This Week I Am Grateful — The Poetry Post

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 We got in late last night after celebrating with 22 friends at two long tables. 
The food was decidely fine, the company even better. 

We did incorporate a little poetry, you’ll be pleased to know. My family has a tradition of these little ditties called Turkey Notes. They are a little limerick-ish, personalized and funny. There is one at every place, you read the one at your place aloud, and everyone guesses who it’s about. The kids really got into it this year — the writing and the guessing — and I think it was the one moment we were all present on the same page all night.

Here is the one that was written about me. I thought it was hilarious. And brilliant. That slant rhyme is masterful, don’t you think?

Turkey trotted 
Turkey kicked butt
Someday this turkey’s gonna win a Caldecott

(The trotting is reference to a five mile run that I do on Thanksgiving morning in downtown Austin. And my pace is not exactly butt-kickable, but I’m all for a little fantasy. Ditto, the Caldecott…)

So, lest you think I’m forgetting that this is meant to be a gratitude post (a la Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday), here goes:

(drum roll please…)

I am really grateful that an amazing group of poet bloggers has accepted my invitation (some may be calling it a dare behind my back) to write a Crown Sonnet together! 

You may remember my couple of posts about Crown Sonnets — here and here. Well, suffice it to say that I caught the bug a little bit. And I decided that this online community of word lovers was the door to knock on. Lucky me, the following folks said YES! (I’m soooo flattered. And grateful. Did I mention that part already?)

Sara Lewis Holmes, Kelly Fineman, Laurie Purdie Salas, TadMack from Finding Wonderland, cloudscome from a wrung sponge, and Tricia from The Miss Rumphius Effect. Is that some star power, or what?

We’re giving each poet a couple of weeks to freak out and then write their sonnet so you won’t be seeing the Crown anytime soon, but we promise to share it when it’s ready. 

In the meantime, I’ll wrap up with words from Rumi. This speaks to me of gratitude for sure…

The Guest House, by Rumi

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!

(Read the rest here…)

I’m going off now to be grateful for whatever comes. To be continued…
 

22 Responses to “This Week I Am Grateful — The Poetry Post”

  1. kellyrfineman

    The fact that you trotted at all means you kicked butt. And I hope that Caldecott thing works out for you!

    I’m very psyched about the Crown Sonnet, and looking forward (in a nervous kind of way) to being the final leg of the journey, since it has an extra sort of challenge to it. Random selection, huh?

    I’ve been looking at some of the lovely books of poems by Rumi at Borders – Coleman Banks seems to have made Rumi his life’s work, and obviously he’s getting paid for it. Which book do you have/recommend (if any)?

    • liz_scanlon

      I swear it was random. I wouldn’t force the final leg on you, I promise! And honestly, I ended up loving being number 7 in the last Crown. There’s something very satisfying about wrapping it up!

      As to the Rumi, every poem that Coleman Barks translated is exquisite. Truly. I have The Essential Rumi and I love it. There is a really pretty book that is something like 365 days of reading Rumi (or something like that) that looks nice, too…

  2. Anonymous

    I cannot WAIT for your Crown Sonnet! What fun to know that you seven are making something wonderful behind the scenes…and that you’ll share it with us!

    Mary Lee
    A Year of Reading

  3. Anonymous

    Hi Liz,
    I’m so thrilled to be participating in the crown sonnet. I can’t wait to see what this group comes up with.
    Tricia

    P.S. – (Richmond is where I live, so you can list me just as Tricia or include my last name, which is Stohr-Hunt!)

  4. Anonymous

    I really adore that Rumi poem. That spine of my book is so worn it falls open to that page.

    What a great idea, having family limericks for the holiday table! I might have to try that one next year.

    And *gasp* I am so thrilled and grateful to see my name in with all your poet friends!

    -cloudscome

  5. hipwritermama

    You could not have picked a better group of talented poets. I cannot wait to read this crown sonnet.

    Glad you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!