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Poetry has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mother and father both read poetry, my father favoring the Rudyard Kipling, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Robert Service variety while my mother was a fan of Frost, Sandburg and Gerard Manley Hopkins. I had a big picture book of poetry I read and reread so often that many of those poems linger in my mind though I never consciously memorized them. “A violet by a mossy stone half hidden from the eye. Fair as a star when only one is shining in the sky” is a line that reliably comes to mind every time I go hiking and find wildflowers clinging to unlikely spots along the trail.
Rosanne Parry is the reluctant poet and enthusiastic author of Heart of a Shepherd, Second Fiddle and the upcoming Written in Stone. www.rosanneparry.com
First of all, I’m loving the idea of e e cummings as a fuzzy alien. 🙂
But I loved this whole post, Rosanne. I understand the treasure of having writing only for yourself…and the freedom that a firm structure can give you to write things almost inexpressible in prose. That must be one reason there are so many poems about love!
Lastly, I’m so excited about your new book! I loved your two others; Heart of a Shepherd is one of my very favorites.
I have been thinking about this idea of writing for yourself ever since you sent me this post, Rosanne. Truly intrigued. This needs to be something I do more of.
Gosh, Thanks Faith. I’m so glad you enjoyed the books. I’m thinking about working on the screenplay for Heart of a Shepherd, so that would be a great new challenge.
Yes, in my imagination ee cumings had antennae and hovered a few inches above the ground humming pleasantly about “the leaping greenly spirits of trees and the blue true dream of sky.” How could you not like that alien?
And I’m super excited about Written in Stone, too. I wrote a version of that book in blank verse a while back but I like it much better in prose. And I’m thrilled to learn it’s been chosen as a Jr. Library Guild selection. What an honor!
What an honor is right! Can’t wait to read it.
Great post, Rosanne. I’m also a big fan of keeping some writing private!