Today, I found an interesting book entitled The Space Between Our Footsteps: Poems and Paintings from the Middle East. I haven't read much about the area except what the broadcast news tells us each evening, so I thought I'd take a look at this book to see what it had to offer.
The first thing I looked at were the paintings included in the book--they are beautiful. Done in various media, they illustrate various perspectives of life, and nicely accompany many of the poems included in this book. The poems themselves are very descriptive, bringing vivid images of what life might be like there. Here are a couple that I really liked:
A Dream
When he surrenderd his eyes to the dream, this lad,
The evening star entered his house, trembling,
The wood of his bed turned into a ship for him,
The cosmos turned to an oyster in his hands.
Muhammad Al-Ghuzziyusi
Translated by May Jayyusi and John Heath-Stubbs
The Space Between Our Footsteps: Poems and Paintings from the Middle East (1998) Nye, Naomi Shihab (selected by). New York. Simon Schuster Books for Young People. Page 62.
I love the imagery presented here--You can go anywhere and do anything when you are dreaming!
Another one that I really liked was this one:
As I traveled from the city
toward the country
old age fell off my shoulders.
Salah Fa'Iq
Translated by Patricia Alanah Byrne and Salma Khadra Jayyusi
The Space Between Our Footsteps: Poems and Paintings from the Middle East (1998) Nye, Naomi Shihab (selected by). New York. Simon Schuster Books for Young People. Page 32.
I've felt this way too, on our way to the family property in Cloudcroft, NM. I always feel younger and rejuvenated when we get away from the stress of the city.
There are so many more examples of rich, descriptive language in this book that I can't list them all here. The end of the book also has information about many of the poets included in this book of poetry. It can help people learn more about the person who wrote the poem and learn of their background.
I recommend picking up this book to share poetry from a place so different from our own, so that our children can know that inside, we really aren't that different at all. You can find the book at Amazon.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Dean Koontz - Poet?
My only previous experience with Dean Koontz's work is in the realm of fiction--and not the kind I would recommend for children to read. So, when I saw this book on the same shelf with children's poetry, I was intrigued, to say the least, and hoped that I would have something to post from this book this week. And so, I explored The Paper Doorway and found some wonderful gems of poetry that you can share with children of all ages.
Dean Koontz was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and after a stint with the Appalachia Poverty Program and some time teaching English, he quit his job and started to write professionally. As I mentioned before, I was familiar with some of his suspense/thriller work, and never dreamed that he had written anything for children, but after a search on Amazon, I find that he has several titles to his name that can be considered for children.
The Paper Doorway, published in 2001, has a lot of silly poetry that can actually start some pretty good discussions with children. For example:
Better Than Money
Money I quickly spend.
Ice cream I gobble down.
Clothes I always wear out.
I'd rather have a friend.
Movies all soon end,
And trips out of town.
Rich food gives me gout.
I'd rather have a friend.
The Paper Doorway Koontz, Dean. (2001). New York. Harper Collins. Page 46.
This can open a discussion about all the things a person can have that doesn't cost money.
I also love the images that come to my mind with this poem:
Listen to the Wind
Listen to the wind!
Hear it spin, spin, spin!
Telling where it's been:
Rome and back again
Listen to it howl!
Hear it growl, growl, growl!
Wind is on the prowl
and it wants in now!
Listen to it sigh!
Hear it cry, cry, cry!
Such a sorry sigh.
Don't you wonder why?
Listen to it moan!
Hear it groan, groan, groan!
Such a gnawing tone,
Hungry for a bone.
Listen to it climb
Through the bright wind chimes,
Keeping time, time, time:
Music so sublime.
The Paper Doorway Koontz, Dean. (2001). New York. Harper Collins. Page 132
There are so many poems in this book, some are silly; others can make you think. Pick up this book sometime and read a few--you won't regret it!
Dean Koontz was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and after a stint with the Appalachia Poverty Program and some time teaching English, he quit his job and started to write professionally. As I mentioned before, I was familiar with some of his suspense/thriller work, and never dreamed that he had written anything for children, but after a search on Amazon, I find that he has several titles to his name that can be considered for children.
The Paper Doorway, published in 2001, has a lot of silly poetry that can actually start some pretty good discussions with children. For example:
Better Than Money
Money I quickly spend.
Ice cream I gobble down.
Clothes I always wear out.
I'd rather have a friend.
Movies all soon end,
And trips out of town.
Rich food gives me gout.
I'd rather have a friend.
The Paper Doorway Koontz, Dean. (2001). New York. Harper Collins. Page 46.
This can open a discussion about all the things a person can have that doesn't cost money.
I also love the images that come to my mind with this poem:
Listen to the Wind
Listen to the wind!
Hear it spin, spin, spin!
Telling where it's been:
Rome and back again
Listen to it howl!
Hear it growl, growl, growl!
Wind is on the prowl
and it wants in now!
Listen to it sigh!
Hear it cry, cry, cry!
Such a sorry sigh.
Don't you wonder why?
Listen to it moan!
Hear it groan, groan, groan!
Such a gnawing tone,
Hungry for a bone.
Listen to it climb
Through the bright wind chimes,
Keeping time, time, time:
Music so sublime.
The Paper Doorway Koontz, Dean. (2001). New York. Harper Collins. Page 132
There are so many poems in this book, some are silly; others can make you think. Pick up this book sometime and read a few--you won't regret it!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Ahoy, Matey!!!
This week, I'm sticking with J. Patrick Lewis and exploring another of his books, Blackbeard The Pirate King. Here's a link to the book at Amazon.
The author chose to use paintings by various authors to illustrate the different episodes of Edward Teach, better known as "Blackbeard". The author mixes his poetry with interesting facts about the life of Captain Teach, and ends the book with maps and a time-line of all the interesting and terrible things that he did. He also mentions various web-sites that one can visit to learn more about the life and times of Blackbeard.
I think my favorite thing about this book is the artwork. The author chose to use depictions rendered by contemporaries of Blackbeard as well as more recent renditions of the pirate's life from the last decade or so. One of the more bold paintings chosen is entitled "Blackbeard Afire" by Rick Farrell (2000); this painting depicts an angry Blackbeard holding a pistol. He is standing in front of a black flag with a skeleton on it, and behind him is a fiery golden sky. The poem that Mr. Lewis wrote to accompany this painting is as follows:
A Pirate's Colors
Though often running up a flag
Meant mercy would be shown,
For some a pirate's colors cried,
Leave well enough alone.
Now a famous Jolly Roger that
Could capture Blackbeard's art
Was the skull-and-crossbones death's head
That could stop a human heart.
But what's a rumor worth at sea
That passes for suspense?
Of scores of men they say he killed,
There is no evidence.
Blackbeard The Pirate King. by J. Patrick Lewis (2006) Washington DC. National Geographic Society.
While many would think that Blackbeard was, like many pirates are depicted, bloodthirsty and a cold blooded killer, evidence indicates that he did not kill anybody until his final fight at Ocracoke Inlet, where he perished in November of 1718. I like books like this that will challenge the mainstream idea of how a person really was and give you a more realistic idea of how an historical person might have actually behaved.
In the end, I would recommend this book just for the paintings depicted; however, there is a wonder that is added when you read the poetry that Mr. Lewis has included with these paintings. Pick it up sometime, I'm sure you'll enjoy it as well.
The author chose to use paintings by various authors to illustrate the different episodes of Edward Teach, better known as "Blackbeard". The author mixes his poetry with interesting facts about the life of Captain Teach, and ends the book with maps and a time-line of all the interesting and terrible things that he did. He also mentions various web-sites that one can visit to learn more about the life and times of Blackbeard.
I think my favorite thing about this book is the artwork. The author chose to use depictions rendered by contemporaries of Blackbeard as well as more recent renditions of the pirate's life from the last decade or so. One of the more bold paintings chosen is entitled "Blackbeard Afire" by Rick Farrell (2000); this painting depicts an angry Blackbeard holding a pistol. He is standing in front of a black flag with a skeleton on it, and behind him is a fiery golden sky. The poem that Mr. Lewis wrote to accompany this painting is as follows:
A Pirate's Colors
Though often running up a flag
Meant mercy would be shown,
For some a pirate's colors cried,
Leave well enough alone.
Now a famous Jolly Roger that
Could capture Blackbeard's art
Was the skull-and-crossbones death's head
That could stop a human heart.
But what's a rumor worth at sea
That passes for suspense?
Of scores of men they say he killed,
There is no evidence.
Blackbeard The Pirate King. by J. Patrick Lewis (2006) Washington DC. National Geographic Society.
While many would think that Blackbeard was, like many pirates are depicted, bloodthirsty and a cold blooded killer, evidence indicates that he did not kill anybody until his final fight at Ocracoke Inlet, where he perished in November of 1718. I like books like this that will challenge the mainstream idea of how a person really was and give you a more realistic idea of how an historical person might have actually behaved.
In the end, I would recommend this book just for the paintings depicted; however, there is a wonder that is added when you read the poetry that Mr. Lewis has included with these paintings. Pick it up sometime, I'm sure you'll enjoy it as well.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Who is your hero?
I am really enjoying my journey to find poetry for children and adolescents. Today, I found J. Patrick Lewis, and read through Heroes and She-Roes: Poems of Amazing and Everyday Heroes. There are some wonderful gems in this book, great to tie in with many subjects for teachers; for example: there are poems about heroes like Ghandi, the rescuers from September 11 and even an Elementary School Teacher. The last poem in the book says it all:
So heroes set aside their fear
To lend a hand or lend an ear,
To face the night or save the day
And never look the other way.
They do not, with a single bound,
Leap up tall buildings from the ground.
But from a sense of decency,
The share themselves with you and me.
No matter what or where or who,
When something must be done,
They do.
From Heroes and She-Roes: Poems of Amazing and Everyday Heroes J. Patrick Lewis, (2005) New York, Penguin Group.
My daughter recently had an assignment for her 7th grade Language Arts and Reading class that wanted the children to "Pay it Forward". In the assignment, students were to sacrifice their time to help someone else, only asking that the person helped would pay it forward. The students then were asked to write a paper about the experience, sharing what they did and how they felt. This is the kind of book that would be a great lead in for this type of assignment, because many of the heroes depicted were just everyday people, making a difference for others.
According to his website, Mr. Lewis was born in 1942, and has a twin brother. He has photographs of his life, including his children and grandchildren, as well as activities for children and information for parents. You can find more of his work here: J. Patrick Lewis at Amazon
I am looking forward to reading more of this author's poetry in the future.
So heroes set aside their fear
To lend a hand or lend an ear,
To face the night or save the day
And never look the other way.
They do not, with a single bound,
Leap up tall buildings from the ground.
But from a sense of decency,
The share themselves with you and me.
No matter what or where or who,
When something must be done,
They do.
From Heroes and She-Roes: Poems of Amazing and Everyday Heroes J. Patrick Lewis, (2005) New York, Penguin Group.
My daughter recently had an assignment for her 7th grade Language Arts and Reading class that wanted the children to "Pay it Forward". In the assignment, students were to sacrifice their time to help someone else, only asking that the person helped would pay it forward. The students then were asked to write a paper about the experience, sharing what they did and how they felt. This is the kind of book that would be a great lead in for this type of assignment, because many of the heroes depicted were just everyday people, making a difference for others.
According to his website, Mr. Lewis was born in 1942, and has a twin brother. He has photographs of his life, including his children and grandchildren, as well as activities for children and information for parents. You can find more of his work here: J. Patrick Lewis at Amazon
I am looking forward to reading more of this author's poetry in the future.
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