Where's The Poetry Section?

When I enter a bookstore, I am always keen to seek out possible poetry titles, awaiting discovery on the shelves. In particular, I am looking for poetry titles suitable for children. Often though, I leave the shop somewhat disconsolate. Unfortunately, there seems to be a general lack of poetry for kids on display. It may be published, but that doesn't guarantee you will encounter it in the majority of bookshops.

Frequently what you are offered are the same few collections of 'classic poems for children' and little else. Very few bookshops I enter have a dedicated space for children's poetry. The few shops that do, fill me with a sense of exultation. It's akin to chancing upon rare treasure. more power to these fearless bookshop owners, I say. They deserve our custom.

I find this paucity of poetry titles very sad indeed. Not just because I write poetry, but because I believe every generation of children deserve access to poetry.

At present, it remains mostly hidden from view. Those with a thirst for verse are forced to fossick hard to obtain access to poetic pearls. Publishers have left us awash in fantasy, but poetry generally remains in short supply.

I constantly witness the way young poets embrace poetry when given the opportunity to better appreciate its charm and appeal. When immersed in its myriad forms, they quickly make it their own. It is instantly demystified. They want more...

Having spent a life time seeking poetry out in far flung places, I feel like a text detective, constantly searching and rummaging, before sharing my hard won discoveries.

Image result for i'm just no good at rhyming

My latest find!

So, I am starting a campaign...

I am asking poetry lovers everywhere- poets of all ages, to pose this question upon entering a bookstore:

'Excuse me please, where's the poetry section?'

I've even had a t-shirt made to further promote my intent.

#WHERESTHEPOETRYSECTION?

So, please join me in asking this important question- Where's the poetry section?

Some of my collected treasure assembled over many years of searching.

My Poet's Suitcase. My stash of poetry pearls.

Poetry Inspired by Images and Objects

There are many ways pictures and photographs can be conscripted to support the writing of poetry. Allow me to share a few ideas with you: Old photographs are a great source of inspiration. Cynthia Rylant explored this idea with great success in her book 'Something Permanent' where she employed the Depression era photographs of Walker Evans to add a new voice to the starkness to the lives of people experienced under extreme circumstances. I have used this strategy to spark many individual poems. In ' I Bet There's No Broccoli On The Moon,' I used a photo I had taken in 2004 while living in New York to inspire a poem. The poem was based on a story related by a friend who grew up in New York. I regularly combined poetry and pictures in my writer's notebook, drawing on inspiration from the photograph and my personal memories. We can also utilize existing cartoons and illustrations to create ekphrastic poems. I frequently use the illustrations of Jim Pavlidis to co...

Opposite Poems

O pp o s ite P oem s In his book, ' How To Write Poetry,' Paul Janeczko presents the idea of opposite poems. Paul suggests they could also be referred to as antonym poems. This is wordplay and it's fun to try. Here are some examples Paul provides to help us see very clearly how these short little poems work. I think the opposite of chair Is sitting down with nothing there What is the opposite of kind? A goat that butts you from behind Paul Janeczko You will notice the poems are written in rhyming couplets. They can be extended so long as you remember to write in couplets. Paul shows us how this is done. What is the opposite of new? Stale gum that's hard to chew A hot-dog roll as hard as rock Or a soiled and smelly forgotten sock You might notice that some of Paul's opposite Poems begin with a question. The remainder of the poem answer the question posed. Opposite poems are a challenge, but it is a challenge worth trying. N...

Powerful Poetry, 'Refugees' by Brian Bilston

This week, Poetry Friday is hosted by Janice Scully @ Salt City Verse where Janice shares some original words and offers us a taste of Thomas Carlyle to ponder. I encourage you to join a host of poets from all around the globe and visit Janice's page... Almost two years to the day, I wrote a post featuring the poem 'Refugees' by Brian Bilston. The poem was included in Brian's first book of poetry, 'You Took The Last Bus Home.' A very powerful Reverso poem and technically brilliant. A Reverso poem can be read from top to bottom or bottom to top. It will often express opposite opinions depending on which way you read it. Such poems really make us think. A Reverso poem is like a picture turned upside down, a frowning face upended to reveal a smiling one. The poem read in reverse, contradicts itself with an opposing message. In 'Refugee' Brian Bilston focuses on a societal issue that tends to polarize feelings and the opposing views are clearly in eviden...

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