Happy Poetry Friday!
I’m partaking in the Poetry Sister’s November prompt to write a poem in the style of Valerie Worth. I enjoyed reading some of her poems and look forward to reading more! Thanks to all—Visit their sites to read their poetic responses: Tanita, Laura, Mary Lee, Liz, Sara, Tricia, Kelly, and Andi. Find more poems from this prompt tagged with #PoetryPals.
Here’re some thoughts on Valerie Worth’s poems from the poet herself:
“I’m trying to catch hold of things and put them into poems; poems that would somehow express the essential qualities of an object or an experience, so that somebody else could read what I’d written and think, ‘Yes, that’s right. I’ve seen that myself.’ So many poets have done this for me. I’ve tried to do the same for others, especially children, who are encountering so much for the first time and are responding to what they see so directly and intensely.”
Also check out Irene Latham’s blog, Live Your Poem, where she highlighted many of Valerie Worth’s poetry over a few posts, here’s one of them.
Renée LaTulippe at her blog No Water River, also featured a post on Valerie Worth, in one of her Spotlight on NCTE Poets with Lee Bennett Hopkins.
I wrote two poems, and after writing the first didn’t think it came close enough to Valerie Worth’s style so jumped into a second one. I’m sharing the second one first.
EXTRAORDINARY…
Nighttime sky
nighttime sky
I night-gaze you
as you pass by.
Ordinary,
you
how can that be?
Every night
you change
with constancy.
Some nights
you’re a deep-dark mix
of winsor blues,
others
cloud-patched
milky stew.
But sometimes
you surprise
our city sky,
and fill our eyes
and hearts
with flutters
and whys…
Just
last week
this sure
was true
when Leonids
stars grew
two by two,
four by four
and more and more
bright and glittering
as we cast our gaze on
s-p-e-c-t-a-c-u-l-a-r
YOU!
© 2023 Michelle Kogan, draft
Here’s some info on the Leonids meteor shower.
Here was my first attempt, presently waiting for a title:
Leonids stars
filled more sky
than any other
city-night sky.
I flicker-counted
my windowful view,
they seemed to flicker back
how-do-you-do.
I stared so long
I stared so hard
a crook took my neck
and sleep my eyes…
I dragged my feet
off into bed…
While dreams of Leo
twinkled in my head…
© 2023 Michelle Kogan, draft
Ruth Bowen Hersey at her blog There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town is hosting this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup, thanks Ruth! She has asked us to speak to something we are thankful for or some joy in our life. I’m truly thankful for nature and all of its abundant offerings–and of recent our wonderful sky and stars that fill it almost nightly. I’m also very thankful for family, we are there for each other through all kinds of weather. And also I’m continuously thankful for this embracing Poetry Friday community, which I learn, grow from, and am able to breathe just a bit lighter, xox. Thanks Ruth for having us ponder here!
Hope all had a Happy and Joyful Thanksgiving!
Michelle Kogan Illustration, Painting, & Writing 
Arguably Valerie Worth’s style comes to roost in BOTH of those versions, MK. I took the excuse of this challenge to scour a few used bookstores for more of her books I hadn’t read. I found some surprises! She took Mary Oliver’s “Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” to some unique places.
Hope you had a lovely Thursday, with enough comfort and family and friendship to overflow your cup.
I took the challenge, too, Michelle, & it wasn’t easy after reading many of Worth’s poems, was it? It feels like you did a great job, showing us a new look at the night sky. I love the idea of a “cloud-patched/milky stew” and the “flicker back
how-do-you-do.” Have a lovely weekend!
I see what Tanita’s saying, but in terms of actual craft, I think your 2nd poem comes closer. I’m a long-time connoisseuse of VW’s work (use it ALL THE TIME in my workshops with kids), and I’m sad I missed this festival of small poems this week. I like her also because she reminds me how to write without inserting too much of myself into a poem–“I”s are very few if any! I especially like “But sometimes/ you surprise/ our city sky” and the first stanza of poem #1.
Yes…it’s just like that. Well done, Michelle. Love your ‘Dream’ bookmark. I hope you get lots and lots of customers at your etsy shop this year!
Wasn’t this a fun deep dive? I want to keep my Valerie Worth lenses on so I can continue to see the world the way she did and keep trying to write in her style! The third stanza of “Extraordinary” is my favorite! The artist in you peeks out through your word choice!
Valerie Worth is a ‘worthy’ mentor. (sorry, I couldn’t resist 😉 ) You captured her style very well, Michelle. I especially love your line “change with constancy” – perfect way to articulate the ‘extraordinary’ night sky. 🙂
Michelle, I’m so glad you played along! I think was a hard challenge. It’s difficult to find the balance of economy of words and deep imagery. I know I struggled. I like both versions of your poems, but particularly love “cloud-patched/milky stew.”
You closely examined the sky, like Valerie Worth would, attending to the details, “Winsor blue” and “cloud-patched milky stew,” and the look of it on the page is like Worth’s poetry, too, welcoming. I do like the first poem better because it expands to include the nighttime sky. It’s lovely!
All we can do is try, right? I love holding Valerie Worth as our aspiration – and the Leonids as our inspiration.
Michelle, it was fun to read your two Valerie Worth inspirations! You did make me say–that’s right when I read in your first poem about the variety of night skies:
“Some nights
you’re a deep-dark mix
of winsor blues,
others
cloud-patched
milky stew.”
I always try to look out each night and see what she’s doing up there.
I love this phrase, as well: “my windowful view”
Wow, these (both versions) are SO FINE. I’m especially fond of milky stew, but honestly — all of it is so visceral!
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