Yellowbelly and Plum

by Nathan Hale

Recently, my little cousins came to visit. Whenever they're around, I pull out any picture books I may have accumulated from various publishers/authors, and read them to the kids to get an official seal of approval (or not, as the case may be). I had varying degrees of success, but the book that won out as the clear champion favorite was Yellowbelly and Plum Go to School. Both Kenny (6) and Reese (2) were not only engrossed in the story straight from the beginning, but they stayed so during the entire book (not an easy feat for these kiddos, trust me). The illustrations are really lovely; all bright colors and lots of fun to look at. The boys had fun trying to spot Plum on each page. The funny-looking animals made them laugh to look at.

Later in the week, Kenny announced that he'd "made a book." Here it is, exactly as he narrated it to me....

"The story of Plum,
author made by Kenny"

"That's Plum's whole body."

"Plum is shrinking."

"And then only his feet."

"And then he's in the graveyard dead."

"The end."

I'm so proud of him. He's already got a morbid side. I hope he keeps writing....

disconnection

This disconnection
is a cobweb on our fingers.
You don't know me
(not really, no)
one bit.

Words.
Not just between us,
but between you.

How?
how?

There is love, and
here are walls.
Here, there,
there, here;
but more latter than former.
Spotlight jumps
flickering gray
like the static
of my favorite radio station.

It's never too late,
except
for
us.


_____
copyright Miss Erin McIntosh, 2009
please do not reprint without permission
Poetry Friday roundup at Under the Covers

One of those moments....

....when, sprawling on the lawn, I smell a mix of lotion and new grass. I take pictures of the long, bright green blades of life. I think about reading Frankenstein, but write pretty words in my journal instead.

The heat from my friend the sun is toasting my arms and legs, and my thoughts are like cigar smoke, floating in the air - thick and swirly and clear. I can see so much, and it doesn't matter that I'm behind on a million things, or that deadlines are about to pounce on me, or that my world is all stirred up in a blender right now. I can be.

Just
be.

I feel really rich right now. And thusly, grateful.

As my good friend Cuileann would say, Life is whelming.

'love story' meets 'viva la vida'

This is one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard.

It's amazing how music can move you, isn't it? Major, major kudos to Mr. Schmidt for his work here.

(thanks to Danielle for the heads-up)

Operation TBD, 2009

I participated in readergirlz Operation TBD today! I dropped a bunch of YA books at a high school, and also here at Baskin Robbins:
I totally rocked the drop! Did you?

bookshelf meme

Thanks to Christy for tagging me!

Tell me about the book that has been on your shelf the longest...

Fritz and the Beautiful Horses by by Jan Brett....I've had it ever since I was quite little.

Tell me about a book that reminds you of something specific in your life (i.e. a person, a place, a time, etc.)...

The Redwall series will always remind me of the full-blown obsession my friend Kelsie and I had with those books.

Tell me about a book you acquired in some interesting way (gift, serendipity in a used book store, prize, etc.)...

The Elusive Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy, required during a day of bookstore-hopping in Hay-on-Wye, England.

Another that comes to mind is Fairest by Gail Carson Levine, because it was the first ARC I was ever sent for review....a few years ago, now.

Tell me about the most recent addition to your shelves...

Sebastian Darke: Prince of Pirates and The Beef Princess of Practical County both came in the mail yesterday, curtesy of ze publisher.

Tell me about a book that has been with you to the most places...

The Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty--my travel-read. (I take it on every trip.)

Tell me about a bonus book that doesn't fit any of the above questions...

Hm...well, I will just give a shout-out to Sorcery and Cecilia by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer, a book I recently reread for the first time in a few years and had just as much fun with it the second time around.


I tag...Enna Isilee, Q, and Holly Cupala.

Readergirlz: April 2009

This April, the readergirlz invite you to take part in the second annual Operation Teen Book Drop.. Scroll down to Operation TBD for more info!

This month's readergirlz book pick is Impulse, a verse novel by Ellen Hopkins.

Download this month's poster (PDF) to help spread the word about both Operation TBD and Impulse. Put the poster up at your library, your school, or your favorite bookstore. Perhaps you'll start your own readergirlz book club there. If so, tell us all about it!

To discuss the book with other readers and with the author herself, join us at the readergirlz blog, where we'll be discussing the book all month long and have new blog posts almost every day!

Chat live with Ellen Hopkins at the readergirlz blog on Wednesday, April 22nd. The chat will begin at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST and last for about an hour.

Operation TBD

Help rgz raise awareness of Support Teen Literature Day with YALSA by participating in Operation Teen Book Drop (TBD '09). Download a bookplate, paste it in the book of your choice, and drop it somewhere in your community on Thursday, April 16th. This is the same day that rgz, GuysLitWire, and YALSA are dropping 8,000 books to hospitalized teens across the country, thanks to the generosity of various publishers and supporters.

Then, that night, join the Post-Op Party at the readergirlz blog, 6 PM PST/9 PM EST. It will be a live chat with authors and readers from around the world. Anyone may join in!

Jesus Christ is risen today!

Happy Easter!

(my bro and I, ghosts of Easters past...)

the way I see you

1. Mochi in front of mirror, 2. Film star Helen Twelvetrees, ca. 1936-7 / photograph by Sam Hood, 3. Occhi da orientale, 4. Iberia - Airbus A340-642 (EC-JNQ), 5. Hey, You've Got To Hide Your Love Away..., 6. Oh Crap! He's Looking At Me..., 7. Marshmallow Skies..., 8. Make a Wish..., 9. Twilight


cocking my head
further
to the side
trying to see around
(or through
or underneath)
that flawless
facade
of face

where is the sparkle?
the gleam—the sheen—
that something in your eyes
that used to
be?

swirls of thoughts
hidden love
never coming
face to face

I hold you up,
a gift,
so fragile
so precious

full of life
and death
and darkness
and beauty

at once


_____
copyright Miss Erin McIntosh, 2009
please do not reprint without permission
Poetry Friday roundup at Carol's Corner

Lost Generation

This video gave me chills the first time I watched it.
(Thanks to Traci for showing it to me.)



I can change the world...

happiness is the animated cake batter in the tv box

Today was a fitted jeans and pink high heels sort of day.

Sinking my teeth into rich, sweet shortbread.

Thinking in a British accent.

Discovering that Seb from The Year of Secret Assignments has a blog! Okay, not really. But if he did have a blog, this would be it. The voice is perfect. (I also have a friend who writes emails in the exact voice of Emily from said book. She is not who I would've pinpointed as being an Emily, but once I thought of it, I couldn't get over how spot-on her writing + herself is as a match.)

The requisite ritual of going crazy at the lunch table.

Barefeet and t-shirt-wearing! IT IS SPRING (aka one of my two favorite seasons) and I am hereby IN LOVE WITH THE WORLD.

A phone call with happiness.

Taking pictures of people when I think they're not looking. So far, I have not been caught. This is because of my ninja skillz, which I assume everyone knows about by now? Yes? Good.

Cupcake throwing.

So in love with flickr. Such stark loveliness to be found.

Is it junk mail if it comes with a bookmark? On a similar note, I discovered a fondness for hot pink envelopes addressed to "Miss McIntosh." (There was also something addressed simply to "Erin." Just the first name. That means I'm famous, no?)

A happy dance to "Fidelity" by Regina Spektor.

Fresh salad that crunches under my teeth.

People. Beautiful beautiful people, who fill my world with brightness and light and love. I heart you.

I am just exploding with laughter and giant smiles and hope and inspiration and looking-forwardness. "Hopeless; head over heels in the moment."

miss erin makeover

I've been blogging for over three years, and I've kept the same exact template the entire time.

It's recently gotten to the point where I'm practically uninspired to blog anymore, I was that bored with the layout.

Uninspiration be gone!

In which I unveil my new template....


Voila!

(If you're viewing this in a feed, yes, you will have to do the work of coming all the way over to my actual blog to See.)


p.s. I'm still messing with a couple of things, most notably my link list, which I basically deleted and am starting over on. I hadn't updated it in forever; some of the blogs listed aren't even active anymore.

poetry friday: standing

1. AKIBA Scenario, 2. occhi di gatto...EXPLORE...#249, 3. 宮川町 Miyagawa-cho, 4. parasol, 5. It's raining here without you, 6. Lego ergo sum, 7. Cat in the Hat, 8. Le monde pourrait s'effondrer, 9. Look at your face in the Mirror...


Two happinesses
my pair of green, lush
eyes that see
more than the eyes
of a killer
or maybe just more

down a street
you walk, you hold
yourself straight and stiff
with your red thoughts churning
looking at something
you won't let me see
I try to glimpse you

but
consumed is a better word
than want or need

after all that,
I am grateful for
just this, just this
simplicity that cannot be
duplicated
as I lay my head
where you cannot
come

just because I look
down
doesn't mean I'm not okay

I can still touch
what I hold
and see
what I am
and gasp
because I feel,
not because
you are there.


_____
copyright Miss Erin McIntosh, 2009
please do not reprint without permission
Poetry Friday roundup at ayuddha.net