

--Thanks so much, Rose, and I guess we both have to thank J. Patrick Lewis, who introduced it to me!:0) If you get a chance to catch up with 'The Poetry Sisters" projects on some of these blogs, they've explored lots of poetry forms to try. Happy writing!

--Dearest Amy, thanks for rounding us all up this week, and providing special poetry magic EACH DAY this month over at your sparkling-with-words-and-art Poem Farm. :0) (And - that sounds like a fun and interesting class...! ;0) )

--Thank you, Dear Linda. It's a marvelous collection, isn't it? And I'm wondering if your green got covered with white....! On the cool side today here, after a warm week, and it's supposed to storm all over the Southeast on Easter Sunday. Definitely typical Spring days here. We still have buckets of pollen. XO

--Oh, what a kind thing to say, Catherine. Glad you enjoyed! When I researched this project, I felt so inspired by its founders and artists again and again.

- Robyn Hood Black

Apr 11, 2020 8:17 AM EDT

Thanks for the 'trip' to Philadelphia, Robin. I hope to someday to see this mural in real life...and to hear your hurricane evacuation poetry writing tips! Be well and thank you for your mini movies. : )

- Bridget Magee

Apr 11, 2020 11:07 AM EDT

Hi, Bridget - thanks so much for traveling over here today! Here's hoping for calm weather in your neck of the woods to write by.... ;0) And hoping you and yours are safe and well.

- Robyn Hood Black

Apr 11, 2020 4:31 PM EDT

Love your porch swing location, Robyn, and happy to have your Poetry of US poem come alive like that! I couldn't quite get started with mine and have a lot of catching up to do...hope you and yours stay well!

- Heidi Mordhorst

Apr 11, 2020 4:39 PM EDT

What a great collection of poems from everywhere! I need to pull my copy off the shelf and go on a trip. In our small town, murals are beginning to pop up. I helped an artist in the early weeks of quarantine with painting his shapes. Chartreuse is a great word! Colorful and curious.

- Margaret Simon

Apr 11, 2020 7:21 PM EDT

Great poem! I love the title!

- Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com

Apr 11, 2020 8:30 PM EDT

--Hi, Dear Heidi - thanks on all fronts, and best wishes for continued health to you and yours as well. I was behind on following your videos, so now I've caught up! Watched and liked each one and "subscribed." :0)

--Margaret, you are such a generous, creative soul. I'm sure any mural will be better for your touch! This is definitely a good time to do some armchair traveling. I'm trying to catch up with a travel book I asked for for Christmas -- from the very early 1800s! It's rather lively.

--Thanks, Ruth - glad you enjoyed! Stay safe and well.

- Robyn Hood Black

Apr 12, 2020 3:04 PM EDT

That last stanza! Mercy.

- Laura Purdie Salas

Apr 12, 2020 8:31 PM EDT

Glad you enjoyed, Laura - thanks so much for coming by! XO

- Robyn Hood Black

Apr 06, 2020 9:17 AM EDT

A breath of fresh air, Robyn. Thank you for sharing your poem in this way. xoxo

- Michelle Heidenrich Barnes

Apr 06, 2020 9:34 AM EDT

Thank YOU, Michelle, for ALL YOU DO as a creator, writer, editor, advocate! :0) Wishing you some breathing room in these hard days. XO

- Robyn Hood Black

Apr 02, 2020 8:23 PM EDT

What a good idea, to have a YouTube channel and make poem-videos all April! ; ) Looking forward to it, and glad to know you are well.

- Heidi

Apr 03, 2020 12:51 AM EDT

Love it! What a treat to hear your voice and see you in your woods.

- Sally Murphy

Apr 03, 2020 4:17 AM EDT

Fun poem (if you don't have a rash) and fun video, Robin! I love that your sharing of poetry is a family affair. Be well. : )

- Bridget Magee

Apr 03, 2020 8:19 AM EDT

I love how this video is a family affair. :) For some reason my computer won't play the video (pretty sure a my-end living-in-the-country problem), so I will try again later! THANK YOU. xo

- Irene Latham

Apr 03, 2020 8:25 AM EDT

I enjoyed your videos, your poetry about nature and friendship, the South Carolina setting. You did a wonderful job and it's not easy to get in front of a camera a pull it off professionally as you did. I look forward to hearing more!

- Janice Scully

Apr 03, 2020 9:36 AM EDT

Love hearing you read your poem!

- Amy Zimmer~Merrill

Apr 03, 2020 9:37 AM EDT

Wonderful drama & poem, Robyn! Your woods remind my of my Missouri woods where indeed we had to be careful, so careful! In Colorado, too, but less. Wishing you a sweet Friday, hoping all goes well!

- Linda Baie

Apr 03, 2020 9:43 AM EDT

You had such a great idea. The poem is adorable. Thank you for sharing the poem.

- Patricia Cruzan

Apr 03, 2020 10:57 AM EDT

I love that your whole family is contributing to your videos. I'm not able to watch it now (We have limited Internet out in the country and I'm trying to save most of it for the two college students trying to finish up classes.) Your poem made me smile--my husband can relate all to well to that itch. Fortunately, I've not suffered too much, though I am more sensitive as I get older.

- Kay Jernigan McGriff

Apr 03, 2020 12:39 PM EDT

I'm so impressed and in awe of all the ways authors and artists alike are stepping up to the plate to make the rest of our lives richer. Thank you so very much Robyn.

- cheriee weichel

Apr 03, 2020 12:42 PM EDT

I can imagine kids having a ball with your poem, Robyn! I enjoyed your video and will be following along with them this month. Take care and stay well.

- Linda Kulp Trout

Apr 03, 2020 1:42 PM EDT

--Happy Friday, all you Lovely, Dear Friends! Please forgive a blanket "Thank you" at this point in the middle of the day; I've been away from my computer. I SO appreciate the many kind comments. I love hearing about your own woodsy experiences, and, of course, the poetic ones. :0) Thanks for taking a look at my new YouTube channel! Looking forward to making some Poetry Friday rounds later & this weekend -XO.

- Robyn Hood Black

Apr 03, 2020 2:21 PM EDT

Love visiting your part of the world -- you are finding the most beautiful spots to read your poems. Enjoying these videos immensely. You're a natural! :)

- jama

Apr 03, 2020 4:26 PM EDT

Love it! Such a fun poem!

- Books4Learning

Apr 03, 2020 6:07 PM EDT

Applause for the fun "Trouble on the Trail."
Applause for fresh air.
Applause for fun.

And for Your.Own.Video.Station. (channel, frequency, URL or whatchamacallit.) Brava!!!!

- Jan Godown Annino

Apr 04, 2020 7:56 AM EDT

Hahaha--great twist at the end, Robyn!

- Laura Purdie Salas

Apr 04, 2020 9:08 AM EDT

Thank you for this resource! I will be offering your mini videos to my students for enjoyment and inspiration!

- Mary Lee

Apr 04, 2020 10:16 AM EDT

__Thank you, Jama! We are lucky to be surrounded by so much natural beauty here! As long as we can still get out in it this Spring, I'm not complaining at all. (Lots of folks are using the Trail, but signs remind people to maintain distance so we CAN keep it open.)

--Oh, thanks so much, Books4Learning! :0)

--Jan, your voice is so unique I knew it was you before getting to your name... Thank you, my friend. Would love to get into trouble on the trail with you any day!

--Hi, Mary Lee - oh, thanks so much! I hope your students will enjoy. And I hope you are all staying sane in these crazy days.

- Robyn Hood Black

Apr 04, 2020 10:28 AM EDT

If you hadn't told us you were new at this, we never would have known, Robyn. You're a natural! I loved seeing your woods and listening to your read your fun poem.

- Catherine Flynn

Apr 04, 2020 10:43 AM EDT

--Aw, thanks, Catherine! I'm not shy, but I'm still a bit techno-challenged - ha! ;0) Hope you are finding time to read and write in the midst of carrying on your work from a distance. XO

- Robyn Hood Black

Apr 04, 2020 1:52 PM EDT

So fun, Robyn! To read and listen to, that is. Not to rub up against! xo

- Michelle Heidenrich Barnes

Apr 04, 2020 5:03 PM EDT

You're awesome! Thanks for what you're doing!

- Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com

Apr 04, 2020 5:05 PM EDT

You're awesome! Thanks for everything you're doing!

- Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com

Apr 04, 2020 5:07 PM EDT

Sorry, I didn't mean to say it twice. The "I'm not a robot" thing appears not to believe me. But then it turns out it did believe me, after all.

- Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com

Apr 04, 2020 8:16 PM EDT

--Too funny, Michelle - glad you enjoyed! :0)

--Thanks, Ruth - and apologies for my over-sensitive Spaminator, or whatever it is. It seems to be doing that to lots of folks! I appreciate your persistence. ;0)

- Robyn Hood Black

Apr 05, 2020 1:41 AM EDT

Loved clicking on your channel and seeing and hearing your read the poem. I love that it's a family endeavor.

- pleasuresfromthepage.blogspot.com

Apr 05, 2020 10:35 AM EDT

Your poem is delightful, but it made me think about the weekly woods walks with my Kindergarteners that I am missing so desperately these days. Writing and poetry will see us through. Thanks, Robyn, and stay safe. -- Christie @ https://wonderingandwondering.wordpress.com/

- Christie Wyman

Apr 05, 2020 7:31 PM EDT

--Hi, Ramona - Thanks so much for coming by, and for the kind comments. :0) I am definitely lucky to have help from the Fam...!

--Oh, Christie, I know they are so missing you as well. What a tough time it is for teachers like you (& my daughter, Morgan) and countless others who had their kids kind of snatched away. I'm thankful technology keeps the lines of contact open, but I know it's not quite the same. Extra (long-distanced) hugs to you!

- Robyn Hood Black