Welcome to Poetry Month 2018 at No Water River!
Please take a moment to peruse the how-to below, and then dive in! Happy writing — and thank you for helping to build our collection(s)!
Remember: The Community Collections are open indefinitely, so you can visit each post at your leisure to add your poem!
Today’s Guest…
is a high school librarian and author of several acclaimed books for young people. Please welcome poet and educator …
ALICE FAYE DUNCAN
THE POEM
Thanks to Alice Faye and the publisher, Calkins Creek, for this beautiful sneak preview of Alice Faye’s latest book, MEMPHIS, MARTIN, AND THE MOUNTAINTOP: THE SANITATION STRIKE OF 1968, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, coming out in August 2018.
(Click to enlarge.)
THE PROMPT
When you think about the future and dreams that you want to achieve, what three actions can you take right now to make those dreams come true?
COMMUNITY COLLECTION 24: DREAMS OF THE FUTURE
WANT TO ADD YOUR POEM?
1. Paste it into the comment section below. I will gather the poems and add them to this post. OR
2. Email it to me at renee@reneelatulippe.com and I will add it to this post (graphics welcome)!
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THE POET
Alice Faye Duncan is a high school librarian in her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, and the author of several highly praised books for young readers, including The National Civil Rights Museum Celebrates Everyday People, Willie Jerome, Miss Viola and Uncle Ed Lee, and Honey Baby Sugar Child, which was nominated for the 2006 NAACP award.
In addition to writing and her work as a librarian, Alice Faye also hosts writing workshops to help inspire each child with the realization that everyone has a story to tell. (from biography.jrank.org)
Discover more about the author and her books at www.AliceFayeDuncan.com.
THE BOOKS
MEMPHIS, MARTIN, AND THE MOUNTAINTOP: THE SANITATION STRIKE OF 1968 (COMING AUGUST 2018)
This historical fiction picture book for children ages 9-12 presents the story of nine-year-old Lorraine Jackson, who in 1968 witnessed the Memphis sanitation strike–Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s final stand for justice before his assassination–when her father, a sanitation worker, participated in the protest.
In February 1968, two African American sanitation workers were killed by unsafe equipment in Memphis, Tennessee. Outraged at the city’s refusal to recognize a labor union that would fight for higher pay and safer working conditions, sanitation workers went on strike. The strike lasted two months, during which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was called to help with the protests. While his presence was greatly inspiring to the community, this unfortunately would be his last stand for justice. He was assassinated in his Memphis hotel the day after delivering his “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” sermon in Mason Temple Church. Inspired by the memories of a teacher who participated in the strike as a child, author Alice Faye Duncan reveals the story of the Memphis sanitation strike from the perspective of a young girl with a riveting combination of poetry and prose. (from Amazon.com)
THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS IN TENNESSEE (COMING SEPTEMBER 2018)
The Volunteer state is GREAT! When Carly visits her cousin Teddy in Tennessee for Christmas, she discovers how amazing it is. She hikes the Great Smoky Mountains, dances to bluegrass music, tastes Nashville’s famous hot chicken, and meets more than one Elvis Presley. Every day, Teddy gives her a special Tennessee gift, from 12 rockers rocking and 11 eagles nesting to a mockingbird in a tulip poplar tree. (from Amazon.com)
HONEY BABY SUGAR CHILD
A mother expresses her everlasting love for her child in this warm, poetic picture book. Alice Faye Duncan’s playful, affectionate text and Susan Keeter’s tender paintings will touch your heart and soul.
I’m gone always be yo sweet Ma’Dear, and you gone always be my baby. (from Amazon.com)
Don’t miss a prompt! Save this calendar to your desktop.
CALENDAR OF POETS ~ APRIL 2018
“Mountaintop” and prompt copyright © by Alice Faye Duncan.
Copyright on community collection poems held by authors indicated. All rights reserved.
Other post content © 2018 Renée M. LaTulippe or as indicated. All rights reserved.
Mountains and Clouds by Mariia Kamenska via Pexels (no attribution required).
Ms. Duncan, thank you for being here today! You’ve given me some inspiration for a project I’m working on. I’m having such a tough time deciding the format for the project. I have so many questions I would like to ask you! I’ve been trying to do “writing lessons” in the library with students in my middle school library. I even presented on what I’m doing recently at a regional conference. I would love to know more about how you hold writing workshops with students. And, the million dollar questions is….how do you fit your writing time in?! Library is such a busy place with collaboration and the books. I’m loving it….and trying to write. Thanks for the fabulous prompt. I hope I can draft something and submit it later in the day…after school, of course!