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Sally Murphy, Australian author

Poetry Friday: Birthdays

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This week, my beautiful friend Rebecca Newman celebrated a significant birthday. She has been a friend of mine for quite a long time, but I have been especially lucky to see that friendship strengthened this year when we worked together as co-editors on Right Way Down, a poetry anthology which is getting ever closer to being out in the world.

This little book had its origins when I pitched an idea at a SCBWI retreat, for an anthology of children’s poetry by West Australian poets. Rebecca was there and she vowed to make it happen. And she did, under the badge of her company Alphabet Soup Books:  getting grant funding, asking me to work with her on editing, putting a call out for poems, securing an amazing illustrator and then, when publisher Fremantle Press suggested a partnership, negotiating that, too.  The final product is going to be something amazing, and I am honoured to have played a small part in it.  But what a powerhouse Rebecca is – and she is an amazing poet and all round nice person, too.

So, it seems apt to dedicate today’s post to Rebecca. I went searching for poems about birthdays and came up with this one, from Christina Rosetti, which I adore.

A Birthday

My heart is like a singing bird
       Whose nest is in a watered shoot;
My heart is like an apple-tree
        Whose boughs are bent with thickset fruit;
My heart is like a rainbow shell
         That paddles in a halcyon sea;
My heart is gladder than all these
          Because my love is come to me.
Raise me a dais of silk and down;
          Hang it with vair and purple dyes;
Carve it in doves and pomegranates,
           And peacocks with a hundred eyes;
Work it in gold and silver grapes,
           In leaves and silver fleurs-de-lys;
Because the birthday of my life
            Is come, my love is come to me.
Technically, I think this poem is not about an actual birthday, but the feeling of being born (reborn?) when discovering love. In Rosetti’s case, I believe this was probably religious love, as she was a devo0ut Christian. Regardless, I love the rich imagery of the poem, and hope that Rebecca enjoys it too.
You might not know Rebecca, but if you’d like to give her a gift, you could do it by preordering a copy of Right Way Down, the first book with Rebecca’s name on the front cover (I suspect the first of many!). Here’s to Rebecca, and to amazing friendships, and to new anthologies.
Speaking of friendships, I am off today to speak to friends old, new and (hopefully) future at a High Tea for the May Gibbs Children’s Literature Trust, who have so generously brought me to Adelaide.  Best go and put on my party dress! But I’ll be back later to check out the Poetry Friday Roundup, which is being hosted today by Bridget who, coincidentally, is also having a birthday!

Comments

  1. Thank you, dear Sally! I love that Rosetti poem and I’m so happy we were able to get an anthology off the ground and work on it together. (And thank you to everyone who left me birthday wishes in the comments, I’m very touched!)

  5. This new poetry anthology sounds and looks terrific, sending Happiest of Birthday Wishes to your friend Rebecca, and many Congrats to you both. What a special poem to share also, thanks for all Sally!

  11. Rebecca sounds like a real poetic champion, Sally. I can see why celebrating her birthday is a priority. Christina Rosetti is a poet I greatly admire- so another great choice on your part.

  12. Sally, Your post is choke full of goodness! Congratulations to you and your friend, Rebecca, on the upcoming birth of Right Way Down! I will look forward to reading it. What a great way to honor your friend’s birthday and friendship by sharing this vivid poem! Thanks!

  15. Wow, birthdays all around this month, Sally! Your friend, Rebecca, sounds like a power within your community! Best wishes for the anthology coming soon!

  16. A beautiful birthday post to your dear friend, Sally. Rebecca seems like a remarkable advocate for poetry and poets. I look forward to reading Right Way Down.

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