Friday, March 16, 2018

SOL 16/31 & Poetry Friday: A Moon Poem & Moon Books (Old & New)

Today I join my fellow bloggers in "serving up a slice" 
Thanks to Stacey, Betsy, Beth, Kathleen, Deb, Melanie, and Lanny
 for hosting this meeting place each day in March
and for nurturing our writing lives.

Head over to Linda's blog, Teacher Dance
for this week's round-up of poetic goodness. 
She's hosting a spring fling this week.
Thanks, Linda, for hosting our gathering!

I keep trying to become a regular contributing member to Poetry Friday, a delightful group of bloggers who share poetry each Friday. I'm entranced with moon poems and moon books, an enchantment that I wrote about for Spiritual Journey First Thursday post and was followed up by sharing a newly discovered book of moon verse for Poetry Friday. Today I want to share a poem that I found by Walter de la Mare, "Full Moon."  It's a poem that I'd like to memorize so I can recite it to the grand boys.

Full Moon by Walter de la Mare

One night as Dick lay half asleep,
Into his drowsy eyes
A great still light began to creep
From out the silent skies.
It was the lovely moon's, for when
He raised his dreamy head,
Her surge of silver filled the pane
And streamed across his bed.
So, for a while, each gazed at each --
Dick and the solemn moon --
Till, climbing slowly on her way,
She vanished, and was gone.

I can't read this delightful poem without thinking of one of my all-time favorite picture books published in 1987, Owl Moon by Jane Yolen. That means it's more than thirty years old. I never tire of the poetic language in this book and the warm relationship between father and child.

When I was exploring moon book titles for my earlier post about the moon, I requested a new book published in 2017, When the Moon Comes by Paul Harbridge and illustrated by Matt James. It's the story of children who must wait for the arrival of a full moon in order to play hockey on the beaver flood. The illustrations in this book are breathtaking. I couldn't wait to share this title with my good friend, Coleen, who lives in Canada and has sons and grandsons who play hockey.

While I've never been owling in the woods or played hockey on a beaver flood, both of these books transport me to a place and time where I feel that I'm a participant. And one of the magical elements in each book is the moon, so important to each story that it almost becomes a character. If you don't know these books, stop now to request them from your library or order them from your indie bookstore.

I had already written this post before I saw Linda's spring fling invitation, so I'm including a pic of spring in the Northwest, snapped just this past week in our library parking lot.

14 comments:

  1. I love that poem too. Thanks for sharing it along with your connections. Good luck continuing with poetry Friday!

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  2. I'm mesmerized by the moon also! thanks for the new title.

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  3. The de la Mare poem is a good one to memorize, a sweet lullaby, isn't it? I do love Owl Moon, too, and that latest, When The Moon Comes is a gem for sure. I think you would also like Twelve Kinds of Ice, similar to that "icy" experience. Love your flowers, lucky you! Have a great weekend!

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  4. What a lovely post, Ramona. I love the poem and your plan to memorize it. Owl Moon is such a wonderful classic. When the Moon Comes is new to me, so thanks for the heads up. Will have to check it out. :)

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  5. Owl Moon is one of my favourite books. The other title is new for me. Spring flowers? I am still waiting for the cold to pass.

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  6. I’m caught by the line....”so for a while each gazed at each.” Such a great line . Thanks for this sweet poem and post.

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  7. Owl Moon is so full of rich, beautiful language. And I am so jealous of the flowers.

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  8. The moon is intriguing. I bet the boys will love that poem, if you memorize it.

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  9. Have you seen Laura Purdie Salas' book, IF YOU WERE THE MOON? If not, you have to find it. It will be a terrific addition to this lovely collection!

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  10. Ramona, thanks for the new poem to read to my little one. Owl Moon is definitely one of my favorite children's books so I think I will print the poem you shared and place it in my Owl Moon copy so I can read it as an accompaniment piece. I also captured your spring scene because I have nothing to look at in my garden but barren trees and green bushes. I am going to use it toward the end of my gallery.

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  11. Owl Moon came to mind as I was reading de la Mare's poem, Ramona - how delightful to see that you connected to it, too!

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  12. The moon is one of the best topics of all! I feel like there was a week when many poets posted about the moon, maybe because there was a Super Moon or something? Did you happen to see that, Ramona?
    Your flowers are beautiful!

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  13. I too, adore the moon! I love to write moon poems and read moon books! Thank you for sharing this wonderful little bedtime moon poem.

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  14. I love OWL MOON, and will have to look for the hockey story. The moon is fascinating. I can see why there are so many good poems and stories surrounding it.

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