Friday, July 2, 2010

blasted poets!

At the ALA in Washington Monday, on the way from Gianormo Convention Center Building #1 to Gianormo Convention Center Building #2, I asked directions to Room 144A, scene of this year's Poetry Blast, and then heard two stylish and colorful women behind me doing the same. As we crossed the street together, one commented on my own pink-with-orange ensemble. I did not realize, until we all reached the front row of chairs where the Blasting poets were gathering, that I had been complimented on my chromatocombo by Lois Ehlert herself!

I have participated in three what you might call "national" poetry readings now, and every time it is such a thrill to meet and hear in person writers who have existed for me only as names on a book jacket. And I was so relieved to hear famous* children's poets greeting other famous* children's poets saying, "I've heard your name but I'm not familiar with your work," since I often feel terribly ignorant of all the excellent work out there. I guess we all have a blanket of acquaintance with the work in our chosen field, and then, as someone put it, we have "deep shafts of knowledge" here and there.


I shall be digging some deep new shafts next week (once the blasted public charter school appeal is done) to know more about Debbie Levy (what range!), George Ella Lyon (what delightful diction!), Tony Medina (what humor!) and Carole Weatherford (what living history!).

Thanks to all at the Blast for another great show, especially Barbara Genco and Marilyn "Six Stars" Singer!

My lame but heartfelt reverso about the Poetry Blast...

You
had to be

there
to catch every nuance
but

it was worth the effort,
traveling!


Traveling:
it was worth the effort
but
to catch every nuance
there
had to be
You!

6 comments:

  1. Wish
    I had been
    there
    to catch... etc. But thank you for the recap in prose and poem. And, wow, to get your colors complimented by Lois Ehlert, the wizard of color!

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  2. Heidi,

    I was down in DC for the Newbery/Caldecott banquet. I really wish I could have stayed for the Poetry Blast. It would have been great to see you again--but my daughter is getting married on July 10th. I have lots of last minute things to attend to.

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  3. Love that poem!!! Heidi I am so thrilled to have met you at ALA and enjoyed the dinner so much. I feel like I'm in the big time now! And now I have a photo of me with you thanks to Laura Salas. *grin*

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  4. Heidi,
    Thank you for this peek behind the scenes. I love your reverso! (I'm still afraid to try one.) Good good luck with the appeal.
    A.

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  5. I caught that little reference to the appeal -- GOOD ON 'YA!!! Fingers crossed and best of luck.

    Your fame scale cracks me up!!

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  6. Hi, Heidi. Your reverso is not lame -- ending with an invitation made me even sorrier that I missed the blast.

    We're heading out early today, so I'm sending my Poetry Friday link now. I'm sharing a quatrain/animal metaphor lesson (with G. Orr Clark's "The Night Is a Big Black Cat") and a tribute to my daughter's wonderful fourth grade teacher.

    Have a great weekend! www.authoramok.com

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Thanks for joining in the wild rumpus!