poetry anthologies

[colorful review + giveaway] A Universe of Rainbows by Matt Forrest Esenwine and Jamey Christoph

~ jama ~ 22 Comments

Picture this: light rain and cloudy skies, then suddenly the sun breaks through. A rainbow! We’re surprised and delighted at this rare gift. Whether we then picture a pot of gold or dream of a once-in-a-lullaby land where bluebirds fly, it’s pure magic!

We’re probably most familiar with celestial rainbows, but they also appear in other shapes and forms in some unexpected places. These are gloriously celebrated in A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World (Eerdmans BFYR, 2025), a brand new anthology compiled by author-poet Matt Forrest Esenwine with illustrations by Jamey Christoph.

The book features 20 stellar poets, including many from our Poetry Friday community: Irene Latham, Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, Charles Waters, Laura Purdie Salas, Janet Wong, and Matt himself (who contributed five poems).

The 22 poems in the collection, written in a variety of poetic forms including free verse, haiku, and pantoum, are presented in five categories:

  • Rainbows of Light
  • Rainbow Waters
  • Living Rainbows
  • Rainbows of Rock
  • Rainbows Beyond

Each poem explores a distinct rainbow type and is accompanied by a scientific sidebar of fascinating tidbits. In Rainbows of Light, we see how a rainbow can transform cursed rain into a joyful surprise, and are playfully introduced to Sun Dogs and Pilot’s Glories, before becoming enchanted by a moonbow in southern Africa. We are then reminded of our ability to make our own rainbows with gems and crystals.

THE SATURDAY OF NO
by Nikki Grimes

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.
No skip rope.

Nope.

There goes my perfect day!
Bear-like, I growl about
the fun I'll miss.
My nose against
the windowpane,
I curse the rain,
then -- wait!
I catch the storm's apology:
sun-drenched strips of color
arch across the sky --

             A rainbow!
             Oh! My!

With Rainbow Waters, we are transported from two hot springs in Yellowstone National Park (the colors of the Morning Glory Pool and the Grand Prismatic Spring emanate from heat-loving bacteria living at different depths), to the Fly Geyser in Nevada (algae in the water flourishing in moist, hot environments colors the rocks), to the Caño Cristales in Colombia (“River of Five Colors” blooming with aquatic weeds). Amazing!

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two poems from the wonder of small things

~ jama ~ 14 Comments

“Sometimes, love looks like small things.” ~ Tracy K. Smith

I’m a big fan of James Crews’s poetry anthologies and often dip into them whenever I need a calming moment of reflection or a fresh dose of inspiration.

His third and most recent book, The Wonder of Small Things: Poems of Peace & Renewal (Storey Publishing, 2023), contains some especially delectable food-related poems, two of which I’m sharing today.

Both poets pay homage to their Italian grandmothers, recalling childhood memories that continue to sustain and nourish.

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“Grandma’s Kitchen” by Lisa Pastille.
THE LESSON 
by Paola Bruni

On Sundays, Grandmother alight on the altar
of making and I, only old enough to kneel
on a wooden chair beside her, watched.
From the cupboard, she unearthed a dusky
pastry board, flour formed into a heaping crater,
the center hollowed. Eggs, white as doves. Salt.
Cup of milk, fragrant and simple. No spatula.
No bowl or mixer. Just a pastry board
and Grandmother's naked, calcified fingers
proclaiming each ingredient into the next.
She murmured into the composition
until the dough fattened, perspired, grew
under her ravenous eye. A rolling pin
to create a still, quiet surface. Then, the point
of a sharp knife chiseling flags of wide golden noodles.
For days, the fettuccini draped from wooden 
clothing racks in her bedroom under the scrutiny
of Jesus and his Mother. Mornings, I slipped
into Grandmother's bed, dreamt about eating noodles
swathed in butter and the sauce of a hundred
ripe tomatoes roasted on the fire.

~ from The Wonder of Small Things: Poems of Peace and Renewal, edited by James Crews (Storey Publishing, 2023).

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nine cool things on a tuesday

~ jama ~ 22 Comments

1. It’s Octo-boo-ber! Come join this friendly autumnal gathering courtesy of children’s book author-illustrator Naoko Stoop. You may know her as the creator of the Red Knit Cap Girl picture books — see her up there with her woodland friends?

Originally from Japan, Naoko now lives and works in Brooklyn. Her favorite mediums are pastel, pencil, watercolor, gouache and acrylic, though during the pandemic she started to draw more and more digitally. She paints on used paper grocery bags and leftover plywood from a speaker factory in her neighborhood. She has loved art since childhood and is entirely self taught.

Inspired by everyday life, her mottos are “Stay authentic. Stay at your finest.” I enjoy following her on FB; her pictures are true to her description of being “cozy and comfy art therapy,” and I like the gentle innocence and sweet animals. Her intention is to “bring out the five-year-old in people” through her artwork.

For more, visit Naoko’s Website, X (Twitter), Instagram and Facebook Page. To purchase prints, please email her directly via her website.

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[book birthday+ giveaway] Chatting with Charles Ghigna about The Father Goose Treasury of Poetry

~ jama ~ 54 Comments

We’re excited and honored that beloved Alabama poet, author, and intrepid tree house dweller Charles Ghigna is here to tell us all about The Father Goose Treasury of Poetry (Schiffer Kids, 2023), which is officially out today!!!

This 101-poem anthology is a thing of inimitable beauty, magic and wonder. Poems are presented in seven sections: Home, Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, Animals, and Poetry. All are graced with Sara Brezzi’s evocative, sometimes whimsical mixed media illustrations – a perfect complement to Ghigna’s lovingly crafted verses.

The treasury has a classic feel and belongs on all library, classroom, and home shelves to be savored and shared again and again. It showcases Ghigna’s love of the natural world, his astute powers of observation, and his uncanny ability to capture small fleeting moments that might otherwise be missed.

Kids will delight in the stunning images, wide range of emotions, effortless lyricism and gentle humor. We’re reminded of fresh ways to see the world through a child’s eyes, even learning how chickens really feel about chicken soup, and whether pigs resent barbecue. Irresistible, right?

Let’s find out more from Father Goose himself. Honk!

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[review + giveaway] For Every Little Thing: Poems and Prayers to Celebrate the Day

~ jama ~ 56 Comments

“Everything in nature is a wonderful miracle!/Isn’t the little bird flying through the big sky a miracle?” ~ Amma

Walk barefoot in the sand and curl your toes in the water. Listen to the “winging, singing, whispery sounds” of earth’s creatures. Marvel at a ballet of butterflies, a sky full of stars. Feel the cool air after a fresh rain.

For Every Little Thing: Poems and Prayers to Celebrate the Day (Eerdmans BFYR, 2021), is a joyous love letter to the world and all we hold dear within it, truly a wonderful way to acknowledge nature’s vast bounty of gifts as well as the friends and family who sustain us.

With about 70 child friendly selections carefully curated by June Cotner and Nancy Tupper Ling, this beautifully illustrated inspirational anthology features 51 diverse voices affirming the spiritual rewards of being present and expressing gratitude for wonders large and small.

Young readers are treated to untold delights from morning to night — ordinary moments throughout the day that happily and surprisingly warrant celebration. 

How marvelous to wake up with sloppy puppy kisses, greet the sun that’s bouncing on the bedroom wall like a yellow beach ball, and feel God’s presence everywhere, especially within ourselves. It’s empowering to know that as we experience the world through our own personal lenses, we’re validating our place in it.

MY BEAUTIFUL DAY
by Marion Schoeberlein

I borrowed a poem from the sky,
and music from a bird,
I stole a chime out of the wind,
and from the rose a word,
I borrowed a song from the hills,
a psalm from the silver rain,
I took the footsteps of angels
out of a cobbled lane,
from each little thing I fashioned
something in my own way,
with God's help I put in my heart
a wonderful, beautiful day!

Simple, accessible language and an abundance of sensory details engage readers throughout the book, encouraging them to slow down, look closer, savor, and appreciate. Whether a charming two-line snippet of wisdom or a lyrical five stanza blessing, there’s a welcome positivity and reassurance in the soul nourishing words.

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