Poetry Friday: Looking back at 2025, thanks to Jama!

On January 30, 2026January 30, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry10 Comments

It’s been a long, busy week.

Aside from all the worries and travails we’ve been dealing with collectively here in this country and the world, I’ve been dealing with anxiety and stress for my own personal reasons: working on a manuscript that may never see the light of day, visiting a school out of state, and talking to my kids about why respect, justice, and responsibility appear nonexistent these days.

My son and I are both on the spectrum, and have what I refer to as our “autistic sense of justice” – we see things in black and white, good and bad (even though I realize the world is primarily varying shades of gray). If we witness a wrong, it’s very upsetting – and there have been WAY too many wrongs going on lately.

So I’ve been trying to explain to him why people behave in certain ways, how to respond to them appropriately, and how to not let anxiety get the better of ourselves.

It’s not easy.

Especially when I have to explain things like the National Ice Out Day today – the benefits of which I still question. I’m not opposed to people protesting and making a nationwide show of solidarity, but I’m not sure things like this actually effect the change we’re hoping for. Suggesting no work, no school, etc. is asking a lot. What about people who depend on their hourly wage? Will they feel guilty if they go to work, or will they feel guilty if they lose their job for not going to work? My wife is a healthcare provider at our local hospital; is she expected to not show up and leave her patients hanging? How is she supposed to feel?

And schools, for many kids, are a safe space. What happens when their teachers, their confidantes, are not there?

Again, I fully support the sentiment, but I’m not convinced this is the right way – or even an effective way – to do it. We had an Ice Out Day back in January, remember? Didn’t really make much of a difference now, did it? Because he we are, doing it again. And please understand, I’m not condemning anyone for feeling the need to protest; we all feel like we need to do something, and that’s understandable. I just feel that ballot boxes and one-on-one conversations – even difficult conversations – are where we’re going to see the real change.

So – this is an overly long explanation for why I just haven’t been in the head space to put together a Poetry Friday post. And it’s not something that happens very frequently. Leave it to my friend and fellow blogger Jama Rattigan, for providing a ray of sunshine!

I have to thank Jama for coming to the rescue with her retrospective of all her Poetry Friday posts from 2025! She is back from her holiday hiatus and shares links to every one of her posts – including one featuring a certain poetry anthology I’m rather fond of:

Here’s why I love seredipity – or irony – or Fate – or whatever it is that causes things like this to happen. When Jama featured A Universe of Rainbows (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025) last April, she shared Nikki Grimes’ opening poem, “The Saturday of No,” about a young child’s disappointment about a rainstorm dashing their weekend plans:

THE SATURDAY OF NO

Saturday morning raindrops
pelt the slate rooftop, 
tap out a message
I don't want to hear:
No sunshine.
No clear blue.
No hopscotch.
No soccer.
No softball...  (read the entire poem at Jama's post!)

- (c) 2025 Nikki Grimes, all rights reserved

Somehow, this just feels like such an appropriate poem for today – feeling sadness, anger, and discouragement only to be greeted by the “storm’s apology” of “sun-drenched strips of color.” Thank you, Jama, and thank you, Nikki!

Another Rainbows contributor, Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, is hosting today’s Poetry Friday roundup at The Poem Farm, with a triolet about goodness – and recognizing the things that matter.

(If we’ve not yet connected on Instagram, please find me! I’d love to keep in touch. From new releases to blog posts to poetry and more, Instagram is a great way to learn more about your interests, and to connect with the folks who interest you.)

I am booking school visits for the 2026 Spring Semester!

I love chatting with students about creativity, poetry, the writing process, dinsoaurs, and lots of other things! So if you think you might be interested in having me visit your school – either in-person or virtually – check out all the presentations I offer below, then email me at Matt (at) MattForrest (dot) com!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be showing students rainbow-colored bacteria, discussing dinosaur breath, or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

You can purchase personally-signed copies of Flashlight Night, (Astra Young Readers, 2017), Don’t Ask a Dinosaur (Pow! Kids Books, 2018), and nearly EVERY book or anthology I’ve been part of!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

Just click the cover of whichever book you want and send a comment to the good folks at MainStreet BookEnds in Warner, NH requesting my signature and to whom I should make it out. (alternatively, you can log onto my website and do the same thing) They’ll contact me, I’ll stop by and sign it, and then they’ll ship it! (Plus, you’ll be supporting your local bookseller – and won’t that make you feel good?)

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right! (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, and SoundCloud

Poetry Friday: “Fire Dance,” the haiku that never made it into “Rainbows”

On January 22, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry13 Comments

When it comes to blogging, sometimes you struggle to figure out what you want to write about.

Sometimes…things just come together.

Case in point: thanks to the recent solar flares, we’ve had some nice viewing of the northern lights this past week. We live in a very wooded area, so it’s hard to see them as clearly as some folks – and even living in New Hampshire, we’re not far enough north to see the detail that some folks do.

But they are beautiful, nonetheless!

I took these photos at the base of our neighbor’s driveway, looking up at the only semi-open view of the northern sky we have. Other than some clouds low on the horizon, we had fairly clear skies – and I took advantage of it. I’m particularly fond of the first one.

Two days after I took these photos, what arrives in the mail?

Stickers from the National Council of Teachers of English, featuring the official gold seal recognizing my A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025) as an NCTE Notable Poetry Book:

It does look good on the cover, doesn’t it? It’s quite an honor I am still trying to process!

And as I was applying the stickers to the book covers, I was thinking of the northern lights and it came to me. I realized what I needed to share today! Another one of those “killed darlings” you hear about – a poem I wrote about the aurora borealis that never made it into the book.

First, close your eyes and imagine the northern lights (or southern lights) in your mind. Picture the colors, the flickering, the majesty. Now, open your eyes and see if this captures the scene you imagined:
.

Fire Dance (haiku)

like rainbows on fire
flames flick, quiver at the poles
kaleidoscope sky

– © Matt Forrest Esenwine, all rights reserved
.

I still wish I could have included it, but I had to be judicious with the number of subjects and poems and didn’t want to overload the collection. Rainbows contains 22 poems and sidebars, full-color illustrations, a glossary, and reference material, all packed into 56 pages! For being less than $20, it’s a sizeable children’s book, so a few subjects needed to be culled, alas.

But at least you get to read it now – and hopefully you liked it.

Today’s Poetry Friday roundup can be found at The Opposite of Indifference, where Tabatha is featuring a thoughtful, meditative sort of poem titled “Concurrence” by Denise Levertov.

I am booking school visits for 2025-26!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: Celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with Gwendolyn Brooks

On January 16, 2026January 16, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry14 Comments

A man went forth with gifts.

He was a prose poem.
He was a tragic grace.
He was a warm music.

He tried to heal the vivid volcanoes.
His ashes are
reading the world.

His Dream still wishes to anoint… (click here to continue reading)

– © 1968 Gwendolyn Brooks, all rights reserved
.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning Brooks, the first Black woman appointed U.S. Poet Laureate, wrote this following King’s assassination in 1968. Included in Arnold Adoff’s groundbreaking anthology I Am the Darker Brother (Macmillan), it was originally published as a broadside by Broadside Press.

Jan at Bookseed Studio is also remembering and celebrating the life and legacy of King while hosting today’s Poetry Friday roundup, so I hope you’ll stop by and say hi.

I am booking school visits for 2025-26!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: Ringing in 2026 with a “Stargazing” award!

On January 8, 2026January 8, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry17 Comments

I hope you had as nice and restful a break as I did these past few weeks. I’ve been thinking a lot about unanswered prayers lately – but I’ll get to that later.

I took the holidays off from blogging and focused my energy and time on Christmas, our family, and recharging. And after a busy, busy year that included a new anthology, the NH Book Festival, the Chappaqua Book Festival, the Newton (MA) Book Festival, and more school and library visits than I’ve ever done in a single year – whew, it was a much-needed respite, to say the least.

No sooner had 2026 begun, when I learned – the evening of Jan. 1, no less – that my friend Charles Ghigna, with whom I wrote Once Upon Another Time (Beaming Books, 2021), had won a Northern Lights Book Award in the “Best Picture Book, 4-8 category” for his semi-biographical Bound to Dream: An Immigrant Story (Schiffer Publishing, 2025).

When I congratulated him, he returned the kindness, congratulating me for my book, The Thing to Remember about Stargazing (Tilbury House, 2023).

I said, “Excuse me??”

Yes, it was true – Stargazing had won in the “Best Picture Book, Mindfulness category!”

This was quite a surprise, certainly, but it was even more of a shock because my A Universe of Rainbows (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025) had just received recognition as as NCTE Notable Poetry Book at the National Council of Teachers of English convention this past November – and I was not ecpecting to have two boosk win two different awards right before the end of the year!

So for Poetry Friday, I thought I’d share the genesis for Stargazing – which was a poem.

Way back in the summer of 2014, four of my nieces and nephews had visited our home here in rural NH. After a long day, they stepped outside to leave around 9pm – and stopped, staring at the sky. Living just outside of Boston, they had never seen so many stars!

So I pointed out some of the constellations and the Milky Way, and they were fascinated; I thought, there might be a poem here. So I got busy writing and sent the poem off to Paul Janezcko, who was early in the process of putting together the anthology that would become The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog (Candlewick, 2019).

As fate would have it, Paul passed away just days before his book came out. He had been in hospice prior to this, so I had no way of knowing why my poem never made it into the book – and I would never find out. But a mutual friend of ours, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, really liked the poem and suggested I flesh it out a bit and turn it into a picture book manuscript.

And that’s exactly what I did!

What better way, then, to kick off a new year of Poetry Fridays with the original poem, that eventually became the book:
.

A Beginner’s Guide to Star Gazing

It’s important the conditions be just right.

Wait for a cloudless, moonless night
or one with just a silver sliver
or even a full moon,
round and glowing…
come to think of it,
even a few clouds
aren’t a problem.

Really, any evening that features
at least a few stars
is perfect.

Go outside with someone special
or a pet
or no one at all
and find a patch of grass
to lie upon
or bring a blanket
or chair
or you can even stand there with your head
craning toward the sky,
and begin counting the stars.

On second thought, you don’t need to
count them;
try connecting them, dot-to-dots
and see what pictures are hidden high above.
The constellations will be watching, although Orion
will be busy protecting the Seven Sisters
from the Bull
while the Dragon writhes between Dippers
and Dogs
and this is all
very important
but not really
because the most important thing
to remember
about star-gazing is

to do it.

– © 2014 Matt Forrest Esenwine, all rights reserved
.

If you read my book, I hope you’ll take the time to note the significant changes between poem and book – I definitely like what I did with the text, making it much more poetic and vivid and developing its narrative structure.

Oh, and did you notice that it was originally titled “A Beginner’s Guide?” Well, when Beaming Books editor Naomi Krueger (who worked with Charles Ghigna and me on Once Upon) read my manuscript for Stargazing, she liked it but didn’t feel it would fit the mission of the publishing company. But she loved the title!

So she asked if I’d be interested in writing the book A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human (Beaming Books, 2022), instead – at which point we both recognized the necessity of changing my poem’s title, ha!

Remember, aspiring writers: just because something you create doesn’t turn out the way you expect, doesn’t mean it won’t live on in another form. Keep writing, keep revising, keep repurposing! And always be ready to pivot. A poem I wrote for an anthology never made it in – however, I ended up with not one, but TWO picture books that would never exist, had I gotten my wish.

Unanswered prayers, indeed.

Ruth is hosting today’s Poetry Friday roundup at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town with a spotlight on birds and wordplay (notice a little internal rhyme for ya there) from J. Drew Lanham’s book, Sparrow Envy. The poem she shares is full of musical wordplay and short, staccato lines – reminiscent of a bird’s song!

I am booking school visits for 2025-26!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: “Schoolapalooza” turns 1-year-old!

On December 18, 2025 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry14 Comments

Things have been so busy lately, between NCTE, book festivals, and the holidays, that I just realized I missed the one-year-mark for a fun anthology from the folks at Bushel & Peck!

Schoolapalooza: A Silly Alphabet of 26 Schooltime Poems (Moonshower, 2024) – one of several anthologies I was part of last year – arrived Dec. 3, 2024, and I was thrilled not only to have a poem included, but to see my name on the cover!

I’ve previously shared my contribution, a poem entitled “Irony,” as well as “Thesaurus Storm,” a poem by my friend Rebecca Kai Dotlich. So today I thought I’d share a poem from another friend, Irene Latham, who know a thing or two about anthologies herself. I love its simplicity and aLLiteration:

*^{Image © 2024 Moonshower/Bushel & Peck, all rights reserved}*

I am as big a supporter of local indie bookstores as anyone, but I would be remiss if I didn’t let you know that Amazon is offering this book at a nearly 30% discount for a limited time – so if you haven’t picked up a copy yet and are considering doing so, now might be the time to do it!

Also, in case you didn’t know it, this Sunday is National Flashlight Day – which corresponds each year with the winter solstice, of course (the shortest day of the year). And if you’re wracking your brain trying to figure out what children’s book might be the perfect accompaniment for this fantastic holiday, I know of one.

Well, I need to get baking my Christmas cookies! If you know me, you know I bake nearly 800 of them each year – so I will bid you farewell for this year. Have a wonderful holiday season (Christmas, Solstice, Kwanzaa, Festivus – whatever you celebrate) and I’ll look forward to seeing you in 2026!

Michelel Kogan is hosting today’s Poetry Friday roundup with Peace and Light at More Art 4 All, so be sure to stop by and say hi.

I am booking school visits for 2025-26!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: NCTE award recipient Charles R. Smith, Jr.

On December 12, 2025December 12, 2025 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry12 Comments

Every year, the annual NCTE Convention is such a monumental experience that it takes me several weeks to process everything I experienced. Which is why I’m sharing one more aspect of the weekend today!

Last week I posted a retrospective of the weekend, including my A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025) being selected as an NCTE Notable Poetry Book and the “Frost-y” responses that my panel partners and I wrote as a challenge to each other, which we shared during our presentation.

This week, I wanted to spotlight another award-winner.

Charles R. Smith, Jr. received the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children – and what a multi-talented fellow he is!

With multiple children’s books to his name, he is not only an accomplished writer but a photographer, fitness trainer, and even an “American Ninja Warrior” contestant.

Combining these interests, Charles has carved out a unique niche for himself, bringing his love of reading, wordplay, and athletics to young people everywhere:

If you take another look at the graphic above, you’ll notice another award Charles received this year at NCTE – his newest book, Black Diamond Kings, was selected as an NCTE Notable Poetry Book!

The book is a pairing of history, sports, and poetry, spotlighting twelve of the Negro leagues’ biggest stars with exciting, engaging language, back matter, and thoughtful, artistic illustrations from Adrian Brandon.

Today’s Poetry Friday roundup is at A Word Edgewise, where Linda is hosting the festivities with a mash-up of a Mary Oliver poem with a popular Christmas song – you’ll have to check it out!

I am booking school visits for 2025-26!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: Back from NCTE with Frost-y poetry – and an award!

On December 4, 2025December 5, 2025 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry20 Comments

Well, this was a surprise:

Look at that beautiful little cover, nestled in-between so many incredible books of poetry!

I am so, so grateful to the NCTE award committee for selecting A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025) as an NCTE Notable Poetry Book. To have something like this recognized as being outstanding among others gives me hope that I can continue writing and sharing even more poetry with the world.

Although it’s my name on the cover, the award really goes out to all the contributors – each who helped make the book what it is in their own, unique way – as well as my editor, Kathleen Merz, and the entire Eerdmans family. Moreover, illustrator Jamey Christoph’s uber-saturated watercolors brilliantly capture the beauty of the amazing subjects within the book; my gratitude to him for his hard work, superb talent, and genuine friendship. He’s a good guy.

NCTE 2025: A quick retrospective in photos

So many friends – so little time!

I can’t possibly tag each and every person in this gallery, but if you see yorself, I hope you’ll leave a comment and say hi.

Now then – today’s poems! (Yes, there’s more than one!)

As I mentioned two Fridays ago (my first day of NCTE), I was part of a panel presentation on free verse with poets Georgia Heard and Allan Wolf, and Poetry Friday friend Carol Varsalona. One of the suggestions we offered in helping students understand free verse and have some fun with it was to take a well-known poem and re-write it as free verse. We thought it was a creative way for students to play with words and free themselves – literally – from the constraints of formal rhyming verse.

So we each took up the challenge ourselves, and shared our responses during our presentation! To read Frost’s original, check out my previous post)

First up, Allan’s response:

These Woods Are Owned

These woods are owned
by a man in the village.
And so, he won’t wonder
why I’ve stopped in the dark,
far from any farmhouse,
which elicits an inquisitive knicker
from the road-weary pony
who has carried me here in the cold.

What’s madness to a horse
is simple beauty to a human.
To our right, the lake frozen over.
To our left, the snow-covered trees.

I linger to drink in the warmth of my own wonder.
At last, I spur us toward my hungry horse’s hay
which waits, with my ticking, many miles ahead.
The frozen lake and snowy wood, ablaze, inside my head.

Allan felt this speaker is perhaps a bit more articulate than Frost’s speaker, choosing particular words like “inquisitive knicker” to not only create internal rhyme, but provide insight into the type of character speaking.

Next, we have Georgia Heard’s response:

*^{Georgia, Carol, Allan, and I – looking like we’re ready to drop our new album.}*

How to Write a Free verse Poem

Taste a word
let it melt on your tongue
like a single snowflake.
No fences here.
No promises to keep.
Only the sound
of your own words
falling
softly
onto the page.

Georgia admits her poem has a bit of an ‘Eve Merriam vibe,’ as she puts it, as she had included Merriam’s “How to Eat a Poem” in her portion of our presentation. But as we explained to the educators in the audience, a poem will tell you how to write it, if you pay attention.

Heard’s poem was not a strict re-telling of Frost’s, but more of her own poem inspired by Frost and Merriam together. But that was the poem she was inspired to write, so that’s what she did!

Speaking of paying attention to your muse, here’s my response to the challenge:

Watching Woods

Whose woods these are, he knows. He knows.
My house is in the village, though.
He seems to think I will not mind
him stopping midst the evening snow.

The fool presumes I’m mad – or blind –
completely unaware, resigned
to die within wallpapered halls,
this tomb in which I’m now confined.

My buckskin Morgans’ empty stalls,
old rough-hewn fences, stone-built walls
are memories I strive to keep.
Outside, an empty pasture sprawls

beyond my gaze so dark and deep.
The path is long; the hummock, steep.
On nights like this I long for sleep.
Oh, how I long, I long for sleep.

Hmmm….doesn’t really sound like a free verse poem now, does it?

But that’s my point about paying attention to the poem! I was given a challenge to write a free verse poem based on “Stopping by Woods,” yet the poem I was immediately inspired to write was a syllable-for-syllable, rhyme-for-rhyme narrative told from the POV of the owner of the woods.

*^{Irene Latham and I invited all poetry lovers to come hang out at our Poetry Peeps gathering Fri. night!}*

He’s a bit of a surly fellow, too, not too amused to know Frost’s speaker is traipsing through his fields.

You’ll notice I maintain Frost’s meter and chain rhyme scheme (AABA, BBCB, CCDC, etc.) as well as the integrity of the poem – using phrases and imagery familiar with the original. Definitely not free verse, but definitely a poem that wanted to be written! Responding to a poetry prompt is not like a typical academic assignment where you are graded on how closely you follow ‘the rules’, but rather how well you follow your muse.

I would share Carol’s response, but I know she’s planning on posting it on her own blog one of these days – so I’ll let her showcase her poem in due time.

Speaking of free verse (and speaking of Irene!), you’ll find today’s Poetry Friday roundup at Irene Latham’s Live Your Poem, where she’s sharing a poem from Barbara Crooker as well as an original poem inspired by Crooker’s title. (And whaddaya know – we have a poetry prompt now, too!)

I am booking school visits for 2025-26!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: Gearing up for #NCTE2025 with…Robert Frost?

On November 20, 2025 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry17 Comments

By the time you read this, I’ll likely be flying overhead – on my way to Denver, CO for this weekend’s National Council of Teachers of English annual convention!

I’m going to be super-busy, too, if this graphic is any indication. I’ll be participating in a panel presentation with poets Georgia Heard and Allan Wolf, and Poetry Friday friend Carol Varsalona on Sat., Nov. 22 :

FREE YOUR STUDENTS (AND YOURSELF) WITH FREE VERSE:

How does one “dream boldly?” By creating stories and poetry that are authentic and unique! Often when we think of reading/teaching poetry, we think of the classic poetic devices: rhyme, meter, syllables. Remove those elements, however, and students are free to write whatever they want, however they want. We’ll reveal the freedom that comes from free verse!

*^{NCTE poetry fans: Stop by whenever you’d like, and say HI!}*

Also on Sat., I’ll be signing copies of A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025) at Eerdmans’ booth #931 at 11:30am and later at the Classroom Library Company booth #1016 at 3:30pm!

So…why am I sharing a Robert Frost poem today, and how does this have anything to do with NCTE? Well, when Georgia, Allan, Carol, and I first discussed the plans for our presentation, we thought it might be interesting (and fun!) to show attendees how a classic rhyming poem could be altered into free verse.

Not that we wanted to try to outdo the esteemed Frost, but simply to give educators a creative idea for students to play with words and free themselves – literally – from the constraints of formal poetry. So we each took up the challenge, and will share our responses during our presentation!

(If you can’t make it to the convention, no worries – I’ll share the poems here in a forthcoming post!)

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

– Robert Frost, 1923

Why not try it yourself? Read over the poem and then see if you can re-write it in free verse, losing the rhyme, setting aside the meter, altering line lengths – or even completely re-writing it and changing the POV! If you do, be sure to email it to me and I’ll share it here.

Oh, and if you’ve never enjoyed Randall Thompson’s Frostiana, now’s your chance to do so!

(By the way, I don’t know what’s going on with WordPress’ algorithms, but almost no one saw my post from last week, where I recapped my weekend as the PA announcer for our local fair. If you have a minute, I hope you’ll check it out!)

Well, either I’ll see you in Denver, or I’ll see you back here next week! Today’s Poetry Friday roundup is hosted by Janice at Salt City Verse, where she is spotlighting fellow New Englander Rajani LaRocca, physician and author extraordinaire!

I am booking school visits for 2025-26!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be discussing dinosaur breath or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: Biker-dude Swifties and hot-shot derby drivers: What I learned at the State Fair, Part XII

On November 13, 2025 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry8 Comments

I just realized that we are a mere two weeks away from Thanksgiving here in the U.S., and only six weeks from Christmas!

Good grief, where does the time go??

I had meant to share my annual recap of the state fair by now, but with all the book festivals and events taking place this fall, it somehow got completely past me. (It apparently got completely past me last year – because I somehow never even posted about it in 2024) So I’m making sure I take care of that now!

As you may know, I’ve worked at the local state fair as the PA announcer for the past 15 years. If you need to know where the bathrooms are or the time of the next cattle pull, I’m your guy.

And as has been tradition here at the ol’ Triple R, I try to share some of my experiences, insights, and surprises. In previous posts I’ve written about water-powered jet packs, the benefits of chainmail socks, and why environmentalists hate truck pulls. This year was no less enlightening:

1.) Never judge a book by its cover. On one of the first days, I glimpsed a fellow walk past me covered in tattoos and leather. Scruffy beard. Wallet on a chain. If you saw him, you’d assume biker dude. And maybe he was. But his Taylor Swift concert T-shirt really threw me.

2.) Giant pumpkins are always one of the biggest draws. Even in a year adversely affected by an exceptionally dry summer, resulting in smaller-than-usual gourds, folks still can’t wait to see what the local farmers accomplished.

3.) It’s extremely satisfying watching a hot shot get taken down a notch. At the beginning of the demolition derbies, drivers come out onto the track and park along a concrete wall, so that all the particpants are in a line prior to the start. One night, a driver decided to show everyone how cool he was by zooming in as fast as he could, careening through the dirt and mud, nearly losing control, and eventually stalling in the middle of the track. Tried and tried and tried to start it; nothing. Laughter ensued.

Finally, he got it going and drove toward the concrete wall – and hit it so hard he stalled again. More laughter.

And when the countdown ended and all the cars pulled out of their spots to begin the derby…he stayed there. Parked. Unable to move because his vehicle refused to start. His team, not laughing. I wonder if he’ll do that again.

4.) After the first candy apple was invented, it would be another 50 years before someone came up with the caramel apple:

5.) It’s interesting how some couples look like they belong together, while others are shockingly different. Many of the couples I saw were very obviously couples: if the woman looked like she had just finished a fashion shoot for Glamour, the guy would often look like he’d just stepped out of GQ.

However, there were exceptions. One couple that caught my attention appeared to be polar opposites: she was giving off Allure vibes, sporting full makeup and a tight dress, while he was more of a Field & Stream, camo jeans kind of dude. To each his own, right?

6.) Garden tractor racing is a thing. Officially known as lawn mower racing, this sport is not only a ‘thing’ – it’s an organized thing, with associations all across the country. And it’s more exciting than you might expect; depending on the class, these guys can get up to 60 miles per hour!

7.) I’m faster than a speeding locomotive. Ok, well, “speeding” might be a bit of an exaggeration. (“Locomotive” is probably a stretch, too)

The Northeast Kingdom Express offered train rides to and from opposite gates at the fair, and as I was walking to the administration office it approached me – and I left it in the dust. I’m just that fast.

Next up: I’ll attempt to outrun a bullet and then leap a tall building in a single bound. Wish me luck.

8.) The fair a great place to find humor where you least suspect.

I couldn’t help but wonder what this word ending in “ious” used to be. It couldn’t have been “delicious” – othewise, why cover it up? Some of my guesses included “suspicious,” “tedious,” “nefarious,” “insidious,” and “amphibious.” My favorite? “Impervious.” Try inserting your own and see what you think!

I hope you enjoyed this little retrospective! For today’s poem, I’m dusting off a little fair food poem I posted about 4 years ago while – coincidentally – working at the fair!

“…then again, maybe I should go back for some pizza”

I love the fair, but most of all, the food is hard to beat –
it’s barely 2pm, and yet I’ve had so much to eat!
I started with a burger, had a corn dog and some fries,
and then hot buttered popcorn in a box of massive size.

I feasted on the fried dough, ate a funnel cake or three,
and downed as many deep-fried foods as there could ever be.
Of course I needed ice cream, so I stopped to have a scoop;
I even scarfed a giant, cheesy bread bowl full of soup!

Ate cotton candy, caramel apples, schnitzel on a stick.
I polished off a pulled pork sub entirely too quick.
I’ve eaten all the sausage my poor stomach will allow;
so really, all I want –
is just a garden salad now…

Today’s Poetry Friday roundup is being hosted by Carol Labuzzetta at her blog The Apples in My Orchard!

Speaking of fall fairs and festivals…

If you’re in the New England area, I hope you’ll join me and 60 other children’s authors and illustrators at the 2nd annual Newton (MA) Children’s Book Festival this Sun.! This free event is a wonderful opportunity to purchase books for all the young people on your holiday list.

Going to NCTE 2025??

I’ll be participating in a panel presentation with Georgia Heard, Allan Wolf, and Poetry Friday friend Carol Varsalona on Sat., Nov. 22 from 1:15pm – 2:30pm in Room 705!

FREE YOUR STUDENTS (AND YOURSELF) WITH FREE VERSE:

Also on Sat., I’ll be signing copies of A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025) at Eerdmans’ booth #931 at 11:30am and at the Classroom Library Company booth #1016 at 3:30pm!

I am booking school visits for 2025-26!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be discussing dinosaur breath or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: “Late Autumn Fire,” sharing a poem I wouldn’t normally share

On November 6, 2025November 6, 2025 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry14 Comments

You probably realize this already, but I’ll say it anyway: not everything an author or poet writes is meant for (or worthy of) mass consumption.

There have been plenty of stories, poems, essays, and random lines written over the years by numerous folks, both famous and unknown, that likely will never see the light of day. Some of this is by accident – where the project just doesn’t turn out the way the creator had hoped and is scrapped – but some things are written with no intention of ever being shared. (Anyone with a diary knows this truth.)

In my case, I often write poems not for publishing purposes or any sort of higher purpose, but simply to practice, to hone my skills. To stay sharp, as it were.

Today’s offering is one of them.

As I was wondering yesterday what to share for my Poetry Friday post, I decided to use my go-to for inspiration: my phone’s camera roll! I scanned through the pics quickly and noticed a photo I’d taken a few nights ago while my wife were enjoying a few moments outside by the fire.

I looked at the flames, at the darkness, at the mutual feeling of comfort we both shared (especially since this was this first fire we’ve enjoyed all year due to an exceptionally dry summer), and wondered how to combine the images with the emotions. In 15 minutes, I’d written this:

“Late Autumn Fire”

The shorter the day,
the longer the night;
the greater the darkness,
the lesser the light.

The brighter the glow,
the warmer our hearts.
The sooner we kindle,
the sooner flames start.

No, it’s not an award-winning poem. No, it’s not anything outstanding or ground-breaking. And no, very likely not worthy of publishing. I’m not even sure “lesser the light” is even grammatical! But I did manage to put together a rhyming, metrical, and visually emotional (if that’s a term) poem in only 15 minutes. (Right now some of you are thinking, “it reads like a 15-minute poem, too, pal”.)

This was simply an exercise to see if I could construct something reasonably interesting, at least, in a short amount of time – not because I’m trying to win a Fastest Poem Award but because I wanted to try to draw upon my skills as quickly as I could. I wanted to see how easily those skills could be accessed. Muscles have memory and so does your brain, and the more synapses you can get doing what you want, the better prepared you’ll be for those big projects down the road that you DO plan on publishing and sharing with the world!

So don’t dismiss simple practice poems like this one – they keep the brain sharp and the skills readily available.

Oh, and by the way, if you’re in the New England area, I hope you’ll join me and 60 other children’s authors and illustrators at the 2nd annual Newton (MA) Children’s Book Festival on Sun., Nov. 16! This free event is a wonderful opportunity to purchase books for all the young people on your holiday list – and getting books personally-signed is extra-special.

My friend Laura Purdie Salas is hosting today’s Poetry Friday roundup at her blog Poems for Teachers with more news about her brand-new book, Flurry, Float, and Fly!

Going to NCTE 2025??

I’ll be participating in a panel presentation with Georgia Heard, Allan Wolf, and Poetry Friday friend Carol Varsalona on Sat., Nov. 22 from 1:15pm – 2:30pm in Room 705!

FREE YOUR STUDENTS (AND YOURSELF) WITH FREE VERSE: How does one “dream boldly?” By creating stories and poetry that are authentic and unique! Often when we think of reading/teaching poetry, we think of the classic poetic devices: rhyme, meter, syllables. Remove those elements, however, and students are free to write whatever they want, however they want. We’ll reveal the freedom that comes from free verse!

Also on Sat., I’ll be signing copies of A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025) at Eerdmans’ booth #931 at 11:30am and at the Classroom Library Company booth #1016 at 3:30pm!

I am booking school visits for 2025-26!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be discussing dinosaur breath or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!