Gene Luen Yang was the National Ambassador of Young People's Literature way back in 2016, but his "Reading Without Walls Challenge" is as important as ever. He challenged readers to
1. Read a book about a character who doesn’t look like you or live like you.
2. Read a book about a topic you don’t know much about.
3. Read a book in a format that you don’t normally read for fun. This might be a chapter book, a graphic novel, a book in verse, a picture book, or a hybrid book.
I spent this morning Reading Without Walls while learning about the poet
Marilyn Chin. She doesn't look like me or live like me, and I was not familiar with her poetry. I "read" in a format I don't normally "read" for fun: I watched an hour-long video! The Library of Congress "
Life of a Poet" session featuring Marilyn Chin being interviewed by Ron Charles of the Washington Post is worth every minute.
Marilyn Chin identifies as a activist poet, exploring the issues of the day as well as the intersection of Asian and American worlds through her roots in Hong Kong (she lived there until the age of 7) and Portland, Oregon. The themes/topics of language (loss of language, loss of culture, loss of ancestors), names, identity, culture, and feminism shine through as you watch the "Life of a Poet" session. Plus, she's witty, sarcastic, and quick to laugh!
Here are a couple of Marilyn Chin's poems you should know (if you don't already):
How I Got That Name
by Marilyn Chin
an essay on assimilation
I am Marilyn Mei Ling Chin
Oh, how I love the resoluteness
of that first person singular
followed by that stalwart indicative
of "be," without the uncertain i-n-g
of "becoming." Of course,
the name had been changed
somewhere between Angel Island and the sea,
when my father the paperson
in the late 1950s
obsessed with a bombshell blond
transliterated "Mei Ling" to "Marilyn."
The Floral Apron
by Marilyn Chin
The woman wore a floral apron around her neck,
that woman from my mother’s village
with a sharp cleaver in her hand.
She said, “What shall we cook tonight?
Perhaps these six tiny squid
lined up so perfectly on the block?”
(
read the rest at poets.org)
In her career as a poet, Marilyn Chin has won just about every award, but the one that impresses me most is the
Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, which she was awarded in 2015. Am I the last person on the planet to have heard of this award? It is the national prize for literature that confronts racism and examines diversity. Why is this not the most celebrated book award in the nation? Why is there not a version for children's literature?
Now let's hear what you're thinking and learning about! Share your link in the comments and I'll round us up old-school!
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HAPPY POETRY FRIDAY BIRTHDAY!
POEMS OF PRESENCE
Linda's poems of presence have given her some "at-ease" time this month. Find a few recent poems at
A Word Edgewise.
Christie, at
Wondering and Wandering, rounds up her #poemsofpresence for the week.
POETRY SISTERS
The Poetry Sisters are looking back, and Tricia, at
The Miss Rumphius Effect, has an EPIC look-back at a crown sonnet that didn't happen. Spoiler alert -- there's a happy ending to the story.
Sara, at
Read Write Think, gave herself multiple throwback challenges with a new numeric poem to pair with an older alphabetic poem. The final result is a stunner with Big Truth in the conclusion.
Tanita, at
[fiction, instead of lies], revisits the lai form from the Poetry Sisters’ 2017 challenge.
Poetry Princess Laura, at
Poems for Teachers, found a poem inside one of her previous poems that sends positive vibes to her sister on a ventilator in ICU.
Liz, at
Liz Garton Scanlon, wrote the pantoum she didn’t write in 2018.
Rebecca, at
Rebecca Holmes, looks back to the moment she knew she'd be a scientist, but still didn't know she'd be the physicist she is today.
POEMS FOR THESE TIMES
Ruth, at
There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town, shares Langston Hughes’ “Let America Be America Again,” a poem that is as true today as it was when it was published in 1936.
Jone, at
Deo Writer, finds her thoughts about the current news continuing to churn, even when she seeks solace in nature.
Jama, at
Jama’s Alphabet Soup, has two poems and a gallery of portraits honoring our elderly.
Alan, at
Poetry Pizazz, is on the same wavelength as Hubby – missing his coffee shop, but adapting/flourishing at home.
Joyce, at
Musings, shares a poem by Emily Dickinson that reminds us we don’t need to be in a building to worship.
Janice, at
Salt City Verse, speaks out against the death of George Floyd, but finds solace, optimism, and symbolism in her garden.
Catherine, at
Reading to the Core, found the perfect poem to inspire her online learners.
MSheehan, at
A Few Words, wrote an inspirational poem of personal conviction based on recent events.
Linda, at
TeacherDance, took April’s challenge last week at Teaching Authors and wrote an In One Word poem that knocks it out of the ballpark.
Margaret, at
Reflections on the Teche, also took April’s challenge and wrote an In One Word poem that takes shelter in an EMBRACE.
ORIGINAL POEMS
Liz, at
Liz Steinglass, wrote from Marjory Maddox’s book INSIDE OUT.
Heidi, at
my juicy little universe, was inspired by Billy Collins’ Master Class.
Linda, at
Write Time, has a poem about the robins outside her window.
Amy LV, at
The Poem Farm, has a delightful free verse poem and offers us the invitation, “to begin a poem with the lines, "If you need someone..."
Leigh Anne, at
A Day in the Life, wrote about her mother’s struggle with early dementia.
Rose, at
Imagine the Possibilities, captured (literally) a very sweet moment with a wren.
Karen, at
Karen’s Got a Blog!, is enjoying her garden extra-much this year.
Amy, at
Book Buzz, shares a poetic memory of her grandmother’s teacups.
Carol, at
Beyond LiteracyLink, has a mini-gallery of woodside goodness for calming our spirits today.
Matt, at
Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme, dusts off a post from seven years ago that feels as fresh as yesterday!
Sally, at
Sally Murphy, is mourning the damage done to “her” beach after recent storms…but she’s also looking for a silver lining.
Buffy, at
Buffy Silverman, intended to write a poem of NOW, but wound up with a beautiful poem of THEN.
Irene, at
Live Your Poem, writes the truth in her newest ArtSpeak:
RED poem.
Susan, at
Soul Blossom Living, found inspiration for both art and poetry in the bunnies she encountered on the sidewalk.
Donna, at
Mainely Write, checks in with a poem of struggle and hope.
POEMS BY OTHERS
Tabatha, at
The Opposite of Indifference, shares a poem by the Australian poet Judith Wright that makes a very reasonable request of This Year.
Little Willow, at
Slayground, shares a fun excerpt of a Marge Piercy poem.
