Snail Mail – Snail’s Ark

Throwback to January ’22 – Yellow dress!

Recently my lovely friend Irene sent her picture book, ‘Snail’s Ark’, to complete our 2022-releases, snail-mail book swap. (You can read what Irene said about ‘What Snail Knows’, here.)

Way back when I received my advance copy of ‘What Snail Knows’, Irene commented on my dress. Ha! You can see why. It’s the perfect match for Esther the snail!🙃

‘Snail’s Ark’ is a sweet story with luscious word choice, urgent rhythm and sumptuous illustrations. Goldie and Pearl Snail give it their slick☑️ of approval.

No snails on my recent beach wander – but lots of amber jellyfish the size of dinner plates.

You’ll find our Poetry Friday link-up across the ocean with 25 Ruth at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town.

Speedy Snails!

Yay and hurray, there was speedy Snail mail in my letterbox this week – advance copies of my March release, What Snail Knows. (You can pre-order your copy here.) And, with the perfect prop, there were just a few photos snapped to mark the occasion. 🙂 (Snail has been waiting and waiting for her day of fame and she was keen to make the most of it! No other snails have had a look in.)

Excuse my damp and rumpled dress. It started drizzling at the letterbox, and I had to walk 1km clutching my parcel – so very grateful it was sent Express, because not only did it arrive super-fast, (Yay for speedy snails!) but it also had plastic packaging to protect it!😅

Here are some fave Snail pics, to mark the occasion. You can be pretty sure more will make an appearance, somewhere.

No new poetry today – but What Snail Knows is a verse novel! A companion story to Too Many Friends – this from the perspective of Lucy. The quiet one, who’s always alone… (So beautifully illustrated by Mandy Foot.)

Lucy and Dad move a lot, so it’s hard to make friends.

Lucy’s glad she has Snail, the perfect pet for a lonely girl. If only she had her own shell to hide in every time she started at a new school.

But this place is different. She likes her teacher, Miss Darling. She likes her classmates, especially Tahnee. She even likes Mei-hui’s van park, where she lives with Dad and Snail. This place feels like home. Can she convince her dad to stay?

If you are missing snail poems, you’ll find a selection of mine here. 

Or perhaps you’d enjoy this prompt, here to write your own snail (or other pet) poem. Perfect for kids, with their delayed start for school!

Talking of snails… the lovely Irene Latham has her own snail story releasing shortly; Snail’s Ark. (Yes! You definitely need that yellow dress, Irene!) Today Irene is hosting the Poetry Friday Round-up at Live Your Poem. How perfect is that?

 

2021 Progressive Poem – Day One

This year I thought it would be fun to take the plunge and write the first line in our Progressive Poem that unfolds throughout National Poetry Month in America. My one line will help set the tone for what is to come … and in light of all we have gone through in the past twelve months, I am for sure wanting to invest something light and lively into our compilation …

Many poets expressed delight with last year’s two-lined version of the progressive poem, instigated by Donna, where each poet wrote two potential lines, and the next poet chose one …  then wrote their own two options to offer the next poet, and so on … I think we all felt that this lightened the pressure of writing that one perfect line. (I know it sped the process up for me!) With that in mind, I have started the month with two options… But don’t feel that you signed up to write one line, and been duped!😹 You can still choose to write just one line, on your day. The choice is yours.

My two, very different offerings to kickstart creativity are;

 

Option One:  In a swish and a swirl, they spiralled and twirled …

Option Two:  I’m a case of kindness – come and catch me if you can!

 

I like that they are have a very different feel to them, and I think I’ve left the door wide open for Linda Mitchell’s creativity tomorrow. (Though you might want to ignore the rest of this post until after you have written your lines, Linda, if you don’t want to be influenced by my thought process.😺)

Progressive Poem – Day 13

Hoping you have all had a restful Easter – even if it wasn’t where, how or with whom you’d originally planned. As with much of the world, we stay-cayed. We could have camped by one of creeks on our property, but opted to stay at the house, and ride back and forth to the creek each afternoon/evening, for paddling/campfire/damper, etc…

It was our first real foray onto the creek after February rains filled the dry bed, and the mosquitos swarmed. Now the mud and mosquitos have settled, paddling up the creek, felt like I was catching up with an old friend after a long parting. (So many changes, after sustained dry weather, though. Lots of dead trees…😿)

This morning we slipped out early for a paddle upstream, where the creek narrows, and is surrounded by scrubby rainforest. We sloshed through shallow sandy patches, clambered over rocks, and tramped through tangled vines and along cattle tracks …

Morning pedal, paddle and potter…

I came home, refreshed, to read that the Progressive Poem (complete with raccoon and loon) had wended its way along the wiregrass track, to my blog.

This year the progressive poem has morphed into a Choose Your Own Adventure piece – with each poet contributing two options for their own line. So, my first task was to make a choice from Linda Mitchell’s two lines… (you’ll find them here; A Word Edgewise) and then drop two of my own, for Margaret Simons (co-ordinator of this year’s progressive poem) to ponder. I love that Margaret is following me – because we’ve been tag-teaming each other in our kayaks, on opposite sides of the globe!🛶

So, with this morning’s scramble through scrub fresh in my mind, I knew what I wanted to bring to the poem. An interruption. A surprise. Anticipation.

I crack the door open, but will it be a moment of wonder, or drama, that steps through?

 

Sweet violets shimmy, daffodils sway
along the wiregrass path to the lake.
I carry a rucksack of tasty cakes
and a banjo passed down from my gram.

I follow the tracks of deer and raccoon
and echo the call of a wandering loon.
A whispering breeze joins in our song.
and night melts into a rose gold dawn.

Deep into nature’s embrace, I fold.
Promise of spring helps shake the cold
hints of sun lightly dapple the trees
calling out the sleepy bees.

Leaf-litter crackles … I pause. Twig snaps.              (Option One)
Through a gap in the timber I catch a glimpse        (Option Two)

 

And now, I pass the paddle to Margaret. Which line will she choose? What will she discover? You’ll find it at Reflections on the Teche, tomorrow.

Thank-you Irene Latham, for starting us on our Progressive Poem journey – and Margaret for keeping us rolling. It is always fun to take part!

Progressive Poem 2020

1 Donna Smith at Mainly Write
2 Irene Latham at Live Your Poem
3 Jone MacCulloch, deowriter
4 Liz Steinglass
5 Buffy Silverman
6 Kay McGriff at kaymcgriff
7 Catherine Flynn at Reading to the Core
8 Tara Smith at Going to Walden
9 Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link
10 Matt Forrest Esenwine at Radio, Rhythm, and Rhyme
11 Janet Fagel, hosted at Reflections on the Teche
12 Linda Mitchell at A Word Edgewise
13 Kat Apel at Kat’s Whiskers
14 Margaret at Reflections on the Teche
15 Leigh Anne Eck at A Day in the Life
16 Linda Baie at Teacher Dance
17 Heidi Mordhorst at My Juicy Little Universe
18 Mary Lee Hahn at A Year of Reading
19 Tabatha at Opposite of Indifference
20 Rose Cappelli at Imagine the Possibilities
21 Janice Scully at Salt City Verse
22 Julieanne Harmatz at To Read, To Write, To Be
23 Ruth at thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
24 Christie Wyman at Wondering and Wandering
25 Amy at The Poem Farm
26 Dani Burtsfield at Doing the Work That Matters
27 Robyn Hood Black at Life on the Deckle Edge
28 Jessica Big at TBD
29 Fran Haley at lit bits and pieces
30 Michelle Kogan at moreart4all

World Penguin Day Poem – Adélies

Technically yesterday was World Penguin Day – but since yesterday was ANZAC Day, deserving of its own reflective contemplation and gratitude, I’m running to American time and posting my penguin poem for Poetry Friday.

A number of years ago I was given Irene Latham’s name in Tabatha’s Yeatts’ Poetry Swap – which absolutely thrilled me, because not only is Irene such a beautiful person, but we also share a love of Antarctica – and we had in fact just done our own little book-swap earlier that year… with Irene sending me her picture/poetry book, ‘When the Sun Shines on Antarctica’. (I just hunted up the post I did at the time of receiving Irene’s book, and funnily enough, it was just-on two years ago.)

My favourite poem from the book was, ‘Adélie Seeking Adélie‘… so when I was given Irene’s name in the poetry swap, I knew what poem I was choosing for my mentor text. For whatever reason, I never did get to share it on my blog – so I’m sharing it here today.

Irene’s poem runs down the left. The photo is just one of my (many!) faves, taken from our time in Antarctica, earlier that same year. (You have no idea how much that holiday has influenced my writing – or how much I still yearn to go back… (It is like a physical tug inside me, I tell you!))

Carol Varsalona is hosting Poetry Friday at Beyond Literacy Link. I’m sure she will have a whole bunch of poetry treasures for us. And don’t forget to get up-to-date on the Progressive Poem, with Linda @Write Time. Not many days left, now!

In the meantime, scroll through some penguin hashtags and enjoy these shuffling, sliding, soaring, sleek little characters. Like these two!🐧🐧 (I would include the original @AusAntarctic post, if I could find it, but alas…)

View this post on Instagram

These penguins are basically just grandparents using technology 😂❤ #WorldPenguinDay @AusAntarctic #AusAntarctic

A post shared by BuzzFeed Animals (@buzzfeedanimals) on Apr 25, 2018 at 10:37am PDT

Progressive Poem – Day Two

Not only is the Progressive Poem Irene Latham‘s idea, but I am following with her sentiment for her personal month-long poetry project, and bringing ‘happy’ into this poem.

1. As a group, we agreed to write a poem for children.
2. Matt’s Day One post challenged us to use found lines.
3. I personally wanted to bring in some rhyme play – but not tie others to a pattern.

Matt’s first line brought back childhood days of Christmas holidays, when it seemed like we were gazing into infinity – ’cause in Australia, that’s our summer 6-week break.

Endless summer; I can see for miles

I was determined not to choose ‘smiles’ as my rhyme, as that would be so predictable.

Since Matt’s line uses a Beach Boys album title, I went there first… and found lots of surfing scenarios… and ‘Fun, Fun, Fun.’ Nope. Too easy! And it doesn’t rhyme with miles.

I then thought to give a shout out to an iconic Aussie singer, and bring some Johnny Farnham to the party; ‘well I can’t sleep, but I can dream’ … ‘set the wheels in motion’ … ‘I want to sail across the ocean’… If you discount the lack of rhyme, they had possibilities (especially that ocean!) – yet I just kept coming back to FUN!

So I started searching for songs with ‘iles’ rhymes, hoping to cobble something together. And had to eat my words. 🙃

Endless summer; I can see for miles …
Fun, fun, fun – and the whole world smiles

Found Lines:

• L1 The Who, ‘I Can See for Miles / The Beach Boys, ‘Endless Summer’
• L2 The Beach Boys, ‘Fun, Fun, Fun’ / Dean Martin, ‘When You’re Smiling’

Thanks for the wide open spaces, Matt. I’m smiling, as I tag … Kimberly!

The Kidlitosphere Progressive Poem – April 2019

1 Matt @ Radio, Rhythm and Rhyme

2 Kat @ Kathryn Apel

3 Kimberly @ KimberlyHutmacherWrites

4 Jone @ DeoWriter

5 Linda @ TeacherDance

6 Tara @ Going to Walden

7 Ruth @ thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown

8 Mary Lee @ A Year of Reading

9 Rebecca @ Rebecca Herzog

10 Janet F. @ Live Your Poem

11 Dani @ Doing the Work that Matters

12 Margaret @ Reflections on the Teche

13 Doraine @ Dori Reads

14 Christie @ Wondering and Wandering

15 Robyn @ Life on the Deckle Edge

16 Carol @ Beyond LiteracyLink

17 Amy @ The Poem Farm

18 Linda @ A Word Edgewise

19 Heidi @ my juicy little universe

20 Buffy @ Buffy’s Blog

21 Michelle @ Michelle Kogan

22 Catherine @ Reading to the Core

23 Penny @ a penny and her jots

24 Tabatha @ The Opposite of Indifference

25 Jan @ Bookseestudio

26 Linda @ Write Time

27 Sheila @ Sheila Renfro

28 Liz @ Elizabeth Steinglass

29 Irene @ Live Your Poem

30 Donna @ Mainely Write

Progressive Poem – Day 28

The Progressive Poem is here!

Before I share my thoughts … and my line … I have to apologise for my silence. I caught the first two weeks, but then dropped out of the loop for ten days as I was presenting poetry workshops and book readings at the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival, in the United Arab Emirates. I am still resetting my body clock, but I hope to get back and read/comment on the missed posts.

This is the second year I’ve been involved in the Progressive Poem, organised by the lovely Irene Latham. This year we were asked to record our thoughts in response to Line One, Day One, contributed by Elizabeth Steinglass.

All the Busy – and Beautiful!

Life. Is. Busy. #thatisall

Quickest Poetry Friday post ever, coming right at you!

Last week (when I was so busy releasing ‘Too Many Friends’ into the wide, wonderful world) I missed Poetry Friday. But I popped in for a guest post on Be a Fun Mum, Kelly’s blog, with a tutorial on Recycled poetry – specific to Mothers’ Day. Yes, that is this Sunday in Australia. But don’t panic – you are not too late! Click across to Kel’s blog and you can create a gift from the heart for your Mum’s day that is sweeter than chocolates and twice as nice! (I have a couple of different examples there – including another personal favourite, ‘Paradise’.)

In the middle of the busy, I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to stop, and smell the flowers, with thanks to this posy of poetry in the post, beautifully written and illustrated by Avery. What a delight it was to see the pretty petals and smell the the beautiful taste of wind. Thank-you so much to Avery for brightening my week, as a part of the Silver Star Poetry Project. 

Progressive Poem – Kat’s Contribution

It’s National Poetry Month in the USofA, and I’m taking part in a progressive poem – where we each write one line (one person per day for the course of the month) to create a collaborative kids’ poem. This is my first year taking part and it’s been fascinating, watching each line drip-feed through the interwebs – wondering where I might land and testing ideas as possibilities for when it would be my turn. I thought the wordplay and crisp sounds from Heidi, Tabatha, Dori and Michelle were building to a surprise rhyme from Diane – a rhyme that I could perhaps build upon in my line …

But I clicked on Diane’s blog and found – yes – a surprise! A diversion. A breather. A most unexpected change of pace …

And no rhyme.

I’m fidget, friction, ragged edges—
I sprout stories that frazzle-dazzle,
stories of castles, of fires that crackle,
with dragonwords that smoke and sizzle.

But edges, sometimes, need sandpaper…

Where to from here? I played around …  rumples unscrumpled, smoothing, soothing, rasping grasping, splintered words, stone/hone… and then found a line that built on Diane’s matched pair, but kept the medieval mood of the earlier stanza.

I’m fidget, friction, ragged edges—
I sprout stories that frazzle-dazzle,
stories of castles, of fires that crackle,
with dragonwords that smoke and sizzle.

But edges sometimes need sandpaper,
like swords need stone and clouds need vapour* … 

 * I’m guessing ‘vapour’ will soon condense to American spelling. 😉

Tomorrow our lovely organiser Irene will pick up the pen and write the line to follow mine, and I sit back to relax and enjoy the poem that everyone pieces together.

Dates in April (American-time)

1 Heidi at my juicy little universe
2 Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference
3 Doraine at Dori Reads
4 Michelle at Today’s Little Ditty
5 Diane at Random Noodling
6 Kat at Kat’s Whiskers
7 Irene at Live Your Poem
8 Mary Lee at A Year of Reading
9 Linda at TeacherDance
10 Penny at blog-a- penny-and- her-jots
11 Ramona at Pleasures from the Page
12 Janet F. at Live Your Poem
13 Margaret at Reflections on the Teche
14 Jan at Bookseedstudio
15 Brenda at Friendly Fairy Tales
16 Joy at Poetry for Kids Joy
17 Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect
18 Buffy at Buffy’s Blog
19 Pat at Writer on a Horse
20 BJ at Blue Window
21 Donna at Mainely Write
22 Jone at Jone Ruch MacCulloch
23 Ruth at There’s No Such Thing as a Godforsaken Town
24 Amy at The Poem Farm
25 Robyn at Life on the Deckle Edge
26 Renee at No Water River
27 Matt at Radio, Rhythm and Rhyme
28 Michelle at Michelle Kogan
29 Charles at Poetry Time
30 Laura Purdie Salas at Writing the World for Kids

(Inter)National Poetry Month – Progressive Poem

April is (Inter)National Poetry Month of April, and I am taking part in a progressive poem organised by Irene Latham. Over the month, we’ll each write a line (on our designated day) to create one collaborative poem. Dates are set by an American calendar, with Heidi kicking us off today, with this humdinger of a line;

I’m fidget, friction, ragged edges–

Tabatha is now in a dither (make me giggle) – but I’m sure her line will sing, tomorrow.

All the blog links are below for you to follow along. You’re welcome to check back here for my contribution on 6th April (American-time).

April

1 Heidi at my juicy little universe
2 Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference
3 Doraine at Dori Reads
4 Michelle at Today’s Little Ditty
5 Diane at Random Noodling
6 Kat at Kat’s Whiskers
7 Irene at Live Your Poem
8 Mary Lee at A Year of Reading
9 Linda at TeacherDance
10 Penny at blog-a- penny-and- her-jots
11 Ramona at Pleasures from the Page
12 Janet F. at Live Your Poem
13 Margaret at Reflections on the Teche
14 Jan at Bookseedstudio
15 Brenda at Friendly Fairy Tales
16 Joy at Poetry for Kids Joy
17 Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect
18 Buffy at Buffy’s Blog
19 Pat at Writer on a Horse
20 BJ at Blue Window
21 Donna at Mainely Write
22 Jone at Jone Ruch MacCulloch
23 Ruth at There’s No Such Thing as a Godforsaken Town
24 Amy at The Poem Farm
25 Robyn at Life on the Deckle Edge
26 Renee at No Water River
27 Matt at Radio, Rhythm and Rhyme
28 Michelle at Michelle Kogan
29 Charles at Poetry Time
30 Laura Purdie Salas at Writing the World for Kids