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Thursday, September 14, 2023

Poetry Friday - More Lunar Love

 

          It's Poetry Friday! Thanks, Rose Cappelli HERE at her blog, ImagineThePossibilities, for hosting.  She's written a wonderful reverso where she considers the love, or not, of fall! Be sure you check it out!


        Irene's newest book, The Museum on the Moon (Hooray!), with Myriam Wares illustrating is one I've been waiting for what seems like the lo-o-ongest time! And it is finally in my hands! Many reviewed it last week and their words were great to read bit by bit, but made me want the book even more. I am old enough to remember President John F. Kennedy's words in his speech challenging Americans in space exploration on September 12, 1962: "We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because it is easy, but because it is hard." We did!
       The Museum on the Moon creates an enticing beginning, starting with parts of the historical Apollo program. Irene welcomes us readers ('Earthlings!' all) to imagine a trip to a museum, this time to the moon! After her invitation, she writes of that first trip, only seven years after Kennedy's words, and Armstrong's footprints, 

                 "with no wind, no rain,
                   there's no way to erase"


                  "forever in space"

          Irene's poems take us on through history, poems in rhyme, poems in free verse, but accompanied by brief paragraphs of explanation of those "next steps" in our moon history and full-page illustrations by Myriam Wares. They include a Golden Shovel, an acrostic, and a ghazal, among other forms. Myriam's mostly black and white paintings, splashed sometimes with stars, often the museum artifact adding color to a bleak landscape give the feelings that do not surprise, showing the vastness of the moonscape. Examples of poems include the flags placed by those who were there, a picture of a family of one astronaut who stepped on the moon, a plaque commemorating one mission, and "two round bits of metal" in honor of two Soviet Cosmonauts who perished. 

           A poem titled "Old Glory" commemorating the American flags there ends with the following solemn, heartfelt  words:

                                 "Now, time-tattered,
                                 sun-battered

                                 some fibers may be lost –
                                 but pride soars."

           More information can be found at the back, adding to the inspiration found in this poetic visit. There is a timeline with additional notes, some links to explore, and a few explanations of poetry forms that were used. 
           I imagine that some young readers will read a poem and say to themselves, "I want to know more about that." There is a poem titled "Gravity", a new activity I didn't know about on the Apollo 15 mission where the Commander tested Galileo's theory of gravity by dropping a feather and a hammer. After the beginning, Irene's words are:

                            "and now we know it's true
                              because it was on TV for all to see:
      
          against that starry backdrop, the poems' words themselves also drop. It's marvelous to "see".

        When I taught, during a few different years, I used a book to guide me and my students in a month of "moon-journaling". I collected many books about the moon, poetry and prose, also books from NASA, allowing students to choose a path of exploration as they journaled about our moon, learning moon exploration history, myths and superstitions, art, science, and so on. I would have adored having this new book by Irene and know it would have inspired many of my students during their chosen discoveries. They would have loved seeing that recent super blue moon, too, wouldn't they?

         I used this book if you're interested in pairing it with Irene's new book and others you may also have.


     








           For a final smile, a celebration of that old moon Irene has shown us so wonderfully through its museum.


Happy Moon Gazing! The next full moon is the Harvest Moon, full on September 29th. Sources tell that it is the fourth and final "super" moon of 2023!

24 comments:

  1. It doesn't have as many batteries. Ha! Thank you for this lovely look at MOON, Linda. Once again, I wish I could have been one of your students! Off to locate the Moon Journals book. YOU are a super moon! xo

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    1. Thank you, Irene, happy to share your wonderful book and wishing for many to find and enjoy it!

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  2. A very thoughtful review of Museum on the Moon! The idea of moon journaling fascinates me. When my children were in middle school, they had a science project which involved looking for the moon every night for a month and logging its position and size. I think a lot of details were fudged in that assignment, but actually journaling about the moon as well, that assignment is intriguing -- and hard to fudge! : )

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    1. Students at my school kept journals from the beginning on up, so it was a smooth entry into this special journaling time, Tracey. And, as I wrote, each also began other research into a favorite topic. We all did art & poetry together, a joyful time. Thanks!

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  3. A beautiful review on such a well-deserving book. And thanks for the smile!

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    1. You're welcome, Rose. There is much to love about the moon & I am so happy that Irene has added to it.

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  4. Linda, I think your review is spot on. I enjoyed all the quotes from the book's poems. Your students were lucky to have time to explore the moon through research and journaling. Thanks for bringing me back to the book that I dearly love for children and adults. The Peanut comic strip contributes humor about the glorious moon.

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    1. Thanks, Carol, Irene's book would have been a treasure when I taught. Every part is so great! And, it was fun to find that comic among the clippings in the book. The moon feels so important in our lives, everywhere on the planet, a grand feeling of connection.

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    2. Linda, thanks for connecting with me over the years. Our love for nature makes us friendship special.

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  5. Oh, gosh, I can't wait to read Irene's book even more now!

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  6. Me too, Laura! Loved reading these chosen snippets, Linda, and I think this idea for a book is "out of this world" - been looking forward to it! Irene is a shining light. Beautiful art, too.
    And, those journals! Your students were so fortunate to have a teacher as full of wonder and curiosity as they were - and anyone who is around you now is enriched by your creativity! Awrrooooooo!

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  7. Thanks, Laura & Robyn, hope you enjoy the book as much as I did! The journals are a fond memory, Robyn, much fun & especially since all of us loved the moon!

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  8. Hooray for more lunar love! What a great review. I'm delighted that this book is now ready for all the readers who want and need it.

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  9. Thanks for another great review of Irene's book! I can't wait for my copy to arrive from the library!

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  10. So beautiful! I think I've seen that Moon Journaling book before. We did moon journals when I taught 4th grade science. I was just telling a teacher about Irene's book this week.

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  11. Linda, thanks for the sweet smiles and inspiration. I'm falling more and more for the moon, since I live in a place that the sky is big enough and clear enough to see a lot of it. I used to enjoy reading Horrible Harry Goes to the Moon with small groups of striving fourth grade readers. We had so much fun learning about the cycles of the moon along with the story.

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  12. So happy to see all of the "lunar love," Linda! :-)

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  13. Thanks, everyone, hope you get the "whole" taste of Irene's books soon. Moon books and sights and poems are just wonderful! How fun that you did your own moon journaling, Marcie! I love when people get that huge view, Denise. I have to wait until it appears above the trees at my house.

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  14. Linda, Your enthusiasm for the moon is contagious! Thank you for sharing Irene's book and your own experience with inspiring students to think of this far off but familiar place. Your students were lucky to have you and we are all lucky to be able to read Irene's talented poetry and prose. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Thanks, Carol, I've certainly always loved it, glad to share the love!

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  15. Isn't MOTM delightful? I imagine that teachers will scoop this up, both for its resources and for its poetry.

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  16. Thank you for this review Linda. I missed last week's posts, so am glad to hear all about Irene's offering, which I feel destined to purchase :)

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  17. Thanks, Patricia and Sally, it is a wonderful book, I agree, Patricia. Hope you find it soon, Sally! Enjoy your week ahead!

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