Poetry Friday: “Bless the Earth, “Bless our Pets,” bless my soul!

On By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry5 Comments

What a way to wrap up National Poetry Month!

We’re celebrating not one, but TWO new poetry anthologies published this month – and they are both blessings, in a manner of speaking.

As I’ve mentioned here before, Bless the Earth (Convergent/Penguin, 2024), the newest poetry anthology from Nancy Tupper Ling & June Cotner is officially out, and is absoutely beautiful!

This past weekend, several of the book’s contributors got together to celebrate its official launch at author-illustrator Peter Reynolds’ bookstore, The Blue Bunny in Dedham, MA. And what a fantastic time!

Nancy, Charlotte Sheer, Amanda Smith, Keri Biron, Cathy Stenquist, and I all shared the poems we contributed (like my “The Snow Clouds Know,” which I shared here a few weeks ago) as well as some other contributors’ poems including one by my friend, Charles Ghigna.

And a VERY special thanks to Nancy for bringing along book-themed cookies, including one based on my poem, “Honeybee!” What a surprise!

I was going to take a photo of the entire basket with all the different cookies – but alas, I was too late and all that remained were crumbs.

We signed multiple copies, and I even got to sign a few of my own books like Flashlight Night and The Thing to Remember about Stargazing, which were also available.

In other poetry news…

One of the final poetry anthologies from the late, great Lee Bennett Hopkins was also published this month! Bless our Pets: Poems of Gratitude for our Animal Friends (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2024) has been a long time coming – but it’s worth it!

The fact that it was one of a handful of anthologies Lee was working on before he passed in 2019 is bittersweet – but the fact that my friend and fellow New Hampshire-ite Lita Judge was tapped to do the illustrations makes the book EXTRA-sweet.

All images © 2024 Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, all rights reserved

From dogs and cats to gerbils and goldfish, fourteen favorite pets are celebrated by some of our country’s most esteemed children’s poets like Kristine O’Connell George, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Charles Ghigna, and many others.

The poems range from thoughtful longing, such as in Darren Sardelli’s “Guinea Pig,” about a child away at summer camp who misses their pet, to the tender caring of Lois Lowry’s “Mouse Dreams”:

(Click to enlarge)

This particular poem is especially touching for me personally, because I know Lita still misses her own pet mouse, Pan, who passed away last year. He was such a cute little guy, and everyone who knew him loved him.

Lita also appreciated the opportunity to portray her very first bird for the poem written by our fellow New Hampshire creator, Ralph Fletcher:

Bless our Pets is truly one of the most beautiful and beautifully-worded books you will see all year. And I’m not just saying that because so many of the contributors are friends of mine! (Nor am I saying it because Eeerdmans will be publishing MY very first anthology next spring – hint, hint) You can see for yourself right here how much love was poured into this project.

And what a wonderfully perfect poem to end the book, from the man who brought all these poets together:

Lee will be missed, but his spirit lives on in each of us whom he touched. Hard to believe it’s been nearly five years since he passed in Aug. of 2019. He would be so proud of this.

And by the way, Lita’s bird and mouse aren’t her only family members to grace these pages! Prince Redcloud’s “Old Calico” features the cat Lita grew up with as a young girl, and another long-lost pet of hers, Wilbur, is the star of Sarah Grace Tuttle’s “Hamster Hoping.”

You’ll also find her giant fluff-monster of a kitty, Willow (a Maine Coon Cat), on the back cover!

This may be Lee’s poetry anthology, but it’s Lita’s family album – and I couldn’t be happier for either of them.

Hold on! There’s MORE poetry news…!

I’ve just received word that a proposal I submitted with Charles Waters and Laura Purdie Salas for the NCTE (National Council of Teachers of Education) Convention this fall was ACCEPTED – which means I’ll be heading off to Boston, MA in November!

Our panel presentation, “Poems and Picture Books as Writing Prompts and Conversation Starters,” will offer suggestions on how students can use what they read and learn – from any book, poem, or story – to better understand themselves and the world around them. An educator friend of mine, Joanne Tranchemontagne, will then offer her perspective on how teachers can implement these suggestions in a classroom setting.

When I first learned last year that the 2024 NCTE Convention was taking place just two hours from me, I was determined to attend in some way, shape, or form – so I’m thrilled that I’ll be able to do so as a presenter. If you decide to attend, please track me down!

For more poetry, head over to There is no such thing as a God-foresaken town where Ruth – who is living in Uganda now – is hosting today’s complete Poetry Friday roundup with a heartfelt poem about the country in which she used to live, Haiti.

~~ 2024 SCHOOL VISIT dates still available! ~~

I still have a few dates still available for author visits for the 2024 spring semester! If you think your school might be interested in having me visit, check out all the presentations I offer, then email me at Matt (at) MattForrest (dot) com!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be discussing dinosaur breath or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

  • The Making of a Picture Book
  • How a Child Saved a Book
  • “Once Upon Another Time”
  • The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
  • “I Am Today”
  • “A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
  • “Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”

Adult presentations include:

  • The Making of a Picture Book
  • The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
  • Free Yourself with Free Verse
  • Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m now on BOOKSHOP!

=====================================================

I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

You can purchase personally-signed copies of Flashlight Night, (Astra Young Readers, 2017), Don’t Ask a Dinosaur (Pow! Kids Books, 2018), and nearly EVERY book or anthology I’ve been part of!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

Just click the cover of whichever book you want and send a comment to the good folks at MainStreet BookEnds in Warner, NH requesting my signature and to whom I should make it out. (alternatively, you can log onto my website and do the same thing) They’ll contact me, I’ll stop by and sign it, and then they’ll ship it! (Plus, you’ll be supporting your local bookseller – and won’t that make you feel good?)

======================================================

Thank you to everyone for your support!

FLASHLIGHT NIGHT:

DON’T ASK A DINOSAUR:

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right!  (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, and SoundCloud!

Poetry Friday: More students, more poetry!

On By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry12 Comments

Last week, I shared a poem I helped a group of students write, based on the Most Boring Object Ever.

This week, we did it again – with different students and completely different MBOE!

Yesterday I visited the students at Sant Bani School in Sanbornton, New Hampshire and discussed writing, picture book creation, and poetry – starting the day off with a poetry workshop for the 6-8 grades.

As I did at the previous school, I shared various forms and styles of poetry and explained why I love the compact, intense nature of the genre. I then worked with students to brainstorm ideas around something I like to call the MBOE: Most Boring Object Ever.

The way I figure it, if you can write a poem about a chewed-up pencil or a rusted paperclip, you can write a poem about nearly anything – and that’s what we did on Thursday with a used hair tie.

The small, black, circular hair tie was perfect because it’s so plain and simple, it lent itself to all sorts of imaginative descriptions and possibilities. I asked students to “re-name it”, wondering what else this seemingly simple object could possibly be.

Students suggested it could be anything from a stretchy weapon to the entrance to a black hole – all great ideas! So I wrote them all down on an easel and then we looked for connections, weeding out the ones that didn’t seem to fit.

Once that was done, piecing together this “Re-Name It” poem, as I call it, wasn’t very hard at all! We came up with one poem – but by simply moving words around, different poems (and images and feelings) emerged:
.

Black Hair Tie

Into the infinite portal:
black hole reflection.
I am the weapon
of universal chaos.

.

Black hole portal
into infinity, looking glass
of chaos.
I am the universal weapon.

.

A weapon of chaos:
reflection, never-ending,
in a black hole universe

.

Another 15-minute poem, complete. It’s amazing how quickly these come together when students start getting into it! (And remember, if you think you might like to have me visit your school – either in person or virtually – please let me know! Details below…)

Speaking of poetry…

THIS SUNDAY: I hope you’ll join me, Nancy Tupper Ling, June Cotner, Padma Venkatraman, and many others as we celebrate the official launch of “Bless the Earth” at Peter Reynolds’ bookstore, The Blue Bunny in Dedham, MA from 2-4pm! (Did I mention there will be COOKIES???)

Speaking of student poetry – Heidi Morhorst is celebrating Earth Day a wee bit early as she shares some wonderful poems by students at today’s Poetry Friday roundup – so head on over to her blog My Juicy Little Universe for all the poetry links and fun! .

.
ALSO: Author Lydia Lukidis stopped by a couple of weeks ago to chat about her new picture book, Dancing through Space – and we have a giveaway!

The link I shared last week was bad, so I’m extending the giveaway by one more week – if you’d like to enter to win a FREE COPY of the book, be sure to check out her interview and leave a comment!

~~ 2024 SCHOOL VISIT dates still available! ~~

I still have a few dates still available for author visits for the 2024 spring semester! If you think your school might be interested in having me visit, check out all the presentations I offer, then email me at Matt (at) MattForrest (dot) com!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be discussing dinosaur breath or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

  • The Making of a Picture Book
  • How a Child Saved a Book
  • “Once Upon Another Time”
  • The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
  • “I Am Today”
  • “A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
  • “Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”

Adult presentations include:

  • The Making of a Picture Book
  • The Journey of an Author
  • The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
  • Free Yourself with Free Verse
  • Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m now on BOOKSHOP!

=====================================================

I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

You can purchase personally-signed copies of Flashlight Night, (Astra Young Readers, 2017), Don’t Ask a Dinosaur (Pow! Kids Books, 2018), and nearly EVERY book or anthology I’ve been part of!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

Just click the cover of whichever book you want and send a comment to the good folks at MainStreet BookEnds in Warner, NH requesting my signature and to whom I should make it out. (alternatively, you can log onto my website and do the same thing) They’ll contact me, I’ll stop by and sign it, and then they’ll ship it! (Plus, you’ll be supporting your local bookseller – and won’t that make you feel good?)

======================================================

Thank you to everyone for your support!

FLASHLIGHT NIGHT:

DON’T ASK A DINOSAUR:

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right!  (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, and SoundCloud!

Poetry Friday: Crowd-sourcing a poem with students

On By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry16 Comments

Whew, what a week!

I spent time yesterday at Newmarket (NH) Elementary School doing a day-long series of presentations about my books, writing, and creativity.

The kids all seemed attentive and engaged, so I’m guessing they must’ve enjoyed it!

But that’s not the only reason I’ve been busy. I spent nearly $900 replacing brakes and sundry parts on our car two days before that; took in my 10-year-old’s spring concert Tue. night; and last night joined two local artisans to give a short talk at our local library about my journey as a professional creator to fellow townspeople.

Oh, and I’m in the process of trying to figure out how to fit my newly-employed 14-year-old’s work schedule into my schedule! Yikes.

I had a lot of fun yesterday, though – as I did a few weeks ago when I visited Dunbarton (NH) Elementary School. During that school visit, I did a poetry workshop with the 6th graders and mentioned in my March 21 blog post that I would share the poem we created here.

Wouldn’t you know, I completely forgot! So I’m remedying that now.

As I mentioned in my initial post, I showed students different forms of poetry, why I enjoy it, and what one can do with it. We then brainstormed ideas around something I like to call the MBOE: Most Boring Object Ever.

I try to get students to find something they feel is totally boring and uninteresting, and then we create a poem around that – because of you can write a poem about a dirty rubberband or a dust bunny, you can write about pretty much anything!

At the Dunbarton visit, one of the students pulled out an eraserless pencil. So we brainstormed ideas about what it meant to be an eraserless pencil, why it was eraserless, and what else an eraserless pencil could be. Taking some of the best suggestions – like a rocket, skyscraper, and a creative tool that cannot be undone (it’s eraserless, remember??) we came up with something!

Eraserless Pencil

Rocketship headed for Mars,
a skyscraper to the stars.
Stange creatures and stories await –
there’s no looking back!
.

Not bad for just ten minutes, I’d say. And considering this was created based on the MBOE, I’d say that “Object” turned out to be far from “Boring”! (By the way, if you think you might like to have me visit your school – either in person or virtually – please let me know! Details below…)

For more poetry, check out today’s Poetry Friday roundup with Jone Rush MacCulloch, as she features an interview with Carol Labuzzetta about Carol’s new poetry anthology, Picture Perfect Poetry: An Anthology of Ekphrastic Nature Poetry for Students!

If you find yourself in the Boston area, I hope you’ll join me, Nancy Tupper Ling, June Cotner, Padma Venkatraman, and others as we celebrate the official launch of “Bless the Earth” at Peter Reynolds’ bookstore, The Blue Bunny in Dedham, MA from 2-4pm!

ALSO: I had a chance to chat with author Lydia Lukidis this past Tue. about her new picture book, Dancing through Space – and we have a giveaway! If you’d like to enter to win a FREE COPY of the book, just check out her interview and leave a comment!

~~ 2024 SCHOOL VISIT dates still available! ~~

I still have a few dates still available for author visits for the 2024 spring semester! If you think your school might be interested in having me visit, check out all the presentations I offer, then email me at Matt (at) MattForrest (dot) com!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be discussing dinosaur breath or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

  • The Making of a Picture Book
  • How a Child Saved a Book
  • “Once Upon Another Time”
  • The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
  • “I Am Today”
  • “A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
  • “Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”

Adult presentations include:

  • The Making of a Picture Book
  • The Journey of an Author
  • The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
  • Free Yourself with Free Verse
  • Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m now on BOOKSHOP!

=====================================================

I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

You can purchase personally-signed copies of Flashlight Night, (Astra Young Readers, 2017), Don’t Ask a Dinosaur (Pow! Kids Books, 2018), and nearly EVERY book or anthology I’ve been part of!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

Just click the cover of whichever book you want and send a comment to the good folks at MainStreet BookEnds in Warner, NH requesting my signature and to whom I should make it out. (alternatively, you can log onto my website and do the same thing) They’ll contact me, I’ll stop by and sign it, and then they’ll ship it! (Plus, you’ll be supporting your local bookseller – and won’t that make you feel good?)

======================================================

Thank you to everyone for your support!

FLASHLIGHT NIGHT:

DON’T ASK A DINOSAUR:

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right!  (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, and SoundCloud!

“Dancing through Space” with Dr. Mae Jemison and author Lydia Lukidis (& GIVEAWAY!)

On By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn Uncategorized3 Comments

It was just a little over a year ago that author Lydia Lukidis stopped by to visit, and share her book DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023).

Well, I’m very happy to welcome her back again to celebrate the publication of her newest picture book, DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024)!

Lydia is the author of 50+ trade and educational books for children including the Cybils Award-nominated THE BROKEN BEES’ NEST (Kane Press, 2019) and NO BEARS ALLOWED (Clear Fork Media, 2019). A science enthusiast from a young age, she now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books.

Congratulations on the new book, Lydia, and thank you for coming back to visit again! Tell me about DANCING THROUGH SPACE and why you felt it needed to be written.

DANCING THROUGH SPACE features two of Dr. Mae Jemison’s passions: science and dance. It’s written as a dual narrative and as the story unfolds, the two worlds merge, illuminating how art and science are both essential parts of our world.

Lydia Lukidis

The journey to publication was really long and really bumpy. While editing this manuscript, I went through three, yes, that’s right, three agents (and I’m overjoyed to now be represented by Miranda Paul), multiple pitch festivals, and multiple editors expressing interest.

The turning point was finding my hook. I was a newbie when I started out on this path and I naively thought simply writing an interesting, compelling nonfiction book was enough. But it’s not, as I learned. You need a strong hook, among other things.

And an editor who connects with the story, too.

I finally found an editor who loved it and wanted to acquire it but asked for revisions, I took my time and sent her the new draft a few months later. But, oh no! It turns out she left that publishing house. I subbed another editor there but no dice.

Luckily, it finally found its home with Albert Whitman. It took ten years and 42 drafts for the book to come to fruition but it’s worth it!

All images ©2024 Albert Whitman, all rights reserved

I do have to say, the fact that Dr. Jemison’s childhood love of both dancing and science was surprising – but it was also very familiar to me, as I have a young daughter who has very different interests! Was it difficult figuring out how to showcase these two sides of this person?

It flowed organically once the intersection of dance and science became the hook. It was my first time attempting a dual narrative, so yes, it was a bit tricky. But when you finally find the right structure and focus, it’s easier to write. Crafting the hook was the hardest part of this process, it literally took years of research and slews of rejections. In my research, the fact that Mae likes to dance and appreciates the world of the arts fascinated me.

I felt strongly about this book because it mirrors my own perspective, having studied both science and the arts.

I think we’re kindred spirits in that respect, as my favorite subjects were always writing/poetry, astronomy, and microbiology! Now, the last time you were here we were discussing your book DEEP, DEEP DOWN which was about the Mariana Trench. This time we’re talking about outer space! How do you select the topics of your books, or do the topics select you, so to speak?

You nailed it there, I feel like the topics pick me. I do keep a document with various ideas I tend to jot down, but when it comes down to it, I work by intuition and gut. I just “feel” it. It’s a fun but also frustrating process, because I can’t always write on demand. I need to feel inspired and usually, when I get into a good flow, it carries me through (sometimes to the point of obsession where I find myself scrutinizing every word!)

I love writing nonfiction because of my own curiosity. I always learn during my research so it’s a journey for myself too, not only the readers. The deep sea and outer space are topics I love, so you’ll definitely see more on these topics from me in the future. That can be tricky because many authors like to write about those themes, so I need to make sure my work is distinct and sets itself apart.

DANCING THROUGH SPACE is written in prose, more so than the lyrical, poetic sort of style of DEEP, DEEP DOWN. How did you decide upon the style that was right for this book?

I figure out what works best through the writing. As I “dove” into my research, I came to see the Mariana Trench as a poem when I wrote DEEP, DEEP DOWN. A beautiful, mysterious and remote setting with graceful, slow moving and strange creatures. It seemed fitting for the text to mirror that sense of awe and poetry.

For DANCING THROUGH SPACE, it felt like too much to use lyrical language in a dual narrative. It flowed better as prose, to get the story across.

Any surprises along the way, as you were writing? Either about the process or Dr. Jemison herself?

This manuscript was difficult to write, primarily because I started writing it in 2014, when I was newbie. I obviously had no idea what I was doing. But I remained open to learning and bettering my craft, and I used the critiques I got (one was pretty brutal) to improve the book.

Learning how difficult writing was and how challenging the publishing industry can be were hard lessons I learned along the way. This book was a huge stepping stone and introduction into the world of kidlit. I was stubborn and never gave up and eventually, it found its home.

Well, thank you for taking the time to chat, Lydia – and best wishes with this fantastic book!

Thanks for having me!

Find Lydia on Social Media:

Web: http://www.lydialukidis.com/
Presale: https://www.albertwhitman.com/book/dancing-through-space/
Blog: https://lydialukidis.wordpress.com/
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/LydiaLukidis
FB: https://www.facebook.com/LydiaLukidis/

~ GIVEAWAY! ~

Want to win a FREE copy of Lydia’s book? Just leave a comment below and I’ll pick one name at random! Winner to be announced here on April 19. Good luck!

REMINDER: If you’re in the Boston area next month, I hope you’ll join me along with Nancy Tupper Ling, June Cotner, Padma Venkatraman, and several other contributors as we celebrate the official launch of “Bless the Earth” at Peter Reynolds’ bookstore, The Blue Bunny in Dedham, MA on April 21!

~~ 2024 SCHOOL VISIT dates still available! ~~

I still have a few dates still available for author visits for the 2024 spring semester! If you think your school might be interested in having me visit, check out all the presentations I offer, then email me at Matt (at) MattForrest (dot) com!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be discussing dinosaur breath or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

  • The Making of a Picture Book
  • How a Child Saved a Book
  • “Once Upon Another Time”
  • The Most Imporant Thing about Writing Poetry
  • “I Am Today”
  • “A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
  • “Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”

Adult presentations include:

  • The Making of a Picture Book
  • The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
  • Free Yourself with Free Verse
  • Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m now on BOOKSHOP!

=====================================================

I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

You can purchase personally-signed copies of Flashlight Night, (Astra Young Readers, 2017), Don’t Ask a Dinosaur (Pow! Kids Books, 2018), and nearly EVERY book or anthology I’ve been part of!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

Just click the cover of whichever book you want and send a comment to the good folks at MainStreet BookEnds in Warner, NH requesting my signature and to whom I should make it out. (alternatively, you can log onto my website and do the same thing) They’ll contact me, I’ll stop by and sign it, and then they’ll ship it! (Plus, you’ll be supporting your local bookseller – and won’t that make you feel good?)

======================================================

Thank you to everyone for your support!

FLASHLIGHT NIGHT:

DON’T ASK A DINOSAUR:

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right!  (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, and SoundCloud!

Poetry Friday: A Book Birthday for “Bless the Earth”!

On By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn Uncategorized10 Comments

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago here that I had finally received my author copies – and this week, it’s officially out in the world, just in time for National Poetry Month!

The newest poetry anthology from Nancy Tupper Ling & June Cotner is titled Bless the Earth (Convergent/Penguin, 2024), and it’s beautiful!

I’m truly grateful to June and Nancy for including not one, but two of my poems. I shared one of them, “The Snow Clouds Know,” back when I first announced the news about my author copies. So today I thought I’d present my other poem – a little thing I call “Honeybee.”
.

– Image ©2024 Convergent/Penguin, all rights reserved

Honeybee

Sweet creator.

…….Pollinator.

Collect your nectar,

…….save for later.

– ©2024 Matt Forrest Esenwine, all rights reserved
.

ALSO: If you find yourself in the Boston area on Sunday, april 21, I hope you’ll join me along with Nancy Tupper Ling, June Cotner, Padma Venkatraman, and several other contributors as we celebrate the official launch of “Bless the Earth” at Peter Reynolds’ bookstore, The Blue Bunny in Dedham, MA from 2-4pm!

Loking for more poetry? Then check out today’s complete Poetry Friday roundup at Live Your Poem with my friend Irene Latham!!

~~ 2024 SCHOOL VISIT dates still available! ~~

I still have a few dates still available for author visits for the 2024 spring semester! If you think your school might be interested in having me visit, check out all the presentations I offer, then email me at Matt (at) MattForrest (dot) com!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be discussing dinosaur breath or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

  • The Making of a Picture Book
  • How a Child Saved a Book
  • “Once Upon Another Time”
  • The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
  • “I Am Today”
  • “A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
  • “Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”

Adult presentations include:

  • The Making of a Picture Book
  • The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
  • Free Yourself with Free Verse
  • Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m now on BOOKSHOP!

=====================================================

I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

You can purchase personally-signed copies of Flashlight Night, (Astra Young Readers, 2017), Don’t Ask a Dinosaur (Pow! Kids Books, 2018), and nearly EVERY book or anthology I’ve been part of!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

Just click the cover of whichever book you want and send a comment to the good folks at MainStreet BookEnds in Warner, NH requesting my signature and to whom I should make it out. (alternatively, you can log onto my website and do the same thing) They’ll contact me, I’ll stop by and sign it, and then they’ll ship it! (Plus, you’ll be supporting your local bookseller – and won’t that make you feel good?)

======================================================

Thank you to everyone for your support!

FLASHLIGHT NIGHT:

DON’T ASK A DINOSAUR:

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right!  (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, and SoundCloud!

Poetry Friday: A belated “Cereal Day” celebration and TWO new board books!

On By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry23 Comments

Hard to believe it’s been nearly a decade since the children’s poetry anthology The Poetry Friday Anthology for Celebrations (Pomelo Books, 2015) was released.

In it, one can find poems about all sorts of celebrations, from Passover and Ramadan to Daylight Savings time and National Pet Week!

National Cereal Day, which I’m sad to say I missed, was on Thursday, March 7 this year – but that’s not going to stop me from sharing my poem about it:
.

Picky Eater

I love my Froot Loops,
love my Trix,
love Cheerios
and even Kix.
I also like
my Apple Jacks –
but please don’t give me
Sugar Smacks,
or stars or squares or flakes
you’ve found –
I only eat, you see,
what’s round.

– © 2015 Matt Forrest Esenwine and Pomelo Books, all rights reserved
.

This was actually one of the poems I shared with the 6th-grade students at Dunbarton Elementary School in New Hampshire this week. I had been invited to do a day-long series of presentations about creating books, the writing process, and why imagination is so flippin’ cool – and I focused on a different book and aspect of writing with each grade.

Everyone loved the brilliant artwork of Sonia Possentini in my book THE THING TO REMEMBER ABOUT STARGAZING (Tilbury House, 2023)

For the 6th-graders, it was a poetry workshop!

I showed them different poetic styles and forms, and explained why I love the tight, compact genre of poetry itself. We even wrote a crowd-sourced poem in just 10 minutes, which I hope to share here next week.

By the way, if you think you might be interested in having me visit YOUR school, scroll down a wee bit for more details – or just send me an email!

IN OTHER NEWS…

I have two new board books out!

From Rainstorm Publishing, the publisher of my very first board book, Elliot the Heart-Shaped Frog, we present:

Don’t be surprised if you don’t find my name on the covers – that’s ok! These were works-for-hire, and they were so much fun to write. These books will be perfect for First and Second birthdays, so I hope you’ll check them out.

ALSO: If you find yourself in the Boston area next month, I hope you’ll join me along with Nancy Tupper Ling, June Cotner, Padma Venkatraman, and several other contributors as we celebrate the official launch of “Bless the Earth” at Peter Reynolds’ bookstore, The Blue Bunny in Dedham, MA on April 21!

For more poetry, head on over to Imagine the Possibilities, where Rose Capelli is hosting today’s complete Poetry Friday roundup with a blog post devoted to Birds, Birds, Birds!

~~ 2024 SCHOOL VISIT dates still available! ~~

I still have a few dates still available for author visits for the 2024 spring semester! If you think your school might be interested in having me visit, check out all the presentations I offer, then email me at Matt (at) MattForrest (dot) com!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be discussing dinosaur breath or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

  • The Making of a Picture Book
  • How a Child Saved a Book
  • “Once Upon Another Time”
  • The Most Imporant Thing about Writing Poetry
  • “I Am Today”
  • “A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
  • “Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”

Adult presentations include:

  • The Making of a Picture Book
  • The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
  • Free Yourself with Free Verse
  • Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m now on BOOKSHOP!

=====================================================

I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

You can purchase personally-signed copies of Flashlight Night, (Astra Young Readers, 2017), Don’t Ask a Dinosaur (Pow! Kids Books, 2018), and nearly EVERY book or anthology I’ve been part of!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

Just click the cover of whichever book you want and send a comment to the good folks at MainStreet BookEnds in Warner, NH requesting my signature and to whom I should make it out. (alternatively, you can log onto my website and do the same thing) They’ll contact me, I’ll stop by and sign it, and then they’ll ship it! (Plus, you’ll be supporting your local bookseller – and won’t that make you feel good?)

======================================================

Thank you to everyone for your support!

FLASHLIGHT NIGHT:

DON’T ASK A DINOSAUR:

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right!  (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, and SoundCloud!

Poetry Friday: Holding “Bless the Earth” in my hands!

On By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn Uncategorized23 Comments
SCBWI-IL

First, let me just say THANK YOU to the SCBWI of Illinois for inviting me to present a 90-minute workshop/webinar on publishing without an agent last night. What a great time!

Well, at least Yours Truly had a great time – you’ll have to ask the attendees themselves what they thought, ha! But I hope everyone got a little something out of it. I shared my own particular journey to publication and offered suggestions as to how to travel the agentless road. So far, it’s been working out!

So for today’s Poetry Friday post I just had to share what the mailman brought me earlier this week!

I’m extremely excited and honored to finally hold this book in my hand – and grateful to Nancy Tupper Ling & June Cotner for including two of my poems in their newest poetry anthology, Bless the Earth (Convergent/Penguin, 2024).

This particular poem was inspired by a Joyce Sidman poem titled “What Do the Trees Know,” included in her book Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014):

.
The Snow Clouds Know

What’s born above will soon be gone
to comfort what it falls upon.
Beauty blooms before the dawn;
this the snow clouds know.

Limbs are weak; snow is strong.
Days are short; nights are long.
Coyote sings a lonesome song;
this the snow clouds know.

– © 2024 Matt Forrest Esenwine, all rights reserved

.

Indeed, this new poetry anthology arriving at my house was a surpirse – but the REALLY BIG surprise was discovering with whom I get to share a spread: my good friend Charles “Father Goose®” Ghigna! Not only did we co-author Once Upon Another Time from Beaming Books, but we also shared a page nine years ago, in The National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry (National Geographic Kids Books, 2015):

And now we find ourselves side-by-side, once again. Cool!

Bless the Earth officially arrives April 2, but you can pre-order now – OR, you can join June, Nancy, me, and several other contributors at Peter Reynolds’ Blue Bunny Bookstore on April 21 for the official book launch and signing!

If you’re in the area, I hope you’ll join Nancy, June, me, and several other contributors as we celebrate the official launch of “Bless the Earth” at Peter Reynolds’ bookstore, The Blue Bunny in Dedham, MA on April 21!

FIRST ANNUAL “BOOKPORT!“

My friends at Richards Free Library in Newport, NH are sponsoring the area’s very first book festival TOMORROW, Sat., March 16!

“Bookport,” as it is called, will take place from 10a-2pm, so be sure to get there before you miss out. I’ll be attending along with many of my friends like my Don’t Ask a Dinosaur co-author, Deb Bruss, author-illustrator Marty Kelley, storyteller Simon Brooks:


.

There’s still more poetry around the web, though! Today’s complete Poetry Friday roundup is being hosted by Tanita at her blog fiction, instead of lies!

~~ SCHOOL VISITS still available! ~~

I’m booking author visits for the 2024 spring semester and still have a few dates available. If you think your school might be interested in having me visit, check out all the presentations I offer, then email me at Matt (at) MattForrest (dot) com!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be discussing dinosaur breath or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

  • The Making of a Picture Book
  • How a Child Saved a Book
  • “Once Upon Another Time”
  • The Most Imporant Thing about Writing Poetry
  • “I Am Today”
  • “A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
  • “Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”

Adult presentations include:

  • The Making of a Picture Book
  • The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
  • Free Yourself with Free Verse
  • Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

If you or someone you know might be interested in having me visit your school, library, or other organization, please email me
at matt(at)mattforrest(dot)com!

=====================================================

NOW AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE:
.

.

Order a PERSONALLY-SIGNED copy of this or or ANY of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m now on BOOKSHOP!

=====================================================

I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

You can purchase personally-signed copies of Flashlight Night, (Astra Young Readers, 2017), Don’t Ask a Dinosaur (Pow! Kids Books, 2018), and nearly EVERY book or anthology I’ve been part of!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

Just click the cover of whichever book you want and send a comment to the good folks at MainStreet BookEnds in Warner, NH requesting my signature and to whom I should make it out. (alternatively, you can log onto my website and do the same thing) They’ll contact me, I’ll stop by and sign it, and then they’ll ship it! (Plus, you’ll be supporting your local bookseller – and won’t that make you feel good?)

======================================================

Thank you to everyone for your support!

FLASHLIGHT NIGHT:

DON’T ASK A DINOSAUR:

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right!  (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, and SoundCloud!

Poetry Friday: Poetry Out Loud spotlight on Dilruba Ahmed

On By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry13 Comments

Before I get to today’s poem, I need to take a quick moment and thank former NH Public Radio host Laura Knoy for inviting me to her podcast this week!

ReadLocalNH is a podcast devoted to New Hampshire authors, illustrators, and readers and all the events and news they are involved with. Laura Contacted me shortly after my book I Am Today (POW! Kids Books, 2022) won the NH State Literary Award for Outstanding Children’s Literature last October, and we chatted about that, my writing process, and how poetry shapes everything I create. I hope you’ll check it out!

So…here in New Hampshire, the Poetry Out Loud State Finals are scheduled for March 15 at the State House in Concord, NH – and am both very excited and just slightly disappointed.

I’m excited because the daughter of a fellow kidlit creator friend of mine won her area state semi-finals and will be competing in the state finals for the second time in two years! (that’s right, she won last year’s state finals and is now competing in them again!)

Why am I disappointed? Well, simply because I can’t be a performance judge at the state finals like I’d been planning, because organizers would not want there to be any impression of impropriety. Last year, I didn’t realize she was competing until I arrived at the state house, so I recused myself from voting for her – and she STILL won!

So I’ll be cheering from the sidelines this year, and hopefully will be back in the judge’s seat in 2025. If you’d like to learn more about Poetry Out Loud, check out my post from a couple of weeks ago.

So for today I wanted to share a powerful poem from Dilruba Ahmed that is one of the many poems students can choose to recite. Ahmed, an American of Bangladeshi descent, has an incredibly insightful way of looking at life’s struggles, and although her subject material and connections can be deep, her words are very accessible. Here’s one that is particularly arresting:


.

Apella

This morning, a light
so full, so complete
we might ask why

the god of sun
is also god of plague,
why the god of healing

also god of archery.
The children under trees—
unaware their hearts

have become targets
red and inflamed…

.
– ©2019 Dilruba Ahmed, all rights reserved. Read the complete poem HERE
.

For even more poetry, head over to Laura Purdie Salas‘ little home on the web, where she is hosting today’s complete Poetry Friday roundup with a spotlight on her first picture book of 2024, Oskar’s Voyage!

~~ SCHOOL VISITS still available! ~~

I’m booking author visits for the 2024 spring semester and still have a few dates available. If you think your school might be interested in having me visit, check out all the presentations I offer, then email me at Matt (at) MattForrest (dot) com!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be discussing dinosaur breath or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

  • The Making of a Picture Book
  • How a Child Saved a Book
  • “Once Upon Another Time”
  • The Most Imporant Thing about Writing Poetry
  • “I Am Today”
  • “A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
  • “Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”

Adult presentations include:

  • The Making of a Picture Book
  • The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
  • Free Yourself with Free Verse
  • Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

If you or someone you know might be interested in having me visit your school, library, or other organization, please email me
at matt(at)mattforrest(dot)com!

=====================================================

NOW AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE:
.

.

Order a PERSONALLY-SIGNED copy of this or or ANY of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m now on BOOKSHOP!

=====================================================

I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

You can purchase personally-signed copies of Flashlight Night, (Astra Young Readers, 2017), Don’t Ask a Dinosaur (Pow! Kids Books, 2018), and nearly EVERY book or anthology I’ve been part of!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

Just click the cover of whichever book you want and send a comment to the good folks at MainStreet BookEnds in Warner, NH requesting my signature and to whom I should make it out. (alternatively, you can log onto my website and do the same thing) They’ll contact me, I’ll stop by and sign it, and then they’ll ship it! (Plus, you’ll be supporting your local bookseller – and won’t that make you feel good?)

======================================================

Thank you to everyone for your support!

FLASHLIGHT NIGHT:

DON’T ASK A DINOSAUR:

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right!  (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, and SoundCloud!

Poetry Friday: Celebrating President’s Day with Marilyn Singer

On By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn Uncategorized10 Comments

Yesterday was George Washington’s birthday, this past Monday was the official President’s Day, and last week Abraham Lincoln’s birthday was remembered.

So today I thought it might be appropriate to share a couple of poems from a fantastic poetry collection by Marilyn Singer titled Rutherford B., Who Was He? Poems about Our Presidents (Hyperion, 2013).

Of course, they perfectly paired Honest Abe with the less-than-stellar Andrew Johnson, who found himself president following Lincoln’s assassination:

It’s a fun, informative, and eye-opening book, so if you’ve not come across it, I encourage you to check it out!

And for more poetry, I hope you’ll check out today’s complete Poetry Friday roundup with Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference where she is sharing an original poem, “Sheherezade!”

~~ SCHOOL VISITS still available! ~~

I’m booking author visits for the 2024 spring semester and still have a few dates available. If you think your school might be interested in having me visit, check out all the presentations I offer, then email me at Matt (at) MattForrest (dot) com!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be discussing dinosaur breath or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

  • The Making of a Picture Book
  • How a Child Saved a Book
  • “Once Upon Another Time”
  • The Most Imporant Thing about Writing Poetry
  • “I Am Today”
  • “A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
  • “Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”

Adult presentations include:

  • The Making of a Picture Book
  • The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
  • Free Yourself with Free Verse
  • Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

If you or someone you know might be interested in having me visit your school, library, or other organization, please email me
at matt(at)mattforrest(dot)com!

=====================================================

NOW AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE:
.

.

Order a PERSONALLY-SIGNED copy of this or or ANY of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m now on BOOKSHOP!

=====================================================

I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

You can purchase personally-signed copies of Flashlight Night, (Astra Young Readers, 2017), Don’t Ask a Dinosaur (Pow! Kids Books, 2018), and nearly EVERY book or anthology I’ve been part of!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

Just click the cover of whichever book you want and send a comment to the good folks at MainStreet BookEnds in Warner, NH requesting my signature and to whom I should make it out. (alternatively, you can log onto my website and do the same thing) They’ll contact me, I’ll stop by and sign it, and then they’ll ship it! (Plus, you’ll be supporting your local bookseller – and won’t that make you feel good?)

======================================================

Thank you to everyone for your support!

FLASHLIGHT NIGHT:

DON’T ASK A DINOSAUR:

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right!  (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, and SoundCloud!

Poetry Friday: “Platypus”, a love poem

On By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry16 Comments

I don’t do things the way most people do. I don’t know if it’s the autism or genetics, but I always try to look for different ways of doing the same old thing.

This holds true in writing, especially. With Valentine’s Day just a couple days ago, I was thinking about my wife and the fact that here she is married to a guy who writes poetry all the time, yet he hasn’t written her a love poem in at least a couple of years. What kind of a hubby am I??

So I thought about it and thought about it. True, I could write a typical, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s rose?” kind of thing, but those have been done. I decided to do something different.

Now, before you read this, you should know the backstory. Shortly after we’d gotten married, my wife Jen asked me, “If I was an animal, what kind of animal do you think I’d be?”

Without hesitation, I replied, “A platypus.”

Dec. 28, 2023
Dec. 28, 2023

(Yes, these photos were taken on the same day – within minutes of each other.)

Needless to say, she was shocked – not only at the speed with which I replied, but the fact that I hadn’t responded with an animal more beautiful, like a swan or a gazelle or a sturgeon or something. But then I explained my rationale.

I told her that she was a multi-faceted person made up of all sorts of disparate traits that really shouldn’t go together – but they do! Her musical tastes run from Pantera to Brittany Spears to Andrea Bocelli. She’s a brilliant APRN but can be a ridiculously silly goober at home. She’s a vegan who loves bacon.

Manuel ROMARIS/Moment/Getty Images, for Mental Floss

In that respect, I explained, she’s just like a platypus: a web-footed mammal with no stomach and no nipples that lays eggs and uses its duckbill nose to sense the electric fields of other animals like fish and shrimp. What kind of mind-altering herbs was God smoking when He came up with the concept for this creature, anyway?

Fortunately, after some thought and contemplation, Jen has somewhat embraced the idea of a platypus. She’s owning it, actually, as she plans to get a platypus tattoo in the near future!

And with that, I present to you – my love poem:
.

“Platypus: A Love Poem”

An enigma, you are
equal parts mammal, bird,
reptile, and yet your very own
creature, unique among the
kingdom. Born of an egg more leather
than porcelain, raised on milk
that pooled in your mother’s skin, you
defied all manner of convention
as a legitimate member
of the zoological scene.

No desire to slap the pond’s surface
with a beaver-borrowed tail,
no need of teeth (as gravel suffices),
your eyes and ears let a duck bill
do the hunting, sensitive to seeking
out the electric field of a nearby crayfish,
soon to be deep inside a stomachless gullet.
A conundrum, you are
equal parts beauty, brains,
brawn, loving mother,
fierce protector,
perfect partner,
all the best parts
of the kingdom
in one.
.

  • © 2024 Matt F. Esenwine, all rights reserved

.

Margaret Simon is hosting today’s Poetry Friday roundup and has her grandson, Mardi Gras, and winter all on her mind. Head on over to her blog Reflections on the Teche for more poetry and all of today’s links!

~~ SCHOOL VISITS still available! ~~

I’m booking author visits for the 2024 spring semester and still have a few dates available. If you think your school might be interested in having me visit, check out all the presentations I offer, then email me at Matt (at) MattForrest (dot) com!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be discussing dinosaur breath or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

  • The Making of a Picture Book
  • How a Child Saved a Book
  • “Once Upon Another Time”
  • The Most Imporant Thing about Writing Poetry
  • “I Am Today”
  • “A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
  • “Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”

Adult presentations include:

  • The Making of a Picture Book
  • The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
  • Free Yourself with Free Verse
  • Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

If you or someone you know might be interested in having me visit your school, library, or other organization, please email me
at matt(at)mattforrest(dot)com!

=====================================================

NOW AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE:
.

.

Order a PERSONALLY-SIGNED copy of this or or ANY of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m now on BOOKSHOP!

=====================================================

I’m also very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

You can purchase personally-signed copies of Flashlight Night, (Astra Young Readers, 2017), Don’t Ask a Dinosaur (Pow! Kids Books, 2018), and nearly EVERY book or anthology I’ve been part of!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

Just click the cover of whichever book you want and send a comment to the good folks at MainStreet BookEnds in Warner, NH requesting my signature and to whom I should make it out. (alternatively, you can log onto my website and do the same thing) They’ll contact me, I’ll stop by and sign it, and then they’ll ship it! (Plus, you’ll be supporting your local bookseller – and won’t that make you feel good?)

======================================================

Thank you to everyone for your support!

FLASHLIGHT NIGHT:

DON’T ASK A DINOSAUR:

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

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