I have loved NSN's work for a long time, but when I went looking on my poetry shelf, I only found one of her books. The others I have read have been borrowed from the library, it seems. So I chose the poem I'm going to share today from that book, Fuel. It's appropriate for today in many ways, as we clean up the last debris from our students, rushing off to their summer plans.
The Time
Naomi Shihab Nye
Summer is the time to write. I tell myself this
in winter especially. Summer comes,
I want to tumble with the river
over rocks and mossy dams.
A fish drifting upside down.
Slow accordions sweeten the breeze.
The Sanitary Mattress Factory says,
"Sleep Is Life."
Why do I think of forty ways to spend an afternoon?
Yesterday someone said, "It gets late so early."
I wrote it down. I was going to do something with it.
Maybe it is a title and this life is the poem.
I have many NSN posts on this blog, and here are two: this one from National Poetry Month in 2017 and this one from this year's NPM festivities. Both include links to multiple NSN poems I've posted over the years. I can't wait to see what she does for poetry during her tenure as Poet Laureate!
"Summer is the time to write." I did tell myself that in the winter, and now to see if I can find some words in this season. Hoping for productive summer writing for all my Poetry Friday friends!
Mary Lee's got the roundup today!
18 comments:
I, too, am hopeful for...strike that...PLANNING ON a summer of writing, but oh, those "forty ways to spend an afternoon!!" And I, too, found that while I love NSN's poetry, I don't have many of her books!
Thanks for your rich post! Happy summer!
I love "It gets late so early", having just experienced my grandson's high school graduation. Sigh, time, and now that I'm retired all the seasons should be good for writing, but I seem to get busier & busier. Thanks for all the links, Ruth. I know I will sink into Nye words all this weekend! And Happy Summer!
LOL! Summer....I say it too because most of the time it's far off and I'm anxiously awaiting time to write, to do nothing to do all the things on my summer bucket list. A wonderful poem for today. Thank you!
Summer is the time to write because it is our time not to plan but to live life-filling moments, Ruth. Thanks for sharing NSN poems with all of us and today's poem.
Thanks for sharing Nye's poem on time, there never seems to be enough of it… "I enjoyed reading your Ode to a Flamboyant Tree," love your pairing the flower with castanets. Enjoy your summer writing and more!
Ruth, the poem you shared is so lovely and timely. I've begun, with renewed vigor, my summer writing. Now if I can just stay motivated.
Ruth, I do believe this life is a poem... and summers are always ALWAYS about writing for me. Bring on the slow accordions! xo
I'm ready for some accordions to sweeten my breeze. Thanks for sharing this, Ruth. This life is the poem.
Ha, that's funny that Irene and I picked out the same lines :-)
How many times have I told myself summer is a time to write, but now that summer's here, I'm struggling to sit down to write. Of course, I'm not tied to the school calendar any more (and work all summer) but those "forty ways to spend an afternoon" still call to me, especially tumbling down the river!
What a lovely poem! I can't decide which line I like the best. Today is my 39th wedding anniversary, so "It gets late so early" feels particularly true, but I also can "think of forty ways to spend an afternoon," including writing a poem!
Thanks so much for sharing this poem. I love Naomi Shihab Nye, but this one's new to me. I especially love that beginning line and all the promise of a summer filled with writing. But then again, there are those "forty ways to spend an afternoon!"
This is a new NSN poem for me. I love it! Summer is the time to write.
Oh, yes, life IS the poem. Thanks for sharing this today!
I purchased a number of Naomi Shihab Nye's poetry books for my school library after being lucky enough to see her in person. At that point I fell in love with her work. Unfortunately I don't own even one of them for myself!
Now that I am retired I find I still don't write unless I have a deadline and a purpose. It doesn't matter the season, there are always orty ways to spend an afternoon.
The Time is deliciously inviting, isn't it? That's a new poem for me, so thanks for sharing it, Ruth! -- Christie @ https://wonderingandwondering.wordpress.com
I always have such high hopes for summer being the time for writing, but it seems time keeps slipping no matter how "late" the day gets. Maybe I'll get lucky this year. :) Happy summer writing, Ruth!
Oh, I LOVE this one. Especially love it because in my post yesterday I wrote, "...but summer is coming, and I'm hoping for more time for writing, poetry, and books, books, books."
Ummm.... :D
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