Caroline Starr Rose

picture book and middle-grade author

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Growing — Theresa Milstein

32 Comments

A year ago, I wrote the little poem “Becoming”  on Caroline’s blog as a way to portray my evolving relationship with poetry. Over time, my confidence as both a poetry reader and writer has grown. Publishing poems in places like Vine Leaves Literary Journal  and Halcyon magazine  further boosted my belief in my ability.

While I don’t devote nearly us much time to poetry as I do to reading and writing children’s books, it has become a thread in my life’s fabric. In fact, I’ve included poems in my recent YA to lyrically reflect my main character’s challenges and growth. And during this snow-centric winter, I wrote a little haiku:

Hush of falling snow
Shovel scraping on pavement
Mars the quiet mood

Floating, fleeting flakes
Ethereal, crystalline
Cannot capture—free

Did you know the snow
watched waited swollen crested
upon smoky breath?

Thick flakes descending
Like tears running down mourning
Wintertime farewell

My passion for poetry has found a perfect outlet. Recently, I joined the Vine Leaves Literary Journal staff as Publishing Editor’s Assistant.  One of my tasks is to read and vote on the shortlisted submissions. While workshops have challenged me to analyze poetry and determine why a particular poem is praiseworthy, I’ve never had to determine which ones fit a specific journal. It’s been thrilling and humbling. There are many talented poets. I’m proud to have contributed to the April issue. 

While I wait for the next batch of shortlisted submissions, I continue to read and write poetry. After this seemingly endless winter, which inspired too much bleak haiku, I want to share a little bit of warmth:

Trellises cradle
Vine leaves’ ascent while splendid
Morning Glories soar

I’d love if you’d share a spring haiku in the comments, written either by you or a favorite poet.

Theresa Milstein has poetry and short stories published in various journals and anthologies. While her small pieces are for adults, she primarily writes middle grade and young adult novels, and is active in the New England chapter of SCBWI.  She works in the public school system, which gives her ample time to observe tweens and teens in their natural habitat.

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Filed Under: authors, poetry

Comments

  1. Karen Lange says

    April 9, 2014 at 7:51 am

    It’s nice to see Theresa here! Enjoyed reading her poetry. She is one talented writer. 🙂

    Reply
    • Theresa Milstein says

      April 9, 2014 at 8:47 am

      Thanks for the compliment, Karen!

      Reply
  2. Caroline says

    April 9, 2014 at 7:55 am

    Thanks for sharing this today!

    Now the world awakes
    the air’s alive with promise
    newness everywhere

    Reply
    • Theresa Milstein says

      April 9, 2014 at 8:47 am

      I love your haiku, Caroline!

      Reply
  3. Theresa Milstein says

    April 9, 2014 at 8:41 am

    Caroline, thanks so much for hosting me!

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      April 9, 2014 at 2:25 pm

      Thank you for your post!

      Reply
  4. Laurel Garver says

    April 9, 2014 at 9:08 am

    Yay, another convert to poetry! Thanks for sharing your lovely work, Theresa, and best wishes with your new gig at Vine Leaves.

    Reply
    • Theresa Milstein says

      April 9, 2014 at 10:12 am

      Thanks on both counts, Laurel!

      Reply
  5. Michael Offutt says

    April 9, 2014 at 10:55 am

    spring wakens my tree –
    a bejeweled perfumed bride. . . .
    love birds make their nest

    Reply
    • Theresa Milstein says

      April 9, 2014 at 1:28 pm

      Michael, I’m glad you wrote a haiku! I love the way the second line sounds.

      Reply
  6. Robyn Campbell (@authorswrite) says

    April 9, 2014 at 1:45 pm

    Love seeing my Theresa here. Love both your offerings, pal. I see you at a poetry slam. 🙂 Great job, as always. xoxo

    Reply
    • Theresa Milstein says

      April 9, 2014 at 2:31 pm

      Robyn, you mean getting up and reciting poetry? *shudder* I’ll have to get much, much better.

      Reply
  7. SA Larsen says

    April 9, 2014 at 2:32 pm

    And the poems Theresa has included in her current YA are breathtaking! Really. They add so much to the manuscript. I’ve dabbled in poetry. Wrote it quite a lot in high school. It was an easy way to get my feelings out. But I haven’t given it enough time to truly flourish in it. Maybe in the future.

    Thanks for sharing Theresa with us. And HI, Caroline! It’s been a while. Glad to see you’re doing so well.

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      April 9, 2014 at 2:42 pm

      Hey there! Hope you’re well.

      Reply
    • Theresa Milstein says

      April 9, 2014 at 3:35 pm

      Thank you, Sheri. I forgot about the poetry in the YA. I haven’t looked at that one in a few months while I’ve been focusing on the middle grades.

      Reply
  8. Lynda R Young says

    April 9, 2014 at 5:56 pm

    Congrats on your editorial position!
    I’ve always loved your prose and your poetry.

    Reply
    • Theresa Milstein says

      April 10, 2014 at 12:52 pm

      Thank you so much, Lynda!

      Reply
  9. Margaret Simon says

    April 10, 2014 at 5:16 am

    Nice to meet you, Theresa. I believe poets are the coolest people ever. I posted a spring haiku on my blog today. Thanks for being an inspiration.
    http://reflectionsontheteche.wordpress.com/2014/04/10/haiku-is-here/

    Reply
    • Theresa Milstein says

      April 10, 2014 at 12:52 pm

      I’ll go check it out, Margaret. Glad you’re inspired!

      Reply
  10. Nas says

    April 10, 2014 at 2:09 pm

    Hi Theresa, I enjoyed reading your poem. It flows so nicely. You are so talented!

    Reply
    • Theresa Milstein says

      April 11, 2014 at 6:33 am

      Thanks so much, Nas!

      Reply
  11. Hilary says

    April 11, 2014 at 11:55 am

    Hi Theresa and Caroline – great you’re helping each other out with the Poetry month – and I love reading Haikus … just not one of my talents … also it’s fabulous to have you on the Vines Leaves Literary panel .. and honing other skills ..

    You are so in the right place to improve all which ways .. all the very best and happy poetry writing and then reading … cheers Hilary

    Reply
    • Theresa Milstein says

      April 11, 2014 at 2:26 pm

      Thank you, Hilary. I hope A to Z is going well for you.

      Reply
  12. deniz says

    April 12, 2014 at 3:06 am

    Ooh, I haven’t written a poem in a while! Hmm, will try a spring haiku…

    Reply
    • Theresa Milstein says

      April 15, 2014 at 8:21 pm

      Deniz, I hope you’re writing a spring haiku or two.

      Reply
  13. Jemi Fraser says

    April 12, 2014 at 10:36 am

    Great poems! I always have fun introducing poetry to my students. They always assume they won’t like it and it’s fun to prove them wrong! 🙂

    Reply
    • Caroline says

      April 12, 2014 at 10:56 am

      Hey, Jemi! I wrote about just this thing over at Project Mayhem yesterday. http://project-middle-grade-mayhem.blogspot.com/2014/04/poetry-isnt-just-about-love-and-flowers.html

      Reply
    • Theresa Milstein says

      April 15, 2014 at 8:21 pm

      Jemi, I’m amazed at some of the poems students write.

      Reply
  14. Medeia Sharif says

    April 14, 2014 at 12:40 am

    Enjoyable haiku. This makes me want to write poetry again. I haven’t in a while.

    Reply
    • Theresa Milstein says

      April 15, 2014 at 8:21 pm

      Medeia, I hope you’re inspired to write some haiku.

      Reply
  15. Victoria Marie Lees says

    April 17, 2014 at 11:45 am

    I agree with the consensus here. Wonderful to hear what you’re doing at Vine Leaves, and congratulations again, Theresa. Love both your poetry and your prose. And thanks, Caroline, for hosting Theresa here on your blog. Love your blog, Caroline!

    Reply
    • Theresa Milstein says

      April 22, 2014 at 7:01 am

      Thank you, Victoria. I’m gearing up for the next shortlisted round of submissions at Vine Leaves sometime in later spring.

      Reply

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