Hello, poetry friends!

You know when you’re down and troubled and you need a helping hand? And nothing, oh nothing is going right?

And then you just call out a name ‘cuz you know that he’ll be there to brighten even the darkest days?

Well, that’s pretty much the feel-good feeling that today’s guest exudes not only in his social media interactions but also through his writing and music for kids.

Of course I am talking about your friend and mine, the multitalented author, poet, singer, songwriter, musician, and educator …

Eric Ode!

I was first introduced to Eric and his poetry when I came across some poems from his book Sea Star Wishes way back in 2013-ish. I remember being taken by the playfulness and effortlessness with which he combined facts and fancy, as in this poem:

THE OCTOPUS
How odd to think the octopus
has not a bone inside her.
The smallest space in any place
is just enough to hide her.
A corner in a sunken ship,
a coffee can,
a shell.
She tucks her boneless body in
and every arm as well.
A very tricky thing to do
if you have one
or maybe two.
But what an awkward sort of state,
the octopus has eight!

from Sea Star Wishes © Eric Ode. All rights reserved.

See what I mean?

And of course his latest book delivers more delightful verses about nature, and specifically about otters — and we all know you cannot go wrong with otters!

Published by Kane Miller and filled with charming illustrations by Ruth Harper, Otters, Snails and Tadpole Tails: Poems from the Wetlands (available at Usborne Books and independent bookstores) includes “The Beaver,” a clever poem he shares in this video from the wetlands.

Although I don’t know Eric personally, I have gleaned some things from his social media posts, which made me wonder if his poem “The Duck” might be at least semi-autobiographical and reflect Eric himself: a calm observer, taking things as they come, assessing them, letting them roll.

The poems in this collection are also full of a sense of wonder, and I’m impressed with how Eric captures that in his beautifully crafted verses, especially in “Fiddlehead.”

And look at the otter balancing the leaf on her nose! Between Eric’s verse and Ruth’s illustration, this collection simply made me happy, warm, and fuzzy. Like Eric, this book is a good friend.

Thanks for sharing your poems with us, Eric!

P.S. Check out the galleries below to see the breadth of Eric’s work … and then of course you’ll want to invite him to your school or library for a concert!

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BOOKS!

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MUSIC!

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FIND OUT MORE
about Eric, his poetry and music, his presentations, and his books at his website: EricOde.com

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See more poems in my poetry video library.
All poems © Eric Ode. All rights reserved.
Illustrations © respective illustrators as noted on graphics. All rights reserved.
Post content © 2019 Renée M. LaTulippe. All rights reserved.