Poetry Friday August 12, 2022: Magazine Poetry
Margaret at Reflections on the Teche is hosting Poetry Friday this week. Hop on over there to see the roundup.
Magazine Poetry
I always have a big stack of unread magazines–The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Scientific American, and more. They all have poetry in them. And I often skim over it. This summer, I decided to go through them and actually READ the poetry that is in them.
First, I collected all of those unread magazines. Then I ripped out all of the poems and stuck them in a file. Each day after I read my three poems from the poetry book I’m reading, I just read one of the poems from the magazines, take notes, and then recycle!
It’s a small habit, but it makes me feel like I’m actually taking in some really stunning poetry.
Haiku of the Week
Library of Congress
fortress of knowledge flanked
by fragile flowers
Photo and haiku © 2022 Marcie Flinchum Atkins
The Sealey Challenge Update
I think I’ve finished all of the novels-in-verse in my stacks. I’m left with chap books and picture books, which is good for me because my schedule gets much busier next week.
Here’s what I read:
August 5: Everywhere Blue by Joanne Rossmassler Fritz
August 6: One by Sarah Crossan
August 7: Alias Anna by Susan Hood and Greg Dawson
August 8: A Woman Bound is a Dangerous Thing by DaMaris B. Hill
August 8: Inheritance: A Visual Poem by Elizabeth Acevedo
August 8: And We Rise: The Civil Rights Movement in Poems by Erica Martin
August 9: Death Coming Up the Hill by Chris Crowe
August 10: Augusta Savage by Marilyn Nelson
August 11: Where I Live by Eileen Spinelli (out of print, but check your local library or used bookseller)
24 Comments
Irene Latham
Thanks for sharing your reading with us, Marcie! I’m getting a big kick out of your sticky notes with the dates on them… you are SO ORGANIZED! Brava! xo
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Yes! The sticky notes are for the visual. 🙂 Simple and effective.
Joanne Rossmasdler Fritz
Yay! I’m so impressed with how much you are reading this month. And thank you for reading EVERYWHERE BLUE! Hope you enjoyed it, Marcie.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Oh Joanne, I adored it! I have loved getting to dive into books I bought during the pandemic. It’s been very soothing to be immersed in poetry this month.
PATRICIA J FRANZ
Great job with the challenge! You’re so smart to put the heavies up front while you were home. Would love to get your NIV recommendation list!
PS… I think poems from magazines should count!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading novels in verse this month. I read them a lot anyway, but I had a stack I hadn’t gotten to yet. I think this month, I’ll be mostly caught up.
Laura Shovan
It’s exciting to follow your progress through the challenge Marcie! Congrats on finishing your novel in verse stack. What were some of your favorite take-aways?
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
I’m planning to do a reflection post in early September after I’ve completed the challenge, but my biggest takeaway right now is WOW, I love immersing myself in poetry.
Margaret Simon
I read Everywhere Blue for the Cybils judging and loved it. Writing a good verse novel is hard. I’ve been working on one for a long time. I love how you are building a habit for reading poetry every day. I’m back in school and plan to bring more poetry to my students.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Best of luck with school. I started last week but won’t have students until August 22. I also loved EVERYWHERE BLUE. Joanne and I were at Highlights together when she was writing it. And YES to bringing poetry to students.
Rose Cappelli
I’m always so impressed with your commitment and organization, Marcie. You are an inspiration!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Oh, thank you, Rose! The organization bit is to keep me sane. It’s so much a part of how I think.
Linda Mitchell
What wonderful titles! I loved the Augusta Savage book. And…Library of Congress…be still my heart. I haven’t been back since the beginning of the pandemic. It’s high time!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Oh yes! Please go back. SCBWI Mid-Atlantic is going to host another research day in October. Stay tuned!
Jessica Coupe
Lovely to see what your reading and I love the sticky note idea to visually see what is up next!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thanks, Jessica! It’s been a fun challenge!
Marilyn Garcia
Marcie, I love seeing what you are reading and I am amazed at your progress. Maybe one day I will have a system that works for me like you seem to have.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Yes, I’m all about making systems that work for YOU!
Mary Lee
Wow! You’ve read a LOT and a great VARIETY! I’m taking notes on some of the titles — thanks for the recommendations!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
You are welcome! I have enjoyed diving in.
Linda Baie
Love the “Library of Congress” look, Marcie, and have read some of your verse novels, enjoyed Alias Anna very much. I am with you on the unread mags, will see if I can find some poems from them as you did. What a good idea. I feel guilty when so much goes unread. Happy Reading!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Even if I don’t get to read the rest of the magazine, if I tear out the poetry, it’s not a total loss.
Robyn Hood Black
Thanks for sharing, Marcie – that’s a great way to tackle those poems in magazines! (I’ve always loved magazines, even in childhood.) Your “fragile flowers” are especially poignant these days.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Yes, I love magazines too!