Welcome to Poetry Friday, this week hosted by the talented and prolific Laura Purdie Salas HERE. Thank you for hosting. Laura. Your books and your work was frequently mentioned this weekend at Highlights Poetry Palooza.
I just returned from the Poetry Palooza led by poets Irene Latham, Charles Waters, Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Georgia Heard. It was a thrill to be in the presence of these inspiring, accomplished, and generous artists, but also to meet so many new poets, some who I already know from previous Highlights conferences. Thanks to the all for a wonderful weekend. It was also so great to finally meet Rose Capelli, who I knew only from her posts here on Poetry Friday.
I’ll share a few photos.
This is the Delaware River I crossed on the way from New York to PA at Hancock, NY. I grew up just down river from here. It was wonderful to see the river.
Our poetry mentors, Georgia Heard, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, editor Rebecca Davis, Charles Waters, and Irene Latham.
A full moon over the Highlights Barn. It was much clearer and more lovely in real time.
I spent my time revising my non-fiction poetry collection and thinking about my writing life which needed a boost. I rewrote the beginning of my picture book manuscript, a series of poems about “Team Digestion.” I am so grateful for Georgia’s critique and guidance.
THE MOUTH
Munch
Crunch
I always have to go first.
chomp
slurp
Gri i i i nd
I am the only one
on Team Digestion who can taste!
How lucky am I?
Bite
Chew,
Yum!
I am the team eater.
© Janice Scully (draft)
How wonderful to see a glimpse of your Highlights adventure with all those marvelous poets! That’s when I first met you, & sadly, have not been back since then. It’s great that you’re continuing to make your idea shine. It’s going to be a fun book, and the poem shows the humor that will delight!
Janice! How wonderful to meet you and get a peek into your poetry collection. It’s such a clever way to help kids understand digestion. I so enjoyed hearing you read “If a Snowstorm Came to Town” at Highlights. Let’s hope we can meet again next year!
Yay for the team eater! 😀
Your time at the Poetry Palooza sounds fabulous, Janice. What fun!
“The Mouth” sounds like a fun team member for your book! It sounds like you had a wonderful workshop, thanks for sharing about it, along with the lovely pics!
Janice,
How fortunate that you got to go to a Highlights workshop. I’m sure it was interesting and hopefully, you got the rejuvenating boost you were hoping for. Sounds like you have exciting things on the horizon. Did you work in Gastroenterology? Just curious! Best wishes for your success going forward.
No, I’m an internist. We’ll see if that’s enough:)
A buzz about your post, Janice, an essential energy arising from your poetic interactions. We so often write in isolation, so this was no doubt a self affirming experience. May your writing project thrive upon these important interactions. Write on…
Thank you. It was good to be around so many creative people. It was good for me.
Janice, how wonderful to spend time with these wonderful poets at the Highlight retreat/workshop. It looks like a beautiful setting to enjoy friends and have time to write. I always wanted to attend one of those sessions. I found your digestion poem interesting and wonderfully crafted for little children. It is fun to read the team eaters thoughts while chomping on food.
Thanks, Carol. The conference was fun and the fall colors pretty. Hope you are enjoying the fall weather.
Janice, Your poetry collection sounds so fun! You had the very best mentors! I head to Highlights in 2 days for an Inked Voices writing retreat. Can’t wait!
Have fun! It was wonderful being there.
Sounds like Highlights was truly a highlight! Good luck with your manuscript and the re-vision of your writing life. (I think mine would profit from some of the same!)
Conferences like that are often so good for rejuvenating the spirit. Thank you for your report. Team Digestion is a great idea for a prompt; I’d never have thought of that! I enjoyed your resulting poem.
Wow! Was everybody at the retreat? I love reading about each experience. I love the use of onomatopoeia in your poem and separating the i’s in grind. A truly sense-filled poem!
How wonderful! I’ll bet Highlights in the Fall is the best. Your photos are great. I forgot about the digestion team. I’m so glad you’re working on it again. All those onomatopoeias give this poem some sound and feels. Well done!