Howdy Campers and happy Poetry Friday!
(My own poem's below.)
And did you know that October 13-19, 2013 is Teen Read Week?
Neither did I, until Carmela, who is always on top of things, pointed it out.
Teen Read Week is an initiative of Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), which is part of the American Library Association.
Launched in 1998, Teen Read Week is celebrated annually during the third full week in October. Aimed at teens, their parents, librarians, educators, booksellers and other concerned adults, the continuing message of the Teen Read Week initiative is to encourage 12- to 18-year-olds to "Read for the Fun of It." The 2013 sub-theme is Seek the Unknown @ your library. Check out the FAQs here.
Help raise awareness about Teen Read Week and library services for teens here.
Can I be totally honest here? Yes, I think I can. I'm out of steam this week, I have only air-popped popcorn for brains right now...
so the only thing I can think to say about Teen Read Week is that teens today are LUCKY, LUCKY, LUCKY that they have so much wonderful literature to read...and that it's FREE at their local library. (Never fear--my fellow bloggers will have lots to say about it in the next few days--stay tuned!)
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This is a medal for all librarians.
I was thinking about the theme Seek the Unknown @ your library. Here's a poem from my teen novel in poems, Girl Coming in for a Landing, illustrated (in collage!) by Elaine Clayton (Knopf) that sorta-kinda fits the theme:
IMPRINTING
by April Halprin Wayland
Today Mr. C told us
about this scientist who pushed a vacuum cleaner
past a brood of ducklings
just as they were hatching
and how after that,
those ducklings followed the vacuum cleaner
everywhere--
nearly glued to it.
Imprinting, he called it.
Which made me think
about last year
that first day of school
and how
I must have been
hatching
just as Carlo
walked past.
(c) April Halprin Wayland. All rights reserved.
Here's the URL of the SHORT video of baby ducks following the guy, which hopefully, you can see below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dk5ogma8aZg
But it keeps crashing, so just go to YouTube and look up all the videos using the key words,
"baby ducks following" and watch those baby ducks go!
Posted by April Halprin Wayland who is grateful for the free photos of the popcorn and the medal from MorgueFile.com
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12 comments:
Beautiful poem, April. Is there anything better than going to the library with no particular book in mind and exploring the stacks for something to read? What treasures there are to find.
April,
Thank you for sharing information about Teen Read Week. I am always a little envious of all of the amazing literature available to teens today.
I enjoyed your poem. I guess possibly imprinting can have many meanings. Definitions are in the eye of the "definer." Your poem instantly made me feel as if I were sitting in a classroom as late middle or early high school student.
Thanks for sharing,
Cathy
The ending of your poem is such a kick in the gut, and what a reminder of teenage years!
Thanks for sharing the poem and making me smile with the duckling video.
I was fascinated by the concept of "imprinting" when I learned about it in college (I think). And I think there are a few times in human lives - as your poem indicates - that we also have imprinting going on. Thanks for sharing the video. Too cute! Hope he finds his mom though! That was one of the dangers of imprinting - finding the wrong thing!
Hi, April--
A poem that good doesn't have to "fit" any theme. Beautifully done and reminds me to get your book into the hands of my daughter.
Thanks for a great post!
Oh, that duckling! What a perfect accompaniment to the poem!
Dear Laura, Cathy, Tricia, Donna, Heidi and Ruth, THANK YOU for your comments! I'm happy this poem gets its time in the sun. :-)
Hello there April, your poem made me smile. :) Love the subtle effects of imprinting, and how it IS indeed deeply connected to adolescence and first loves! :) Thank you for letting us know about Teen Read Week! :)
April, I like the turn in this poem. Thank you.
I loved your book when I first read it, & now you remind me that I need to lend it to some students again! It is Teen Read Week & I've given a few book talks just for that purpose, new and old-lots of wonderful books are available. Thanks April!
April-- the air-popped popcorn for brains image is perfect, and one I can relate to!
And I love your poem. It says so much in so few words! Those poor ducklings, though, imprinting on a vacuum cleaner. Maybe you could turn the story into a humorous picture book?
Dear Myra, Joy and Linda,
<3 <3 <3!
Imprinting has always fascinated me.
Carmela--maybe you're right about the PB idea. Hmmmm...I've put it in my "hot idea" file.
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