I hope you are enjoying learning what my friends like best about children’s poetry. If you’ve just arrived here, throughout March I’ve been celebrating the release of my new verse novel, Toppling. As part of those celebrations I’ve invited my friends to drop in and share what it is they like about children’s poetry. The range of responses has been wonderful.
Today, I am delighted to welcome Sheryl Gwyther, children’s author and passionate book industry and literacy supporter, who has come to tell us what she likes about children’s poetry. Over to you, Sheryl.
What I like best of all about poetry is how the poet is able to capture so much in a few words – of how images are distilled and poured into those words. That is clever writing!
I haven’t read as many poetry or verse novels for younger children as I have books, but I aim to change that soon especially with the debut of Sally’s Toppling and her hugely popular, Pearl Verses the World.
Thankfully, my eyes were opened to the joys of verse novels for older children when I read Steven Herrick’s verse novel, Cold Skin. It was one of those books you cannot put down until it’s finished – and one in which the story and the characters stay in your mind for a very long time. I consumed Herrick’s Lonesome Howl and By the River in the same week – stories that wrung me out emotionally, but left a feeling of peace in my heart, and so glad I read them.
When I was at school, we studied Australian poetry and learned to say many poems off by heart. The ones that stayed with me created such strong images in my mind, I’m not surprised they have been perennial favourites for many Australians even in modern times.
Like Dorothea Mackellar’s My Country. Her words could never mean any other country except Australia. I like the way her poem accepts all the adversity, the harshness and beauty of this country, but it makes no difference, she loves it unreservedly.
I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains…..
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains…..
Kenneth Slessor’s Beach Burial, written during WW2 is so evocative, so sad and beautiful. (It’s worth reading the whole piece.)
Softly and humbly to the Gulf of Arabs
The convoys of dead sailors come;
At night they sway and wander in the waters far under,
But morning rolls them in the foam.
Between the sob and clubbing of the gunfire
Someone, it seems, has time for this,
To pluck them from the shallows and bury them in burrows
And tread the sand upon their nakedness;…..
It makes me happy to see how children’s poetry books and verse novels are once more popular with publishers. It means that librarians and teachers encourage children to read poetry and to perform it. And that children will discover worlds they may remember forever, with emotions that will touch their hearts.
A loved poem is a friend you can take anywhere.
Thanks for dropping by Sheryl. I love the image of a poem as a friend!
Great blog… Sheryl, I love the way you pop up everywhere.
I too am moved by 'I love a sunburnt country'. I voted for it for our national anthem. I've tried but can't get my heart into the one that was chosen…
I love poetry.
Meryl
There is something incredibly powerful about 'I Love a Sunburnt Country'. Beaut memories, thanks Sheryl.
Thanks Sheryl and Sally,
I immediately remembered my favourite poem from childhood – 'The Lady of Shalott'. My favourite verse being:
Only reapers, reaping early,
In among the bearded barley
Hear a song that echoes cheerly
From the river winding clearly;
Down to tower'd Camelot;
And by the moon the reaper weary,
Piling sheaves in uplands
Wonderful post.
Reminded me how a poem can be so succinct at creating or evoking emotion.
Lovely to read Slessor again too.
Alison
Lovely blog post.
Great post Sally and Sheryl. I also love the image of a poem being a friend that you can take with you.
Dee:-)
Gorgeous! 🙂