Poetry Friday - Inspiration to "Look Up"

    

          It's Poetry Friday! Thanks, Matt Forrest Esenwine HERE at his blog, Radio, Rhythm, & Rhyme for hosting! He's celebrating his newest picture book!

         Matt, as you may know, has a book published on Tuesday. I shared it last Monday HERE, loving the fun of sharing this new special book! As my post also shares, I have many happy memories looking and learning about stars with a grandfather. Matt's book brought some of them back to me. I imagine he will share how it came to be, but I have been "starstruck" in my thinking since I read, then wrote about it, so I found another favorite poem about stars to offer today. Don't you imagine that when reading this, lots of adults and children will be inspired to stargaze, to learn about stars and constellations, and to write, too? 

               I've been to a few "Perseid" parties in the past, lain bundled up on the ground, looking up, seeing this!

Untitled

      It begins. . . 

Do you remember still the falling stars
that like swift horses through the heavens raced
and suddenly leaped across the hurdles
of our wishes--do you recall? 

                      read the rest here

Rainer Maria Rilke

           translated by Edward Snow

       I won't be sharing next Friday because it's the week of my birthday and my family is taking me to Santa Fe and Albuquerque to see the Annular Solar Eclipse and the wonderful Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta to celebrate. I was at the fiesta many years ago and had the fabulous pleasure of going up in a friend's balloon. No matter what, being all together is the best gift of all! I am excited! I'll see many more stars on our trip and the new moon which this leads me to remembering Irene Latham's new book I shared a few weeks ago. 

         And, like last year, because I work at a used bookstore, I would love to gift any of you with a "used" book of poetry for my birthday. It may take a while, but I will send a surprise if you let me know via email with your address that you'd like one? 

The Moon is the first milestone on the road to the stars.

Arthur C. Clarke 

The Sky Reminds Me Fall Is On Its Way

Wonderful poetry and words about poets arrive each Poetry Friday.  This week Mary Lee hosts at her blog, A Year of Reading.  Thanks, Mary Lee!  Come visit!

      Last weekend the Perseid Showers arrived, and when I saw the announcement of their time, I knew school was about to begin and fall was on its way.  In this last week, we've had a little rain and a little cool!  In fact, as I write this, I have closed the windows because I'm chilly.  It is heavenly to have the temperature drop.

     For a number of years my husband and I traveled outside the city to a friend's house with sleeping bags and a few treats to contribute to a Perseid party.  I repeat this line, but for a different reason: it was heavenly.  To snuggle into a sleeping bag on a cool night and watch hundreds of meteors stream across the sky eclipses all the fireworks displays I've ever seen.  It is a terrific memory.  I wasn't able to watch this year, only some pictures on the news, but I won't forget what I've seen.  I found a poem by Rainier Maria Rilke that reminds me of the meteor showers, although it really speaks of stars.

           The title is Falling Stars.  It begins:

                              Do you remember still the falling stars
                              that like swift horses through the heavens raced

                                                          Read the rest here.                 

photo credit: NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center via photo pin cc