Poetry Friday - It's "A Dictionary for A Better World"

It's Poetry Friday, it's March, that month that cannot seem to behave. All the week it was warm enough for short pants and short sleeves, now expecting snow! Welcoming us is  Matt Forrest Esenwine at  Radio, Rhythm, & Rhyme.  He's sharing some coming books by dear Lee Bennett Hopkins and reminding us about March Madness Poetry which you can find here! Considering these days since March 1st, I guess "madness" is the word! Denver Public Schools just announced they will close starting Monday for the next three weeks!  Thanks for hosting, Matt.

             Way back in September, I had the pleasure of revealing the cover of Dictionary for A Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini. Here is that post with a few questions answered by these creators who've made what is now a favorite alphabet book. Of course, I imagine alphabet books as page by page reveals a letter, a word and an illustration. And they are wonderful.

              However, this is so much more. And in these times, welcomed and needed! In the past, I have had students create their own alphabet books and now wish I could share this book with them, to see the marvelous ways that Charles and Irene have enhanced the twenty-six letters with more, more, more. Mehrdokht's illustrations are icing on the cake! Each word presents a poem with a footnote that tells in what form the poem is written. Charles and Irene alternate the writing and some are collaborations. The opposite pages offer a companion quote, a comment by Irene or Charles and a challenge action to "Try It!" They've given me much to ponder as I've read slowly, trying to find ways to incorporate their suggestions into my life, whether poetry or actions. 

        The opening poem, an abecedarian, celebrates the words, opening a world that I believe Irene, Charles, and Mehrdokht want us to know, to embrace, to celebrate. 

        One thing I loved, too, was that every word brought a new idea, sometimes serious, sometimes whimsical, and Mehrdokht's illustrations added to the emotion. In the final page, after "Z", a poem proclaims "we're all in this together", and there these three creative people are, among other people, children and adults, dogs and birds, crocodiles - TOGETHER! 

        In another favorite, a quiet picture of two children sitting on a sofa, looking at each other. The word (and poem) is Charles' poem, "Listen", the quote, by Jacqueline Woodson: "Even the silence has a story to tell you. Just listen. Listen."

         In "Reach", by Irene, she ends her poem with "all for the possibility/of rising/together." The illustration shows two hands reaching, almost touching, painted on a sketchbook as an artist readies a brush. 

          My own descriptions fail to show the beautiful emotions from the illustrations, gathering all the words together into one beautiful entry!

          There is an author's note and so much more at the back, resources used and recommended, a gratitude list, and an index of poem forms used. This book has it all!

           I've read the book slowly since it arrived, used it to inspire my own poetry, especially during Laura Shovan's birthday month February challenges. Here is one that I wrote to a song shared by Margaret Simon that had the theme of musical freedom. In our world of much divisiveness, my hope "For A Better World" feels more positive after reading this wonderful new book.

Our Imperfect World

Here in my home, we love a storm

while you wish it away –

the trees in need, the grass is brown,

sol reigns another day.

If you send a bucketful,

I’ll send some cloudless blue,

offering a weather change

for all, a different view.

Like life, not always easy

but people aren’t truly far apart.

To find a common ground

we can look into their hearts.

                           Linda Baie ©

         “I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo. "So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”