My ALA Poetry Blast! Recap

At the American Library Association conference in Chicago recently, I had the truly joyful experience of reading with a number of other poets for Marilyn Singer’s and Barbara Genco’s Poetry Blast on the Pop Top Stage.

 

Here’s a photo of the Pop Top Stage before The Poets took over:

 

Here is the Poetry Blast program:

 

So many talented poets, excellent poetry, wonderful books! Many of those listed are poets who I’ve looked up to and learned from through reading their poetry. Several years ago I met Nikki Grimes briefly when she came to lecture at Hamline University while I was studying there and I was thrilled to meet her again. (She's had a tremendous influence on my poetry writing!) I've worked with Laura Purdie Salas through one of her online workshops and it was wonderful to meet her in person. Most, though, I met through this event for the very first time. 

Sylvia Vardell (another poetry luminary who I met for the first time) posted an excellent Poetry Blast recap last week that included snippets from each of our readings. You can catch Sylvia's posting by clicking: Poetry For Children Poetry Blast!

After we read and took the group photo, we signed our books. Here’s a photo that Sylvia took of me playing it cool between Marilyn Singer (who is signing a book for a fan) and Nikki Grimes:

Nikki Grimes and Marilyn Singer - two of my poetry heroes and happy me.

July 1, 2013 will go down in history as one of my favorite author days ever. I said it then and I’ll say it again: "I feel as though I'm getting away with something here!"

Thank you, once again, Marilyn, Barbara, Nikki, Rebecca, Bob, Alma Flor, Isabelle, Laura, and Sid, for letting me participate with you in the 2013 ALA Poetry Blast! It was a true honor. Thank you ALA organizers for letting the poets have the Pop Top stage on Monday morning! And a special thanks to the good people at Houghton Mifflin Books for Children for sponsoring me! I had a BLAST!

P.S.

Joy Acey suggested that I include the poem that I'm reading in Sylvia's video; thanks for the idea, Joy - here it is:

Sam

JUST DAD AND ME

Free Verse Poem

For fishing tomorrow  

it's just us two.

Not Mom, not Grandpa,

not Lucy.

It'll be like playing catch or

painting the garage.

Just Dad and me.

Fishing.

Poetry Friday on 7.12.2013 will be at Michelle H. Barnes's Today's Little Ditty

7.11.2013