It’s Poetry Friday. Last week I was away from home – I visited Sydney on the other side of Australia, to do some research. While there I also visited four bookshops and was delighted to find Right Way Down not just in stock, but prominently displayed, face out, with multiple copies in stock. And, yesterday, one of the lovely booksellers I chatted to, Rachel from Gleebooks, posted a really lovely review of Right Way Down with mention of my visit, which you can see here on Instagram:
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Having the book selling so well right across Australia is just wonderful. With so few poetry collections published in Australia, it is a delight to see that the dream Rebecca and I had of producing a quality anthology was not only achievable but important in offering more poetry to young readers.
Speaking of Rebecca, way before we came together to work on Right Way Down, we used to have a blog called Poetry Tag where we enjoyed challenging each other to write a poem incorporating a set of words that the other provided. Rebecca would give me words, for example, and I would then write a poem on any topic and in any form – as long as it included the words she gave me.
Yesterday, as I was looking through the many poems in my files, I came across the Poetry Tag folder and opened the first ever poem I wrote for the blog.
Rebecca had given me four words: wilt, what, light and almost. I don’t remember what inspired me to choose to write about daisies – but they’ve always been a favourite flower, and probably the word ‘wilt’ made me think of flowers. Anyway, here is the poem I wrote using the words (which I’ve put in pink):
Daisies
Daisies!
Pink ones, white ones,
yellow ones too
dancing in morning light
caressed by bees
buzzily collecting pollen.
Yesterday I picked a bunch
took them inside
and gave them to Mum.
Now, in their vase,
they are starting to wilt
while here outside
their sisters are still
dancing .
I almost wish
I’d left them here,
though Mum’s smile
when she saw what I had for her
was almost as beautiful
as these millions of dancing daisies.
(Sally Murphy, 2013)
I love how writing prompts can take my writing in surprising directions. Not having written any poetry in the last week or two, sharing this one has made me itch to go and find my magnet words and challenge myself. First though, I am off to visit my fellow Poetry Fridayers and see what they’ve been up to. Jone is hosting this week’s roundup and sharing a glimpse of Carols’ new anthology Picture Perfect Poetry which I can’t wait to read (and may even have a poem or three included).
Here’s to poetry!
PS
Sharp eyed viewers might note that the image I’ve used above is actually a gerbera, not a daisy. It surprised me that I could not find in all my photos, a single one of daisies.
Congrats on the book’s success, Sally!
I adore daisies and your poem. Love “buzzily”! 🙂
I think I have to add the e-book to my Kindle. What a fun collection. Congratulations.
This is so sweet! It reminded me of when I’d pick flowers for my mom… you captured the feelings of those memories perfectly. Thank you for sharing, and congrats on the success of your collection!
Thank you Sarah, for visiting.
What fun to look back! Your poem reminds me of picking lilacs on the walk to school to give to my teachers. They welcomed my gift, but they knew full well that there weren’t any lilacs in OUR yard (small small town), so they also knew I had likely stolen them in order to gift them!
Oh Mary Lee. Your memory made me smile at both your cheekiness and the teachers’ kindness in not telling you off.
love love love “outside/their sisters are still/dancing”
And really happy to hear the book is doing well in the world!
Thank you Patricia 🙂
That is an adorable poem! I can picture the child appreciating the mother’s joy at the thoughtful gift. Bravo! Looking forward to reading your poems in Carol’s anthology!
Thanks Tracey!
Great review Sally. Kudos to Rebecca and you for bringing this anthology to life! I shall be seeking it out to add to my collection. Wish we had the same push for poetry here in Victoria…
You used Rebecca’s gifted words well to weave your Daisy- it’s gratifying to unearth such treasures.
Thank you Alan. Yes, its a shame there is so little children’s poetry published in Australia, which makes it doubly pleasing that we got this one out and it’s selling well. makes me hopeful that more books might follow.
Congratulations, Sally! Your Poetry Tag sounds like it was a lot of fun. Thank you sharing the idea and the lovely daisies.
Thank you Rose.
How absolutely wonderful! Congratulations on your well-earned success. 🙂 It’s similar to being a Canadian author – the vast majority of the books we see in libraries and bookstores here are American, so it can be extra exciting to sell well as a Canadian author (published by a Canadian publisher) – a little David vs Goliath moment. 😉
Thanks Jane. Even in Australia we have a lot of American books, and I grew up on a steady diet of US and UK books. Fortunately our market has grown and there are lots of wonderful Australian authored books on shelves now – but not as much poetry as I’d like to see.
Sally, what a great review and a serendipitous encounter at the book shop. So fun! I’m so glad you got the book published in Australia. And now it would be nice if they sent some copies to our neck of the woods to be able to order some copies for our hands, and not just for Kindle. I loved reading your “Greedy” poem. It is definitely about dogs I’ve known. Your picture on Instagram is precious!
Thank you Denise. And yes Greedy is one of my favourites in the collection too, making me think of every dog I’ve ever had.
Congratulations, Sally! What a wonderful review! Such success you’ve had sharing poems with so many. Loved your poem about daisies that ended in your Mum’s smile.
Thank you Janice!
Hooray! Congratulations! It’s great to hear that this poetry anthology is being so well received. Enjoy every moment of its success. And, yes, go get those magnets and lose yourself in word arrangement for a while. You deserve a creative break. We are the lucky ones that get to feast on the words (I hope?). Will we be able to get copies here in the US? Please? Pretty please?
It seems that I can only get your new book as an e-book, Sally, and the review is delightfully inviting, making me wish I was still teaching, too! Congratulations! And the daisy poem brings me to my yearning for more blooms here. I love the ending, your dilemma and resolution! Have a wonderful weekend!
Thank you Linda. Yes, it seems only an ebook for overseas at present, unless an Aussie bookstore would do international shipping. Thanks for dropping in
Thanks you Linda. At the moment I think th only way to get the book overseas is as an ebook, unless and online bookstore such as Booktopia would post to the US. Maybe i need to fly over there with a suitcase full 🙂