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Friday, March 18, 2016

Out and About with Poems and Selfies




I've had a busy couple of weeks Out and About, beginning with a poetry reading on March 8 at Mount Mary University, where I used to teach graduate writing classes. I was happy to meet poet Paulette Beete and catch up with former students and colleagues. My sister Eileen accompanied me and also took photos. Thank you, Eileen!

Earlier this week, I traveled way up north to spend two days at Tomahawk Elementary School in Tomahawk, Wisconsin. I'm always happy to work with such attentive, enthusiastic poetry lovers! Here I am, ready for my last presentation.


Can you detect a smirk? I feel a little foolish taking pictures of myself and a little uncomfortable posting them. But I'm trying to get used to tooting my own horn, so here I go. At least I'm in a comfortable place.

I did manage to take a few photos of the icy Wisconsin River from the Hiawatha State Trail.


I'm much more comfortable posting landscape photos.

On Thursday, I visited Parkview Elementary School in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, where we discussed acrostic poems, including this one by Avis Harley from  African Acrostics: A Word in Edgeways.
Above All

Celebrate these
Long-standing giraffes,
Opening
Up clouds and eaves-
Dropping on the wind!

Far
Removed
In airy
Elegance,
Nibbling on high, they
Decorate the
Sky.
Avis Harley,
African Acrostics: A Word in Edgeways 
We all enjoyed imagining giraffes eavesdropping on the wind and thinking about what the wind might say.

No selfies on that trip, though. Here are my thoughts this morning:
I cannot take a selfie
no matter how I try.
I always look like I'm asleep
or just about to cry.
My hair sticks out all over
or there's something in my eye.
I cannot take a selfie.
I sure wish I knew why.
Remember to enter our Book Giveaway! You could win your own copy of Teaching Author April Halprin Wayland's MORE THAN ENOUGH—A Passover Story. The giveaway ends on March 31, 2016, and is open to U.S. residents only.


Robyn Hood Black has the Poetry Friday Roundup (and some inspiring student haiku) at Life on the Deckle Edge. Enjoy!

JoAnn Early Macken

8 comments:

  1. Delightful, JoAnn - glad to hear you're out and about sharing so much poetry goodness, and thanks for the inspired Avis Harley poem today as well.

    [I can SO relate to your selfies challenge! Took a while for my kids to teach me how to look at the camera in the phone, not just at the phone. ;0)]

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  2. I hate taking selfies! I never feel like how I feel on the inside matches how I look on the outside. I love that poem. I'd love to see the whole book!

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  3. Harley's poem is lovely, isn't it? Not easy to conjure up an acrostic that flows so naturally. And thanks, JoAnn, for the oerfect poem about selfies!

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  4. I've tried the selfies, too, and I seem to never get the eyes right! But I love seeing the pics of you today, JoAnn. And it seems you've been busy. I like that acrostic very much, "Nibbling on high, they
    Decorate the Sky." Just right, isn't it?

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  5. Thanks, everyone! If you haven't yet read African Acrostics: A Word in Edgeways, do check it out.

    Robyn, I guess it would help if I figured out exactly where the camera is on my phone!

    Liz, I'm rarely fond of any pictures I see of myself. I just have to grit my teeth and bear it.

    Julie, I'm glad you enjoyed the selfie poem. Maybe I'll figure out a better way one of these days. (Ask the kids, right?)

    Linda, yes, I've been busy, but I've got a bit of a break right now. Today, I'm sewing, which I find relaxing.

    Enjoy the weekend, all!

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  6. I always have to picture a friend smiling at me to take a selfie. Otherwise I look self-conscious and dorky. Maybe I do anyway, now that I think about it. I still prefer regular candids of me. But you look great!

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  7. Good idea, Brenda, to think of a smiling friend. I'll have to try that next time. And thanks for the compliment!

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  8. JA, your selfie is WAY better than any I've ever taken! Thanks for the poem. I love the image of giraffes "eavesdropping on the wind." Those students were lucky to have you visit. :-)

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