Congratulations!
I thought I would take this opportunity to congratulate Jacqueline Woodson, one of my very favorite writers, on being named the Poetry Foundation's new Young People's Poet Laureate for a two year term beginning June 1, 2015. You can read an interview at the Poetry Foundation with Woodson about her poetry, people who influenced her, and what she hopes to accomplish as the new Young People's Poet Laureate HERE
Below is one of my favorite poems that comes from her award winning book Brown Girl Dreaming, a collection of free verse memory poems about her childhood and her development as a writer.
Every dandelion blown
each Star light, star bright,
The first star I see tonight.
My wish is always the same.
Every fallen eyelash,
and first firefly of summer…
The dream remains.
What did you wish for?
To be a writer.
Every heads up penny found
and daydream and night dream,
and even when people say it's a pipe dream…!
I want to be a writer.
Every sunrise and sunset and song against a
cold windowpane.
Passing the mountains.
Passing the sea.
Every story read
every poem remembered:
I loved my friend
and
When I see birches bend to left and right
and
"Nay" answered the child: but these are the wounds of Love."
Every memory…
Froggie went a-courting, and he did ride
Uh hmm.
brings me closer
and closer to the dream.
(pg 313-314)
This week's Poetry Friday is hosted by Jama's Alphabet Soup. Be sure to drop by and see what others have contributed to Poetry Friday today.
An inspiring choice. And a wonderful poem by a terrific poet. Sometimes I think writers have no choice. Writers can run and run away from it, but the minute they stop for a rest, they are writing again.
ReplyDeleteShe sure made her wish come true, didn't she?? I love the idea of all the things that bring us closer to our dreams... each deliberate act, and the chance encounters, too. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteLove Woodson's work, especially Brown Girl Dreaming. Thanks for sharing this poem!!
ReplyDeleteLots of her dreams have come true, haven't they, Alex? Love being reminded of this poem, this book.
ReplyDeleteShe is living the dream, for sure, isn't she?!?!
ReplyDeleteWoodson is one my most favorite poets...ever! I like this selection from Brown Girl Dreaming. Thanks for sharing. =)
ReplyDeleteWonderful share today!
ReplyDeleteHigh, girl!
ReplyDeleteWouldn’t ya love an endless eternity of aplomBombs
falling on thy indelible, magnificent, vigilant cranium?
An XtraXcitinXpose with no
zooillogical-expiration-date,
with an IQ much higher than K2,
and an extraordinarily, sawcy, rowdy victory??
Here’s what the prolific GODy sed:
(what could be MOE exciting than the 3-Stooges??)
“Faith, hope, and love,
the greatest of these is love -
jumpy into faith...
and you'll see with love”
Doesn’t matter if you don’t believe
(what I write);
God believes in you.
God. Blessa. Youse -Fr. Sarducci, ol SNL
Meet me Upstairs, girl, where the Son never goes down…