from CHRISTMAS PRESENTS
Edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins
Illustrated by Melanie Hall
Students - Today's poem takes me back to my childhood. And while the setting for this poem is Christmas night, it could be about any busy time followed by a quiet time. I do love busy-ness, and I also cherish the quiet after busy-ness. Quiet time to curl up with a book and maybe a pet.
When I was a little girl, I loved to curl up near our Christmas tree with a book, to sit in the glow of those colored lights and read the night away.
This year, I find myself inspired by the literary tradition of Iceland, a country of readers and of book-givers at Christmas time. Curious? You can read about the Christmas Book Flood here at npr.
A book and quiet. A tree and a cuddly pet. These are some things I look forward to this week.
Today's little poem is the first poem that I ever had published in a book - ten years ago! CHRISTMAS PRESENTS, edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins and illustrated by Melanie Hall, is a lovely book for this season, and I love owning the original painting for this page. My husband Mark gave this piece of artwork to me ten years ago, and it was a fantastic and wonderful surprise.
Over at Sharing Our Notebooks, I am still happy to have Tanny McGregor with her superneat notebooks. Please stop by and leave a comment to be entered into her generous drawing.
The very kind and wise Irene Latham is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup at Live Your Poem. There you will find all of this week's poetry offerings, all around the Kidlitosphere.
I wish all of you wonderful surprises, happy busy-ness, kindness, art, and magical quiet time for reading and snuggling.
Please share a comment below if you wish.
Your first published-in-a-book poem!! To think there have been Amy LV poems in the world for ten years... life is good! I always got book for Christmas (still do!) and just like the girl in the artwork (and you), I love reading by Christmas light, all sweet and twinkly and warm. Love to you and yours, my friend! Merry Christmas! xo
ReplyDeleteThis day calls for quiet and curling up with a book. I think I'll do just that. Merry Christmas, Amy. Thanks for all you do throughout the year to promote kindness and poetry.
ReplyDeleteAmy, I love, love, love this. This was definitely me as a child- devouring the books my grandmother, a librarian from Chicago, carried in her suitcase. As an adult, I have always been the "book auntie." I am the one who buys everyone books- I know my presents won't be the first opened or enjoyed, but at some point during the day, or that evening, there will be a together time for books. Thanks for this lovely Christmas gift.
ReplyDeleteI have saved a fun book for some quiet time reading this evening! Readers plan ahead!!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas! Happy Reading!!
"A book and quiet. A tree and a cuddly pet." I agree! I've got the book in hand. Waiting for the noise of the day. We start slow with teenagers in the home!
ReplyDeleteWhen the day is over, I love the quiet. Thanks for reminding me of its important during the busy holiday time, Amy. Your poem speaks volumes of what Christmas night affords us.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your ten year anniversary of your first published poem in a book. So wonderful that you own the original art from it too. What a wonderful gift. Your husband knows the way to your heart!
ReplyDeleteI hope your Christmas was wonderful and you found some quiet time too!
I loved and still love that quiet also. I remember just wanting to sit (or lie down) reading and reading for hours...those new delicious smelling books mixed with the wonderful balsam smell of Christmas tree!
ReplyDeleteI love your poem!
I hope you had a Merry Christmas!
So sweet, Amy! I couldn't wait until after dinner! We always went to my Grandmother's house for Christmas dinner and I read my new treasures in the car. Hope you had a wonderful holiday and had many lovely new books to curl up with at the end of the day!
ReplyDeleteHi Amy,
ReplyDeleteI always love opening the pages of your post - especially so
today with this perfect poem of yours.
I am sofa-curled with one of my newly gifted books -
THIS SAME SKY, poems pulled together from around the world,
by Naomi Shihab Nye
& gifted to me by my daughter.
My hubby has begun his new books, too, including an Italian
translation of THE TEMPEST our daughter gave him.
Our cat Ginger is sprawled on our new NF book, THE DELUXE TRANSITIVE VAMPIRE,
a grammar goodie by Karen Elizabeth Gordon that I hope will help my
comments be of good grammar order in 2016. From the title, you can tell
it's a lively guide.
I hope you received some great buttons under the tree.
Merry Christmastime + a Vibrant 2016 for you at The Poem Farm.
Reading by the Christmas tree is one of my favorite holiday things to do. And reading is always such a luxury after a busy time or season--escaping into book-time, which is timeless. Sigh...
ReplyDelete