Thursday, May 30, 2024

Three Hearts: An Anthology of Cephalopod Poetry

Oh, my goodness--we are so close to June. Can you feel it? I've busted out my capris and sandals and am looking forward to finishing up the school year with students. 

Thank you, Janice Scully, at Salt City Verse for hosting our round-up this weekend. She is highlighting the delightful anthology Picture Perfect Poetry: An Anthology of Ekphrastic Nature Poetry for Students. This collection is anthologized by Carol J. Labuzzetta one of our Poetry Friday poets.

I've just received my copy of Picture Perfect Poetry and it is beautiful! I have a plane ride coming up and this book is coming with me. I love that I recognize so many names in the pages.

I also have a celebration--a couple of poems published in Three Hearts, An Anthology of Cephalopod Poetry, Edited by Sierra Nelson (World Enough Writers. 2024). When I perused the book I was delighted to see that my contributions rub shoulders with poets I admire. 

https://worldenoughwriters.com/Publications.htm 


Here are two poems of mine in Three Hearts.

haiku Found in A Handbook to the
National Museum
1886

1.
octopus limbs
grasp, enfold and draw in prey
of squid proportions

2.
dimensions
are valuable in the 
cold fiords

Linda Mitchell (120)


Middle School Octopus

from Octopus focus on key features for camouflage

The first day of seventh-grade is about   camouflage.
Don't do anything to be seen or heard. It   is
the deadliest whirlpool of your life. If you   used
brilliance to survive elementary school, drop it. Better   to
blend in with cephalopods, move along with suckers--be a   fool
swimming, eating, inking, like the others.   A
fish in the center of a school isn't tempting prey.   Wider
expectations for success must be met out of   range
of waking hormones and lab partners, projects, square-dancing...  of
growing undetected, passed over by bigger teen   predators.

Linda Mitchell (121)


There's a new WORLD poem on the padlet. I wish I could be more cheerful. Truth is, WORLD is struggling these days. I cannot help but to lament.

15 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your publications! How exciting to be in two new anthologies. I predict "Middle School Octopus" will be a favorite with young readers!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oops, the above comment was by me.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You nailed the middle school persona, but then you would as you are so observant and live amongst them. Congrats on your cephalopod poems! I do love octopuses.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Linda, many congratulations to you on your publications. Middle School Octopus is right on target. I escially like the word choses you used. This line, "It is
    the deadliest whirlpool of your life," could be a prompt for middle schoolers to ponder. I also read your World poem. Your words sting because they are sensitive and real.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Congratulations on “Three Hearts,” Linda! “Cephalopods” is a clever theme for an anthology. I love, love, love “Middle School Octopus.” It perfectly encapsulates the middle school experience – the deadliest whirlpool of your life. : )

    ReplyDelete

  6. Thursday, May 30, 2024
    Three Hearts: An Anthology of Cephalopod Poetry
    Oh, my goodness--we are so close to June. Can you feel it? I've busted out my capris and sandals and am looking forward to finishing up the school year with students.

    Thank you, Janice Scully, at Salt City Verse for hosting our round-up this weekend. She is highlighting the delightful anthology Picture Perfect Poetry: An Anthology of Ekphrastic Nature Poetry for Students. This collection is anthologized by Carol J. Labuzzetta one of our Poetry Friday poets.

    I've just received my copy of Picture Perfect Poetry and it is beautiful! I have a plane ride coming up and this book is coming with me. I love that I recognize so many names in the pages.

    I also have a celebration--a couple of poems published in Three Hearts, An Anthology of Cephalopod Poetry, Edited by Sierra Nelson (World Enough Writers. 2024). When I perused the book I was delighted to see that my contributions rub shoulders with poets I admire.


    https://worldenoughwriters.com/Publications.htm


    Here are two poems of mine in Three Hearts.

    haiku Found in A Handbook to the
    National Museum 1886

    1.
    octopus limbs
    grasp, enfold and draw in prey
    of squid proportions

    2.
    dimensions
    are valuable in the
    cold fiords

    Linda Mitchell (120)


    Love your “Middle School” poem with such keen, flowing observations! Congrats on both of these publications Linda!!! I hope “word” lets in a bit of light for you, thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fabulous! I love that our poems swim together.

      Delete
  7. Oh my goodness, Linda, that middle school poem is SO relatable!! Brava! xo

    ReplyDelete
  8. Dear Linda, I'm sure you are very ready for June and some relaxation! Congratulations on your poems being published in that new anthology, which looks terrific! I love the idea of "squid proportions", and since I taught middle school, YES, the poem is truth itself. I've been there, watched the two older grands get through it, and one now in the throes! It's great, yet also a bit sad! Happy travels wherever you are off it!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Congrats, Linda! Wow, your poem about 7th grade had me breaking out in a sweat as I remembered those days. Beautifully done, friend! Have I mentioned how much I love your Edward Hopper background on the Padlet? But yes, yes, how can we help but lament?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Congratulations, Linda, on the inclusion of your cephalopod poems being included in this fun anthology. Your middle school poem holds so much truth: " If you used /
    brilliance to survive elementary school, drop it." And the sad, but true: "of
    growing undetected, passed over by bigger teen / predators"

    Thank you for speaking out for WORLD even in all the weeping. It is good to be reminded again and again. "I’m weeping for the world again /
    for all the children we’ve lost"

    I hope you have a warm and relaxing summer.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Congratulations! What cephalopod-ian fun!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wow, congrats on the publication of your poems!! What a unique theme for an anthology, too. :) Your 7th grade poem brought back memories -- spot on!

    ReplyDelete
  13. These are awesome poems! I can't wait to read this anthology!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Linda! Fluid ocean flips over this THREE HEARTS anthology news & clapping with all arms for your Golden Shovel middle school swimmingly creative [like octopus] & poem. It cleverly gathers precious feelings of those years, in synch with cephalapod nature. So curious who about The Names, within & also, the brave/bold editor who knew cephalapod poem time has arrived. Brava!, all around.

    ReplyDelete

Friendly, positive comments and feedback are always welcome here. Please let me know I'm not just whistling in the dark!