I spent last week in Boston at the NCTE convention, with teachers and writers-those people who love words! I know this poem is probably familiar to you all, yet they fit my time so well:
Ink Runs from the corners of my mouth
There is no happiness like mine.
I have been eating poetry.
--Mark Strand, "Eating Poetry" Reasons for Moving, 1968
What a tasty poetic meal I had meeting or reuniting with some of you whom I know through these Friday posts, and with others I met briefly whose names inspire. I am grateful I could take the opportunity to go, and thrilled that I was able to meet, talk with, or enjoy the learning in the sessions about poetry I attended. And, I loved rooming with Tara Smith, a great time with someone I previously knew only through blogging, and now know that she is really the lovely and thoughtful person we know from her writing.
Thank you Laura Purdie Salas for welcoming me to a poetry Friday get-together. I loved being with you, Laura and getting a first peek at your new book. Also, Diane Mayr joined us, and it was wonderful to visit with you, Diane. Then, I met and talked with Jane Yolen, Sara Holbrook, Heidi Stemple, and David Harrison and his wife. It was a terrific evening!
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| stolen from Diane's post! |
Another day I had the pleasure of seeing Joyce Sidman receive her award from NCTE for Excellence In Poetry for Children. To hear her speak, along with those others who spoke and read favorite poems from some of her books, was pure poetry pleasure. I wrote about this pleasure when I reviewed Joyce's latest book What The Heart Knows a few weeks ago here. Among those who spoke so wonderfully about Joyce Sidman's lifetime work was Amy Ludwig VanDerwater.
I hope you've had a wonderful Thanksgiving if you celebrate it, and Happy Hanukkah also. I am grateful for this community and each week look forward to reading what you all have to share each Friday! This is my 600th post, and I couldn't have done it without your continued support and inspiration!
photo credit: Mike Rohde via photopin cc
Strand's poem is exactly the right choice, and your post sums it all up perfectly, Linda! I still feel full of all the poetic wisdom shared last weekend, and have been sitting her for an hour trying to figure out how to condense it all into one neat package. But, as many writers told us, writing is messy! Thank you for sharing these memories, Linda, and congratulations on your 600th post!
ReplyDeleteIt was challenging to share the poetry part that I enjoyed so much, Catherine. We heard hundreds of wise words, and I suspect I'll be remembering for a long time. Thank you!
DeleteA HUGE congratulations to you Linda! What an accomplishment. I am so thankful to know you through this community and to have met you in person this past June. I can't wait for our paths to cross again, (hopefully this summer). I was also so happy to hear from both you and Stacey that poetry seemed to be a heartbeat throughout several well done sessions at NCTE. It makes my heart happy to know that poetry is living within us even if it does not live in the CCSS. I had hoped it would but poetry proves that it needs no standard. It needs no permission. It is present in our everyday lives. Our job is to notice it and shine a light more intentionally on it within our teaching and rhythm of life.
ReplyDeleteThank you Betsy, and indeed poetry was everywhere at NCTE, as I wrote about today. You would have loved it!
DeleteWhat a lovely comment, Betsy!
DeleteCongrats on 600!
ReplyDeleteIt was wonderful to meet you in person at NCTE! You and Tara are BOTH as warm and kind and generous in person as you are on your blog and in your comments!
It was great to meet you, too, Mary Lee. I'm sorry we didn't get to visit more, maybe next time! Hope you have a terrific lo-o-ong weekend!
DeleteI have been feeling like I was there at NCTE with all the posts. I can hear the laughter, the joy in sharing and connecting.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on 600 posts! You are so dedicated to this community.
Thank you Margaret, and so happy to have 'met' you this year!
DeleteCongratulations on all the connections and inspirations those 600 posts represent. Great to hear all the poetry enthusiasm at NCTE, and thank you for adding your good part to that!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jeannine-it's been a lovely experience all the way along. Still loving and savoring your book!
DeleteCongrats on 600, Linda. I've loved getting to know you through your writing. One of these days we will be writing about meeting each other !
ReplyDeleteI hope so, still waiting hopefully, Deb. We've made such a journey together! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
DeleteCongratulations on a blogging milestone, Linda! And thanks for this post - a remembrance walk through some of my favorite moments from NCTE - such fun!
ReplyDeleteMany words flow through my mind, Tara! This is just the squeezing of a few drops, isn't it?
DeleteWow - 600!! That is impressive indeed. Congrats, Linda, and thank you for sharing your poems and thoughts and ideas with all of us. I do hope to meet you at NCTE or elsewhere someday. I love the pics! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Renee-it's been a pleasure just knowing you & seeing what wondrous things you do with poetry online. Maybe someday?
Delete600 High-Fives to you, Linda! Your generous spirit has touched so many. Loved hearing about your NCTE adventure, but I will confess - I am jealous, jealous, jealous. ;0) Hope to bump into you and many others at one of those one of these years. Thank you for sharing your joy!
ReplyDeleteWe need a Poetry Friday retreat, Robyn-wouldn't it be delightful! Thank you for sharing all your poetry wisdom!
DeleteHi Linda,
ReplyDeleteIt was wonderful to meet you again and see so many poetry people at NCTE again this year. I do hope you get back for next year, too. I, too, loved the sessions you mentioned and visiting with so many poetry and writing and teacher friends both new and "old". NCTE lights lamps, just like Mary Lee said! I think all teachers should get to this conference if not yearly, then regularly. Happy 600th post! Congratulations.
Janet F.
It was a pleasure, Janet, for sure. Hope we can actually sit & have a cup of coffee or something next time. And hope your husband is really better!
DeleteLinda! Congratulations on your 600th post. And yes, I remember Strand's poem all too well, so beautiful isn't it? I am dying of envy looking at your get-together photos. Hopefully, my plans for next year will pan out and I'd get to meet all of you in person! :) Happy Thanksgiving! Warm thoughts and hugs sent your way.
ReplyDeleteThank you Myra. I've been busy all day & haven't made it to your post (& others') yet. I hope you're doing well. It would be terrific to meet you someday!
DeleteHurray for 600 posts! Thanks for the peek into your time at NCTE!
ReplyDeleteThanks Keri-there was a lot to do, including the marvelous time with people!
DeleteSo nice to have met up with you, Linda! I love that delish poem by Mark Strand. I was lucky enough to have heard him read a couple of years ago. Enjoy the rest of your Thanksgiving weekend.
ReplyDeleteI was delighted to meet you too, Diane. How wonderful you got to hear Strand read. This poem used to wow my students. I think they finally could see that poetry could be very meaningful. Thanks!
DeleteI'm sorry to have missed all that fun, Linda! The Poetry Friday crowd is such a special group.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is, and it was a special time, Tabatha. Maybe someday!
DeleteWow, you have been hob-nobbing!! It's lovely to hear about people we connect with here on PF actually meeting in person, and to see photos of them together. Thanks for sharing about your rich connections.
ReplyDeleteViolet N.
It was quite a time last weekend, Violet, enjoyed every minute! Thank you!
Delete600 smiles to you, Linda! That's quite an accomplishment-- a treasure trove really. Your post reminds me of how naive I still am in the world of blogging as well as the world of poetry. I had not heard the Mark Strand poem before, so thank you for introducing me to it. I, too, am eager for the day when we can share a Poetry Friday retreat together!
ReplyDeleteThanks Michelle, how wonderful that I was able to introduce you to the Strand poem-a real favorite of mine. A retreat would be wonderful, agreed!
DeleteIt sounds like such a wonderful time! Thanks for sharing it! And congratulations on 600 posts!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ruth-it was a weekend of high moments! I've really enjoyed seeing your photos of your hike!
DeleteThanks for posting about NCTE - I am so envious of those of you who got to go! Maybe if I save my pennies for the next one, I'll finally be able to meet some of the Poetry Friday bloggers I've only gotten to know online - that would be so sweet! Congratulations on your 600th post, Linda.
ReplyDeleteYou 'know' more of the poetry people than I do, Julie. I hope you do get to go some time. It was a pleasure to meet and talk with those I only know online! Looking forward to working with you in the Cybils! Our turn will be soon!
DeleteHi, Linda. I wish I could have been there with all of you for the Poetry Friday gathering. It sounds as if the conference filled you up with wonderful ideas and memories and new friends.
ReplyDeleteGee, thanks for coming by now, Laura. It was truly a wonder-filled time. Hope your latest challenges are nearly complete!
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