August 22, 2019

Poetry Friday--In Memory of Lee Bennett Hopkins

I decided to step away from my Poetry Friday hiatus to participate in a celebration to honor children's poetry champion, Lee Bennett Hopkins. Lee died on August 8, 2019.

I have used a line from his poem, "City," which is found in City I Love (Abrams, 2009):
A hydrant is my swimming pool.
It is the inspiration for a cherita and I've altered a photo by John Vachon, taken in 1941, to illustrate it.


© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.

Text:

a hydrant is my swimming pool

a respite from city heat
mere minutes in the moment

laughter of friends the memento
--a valve waiting to be reopened
at a moment's notice

I never had the opportunity to meet Lee in person, but I did participate in a Highlights Foundation workshop back in 2017 in which he video conferenced with the attendees. I corresponded with him briefly about a poem being considered for a future anthology. Sadly, the project was subsequently canceled by the publisher and I wasn't able to brag, "I'm in a Lee Bennett Hopkins anthology!"

Find more tribute poems at The Poem Farm where Amy Ludwig VanDerwater is hosting today's special celebration #DearOneLBH. Many thanks to Jone MacCulloch for originally suggesting we share LBH's poems by using them as a springboard to something new.
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20 comments:

  1. Amy LVAugust 23, 2019 at 2:59 PM

    Yes - "mere minutes in the moment" - it all seems to go so quickly sometimes, but the "laughter of friends" keeps us in a spirit of hope. Thank you for joining us today, for coming back from your hiatus to celebrate Lee. Happy Poetry Friday, Diane! xx

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    1. Diane MayrAugust 23, 2019 at 10:35 PM

      Thanks again Amy for hosting this celebration. I am in the middle of a move into a small apartment. It's been painful in more ways than one. I finally moved the cat over this afternoon, so tonight is our first night "living" here. Wish us luck!

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  2. Linda MitchellAugust 23, 2019 at 5:25 PM

    What a perfect summer moment caught in the photo and your words! I love it. "laughter of friends." is such a great phrase. Lee said in one interview that laughter was his favorite sound. Good catch, you!

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    1. Diane MayrAugust 23, 2019 at 10:37 PM

      It's more a matter of synchronicity, Linda, than a catch!

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  3. Robyn Hood BlackAugust 23, 2019 at 6:27 PM

    Oh, I'm so glad you interrupted your PF break to share this, Diane - such an apt image, that "valve waiting to be reopened" at any time - for poetry, for friendships, for the kinds of inspirations Lee will continue to splash us all with whenever we read his books. XO

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    1. Diane MayrAugust 23, 2019 at 10:40 PM

      It's nice to be back visiting with old poetry friends, it's just too bad it's as a result of Lee's passing.

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  4. Linda BAugust 23, 2019 at 8:15 PM

    Several are writing from "City I Love", a favorite of mine, too, Diane. I'm glad to see you here, celebrating Lee's life together, & love that cherita's "laughter of friends the memento" - perfect!

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    1. Diane MayrAugust 23, 2019 at 10:45 PM

      Thanks, Linda! I'm going to try to visit all the LBH poems this weekend.

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  5. Carol VarsalonaAugust 23, 2019 at 8:49 PM

    Diane, I have missed you and am so glad that you are here today. Because of you, I have moved beyond my comfort zone and have tried cheritas. I love learning from you. Your fire hydrant poem reminds me of a splash site in Winchester, VA that we passed last week in Olde Town. While there were no hydrants there were many children running in and out of the small geyser-like water sprouts. "a respite from city heat" - Yes, the heat in Winchester warranted many children taking advantage of cool water runs. We are all here, "laughter of friends the memento." May I capture this image poem for my Embraceable Summer Gallery collection/ This is an embraceable summer moment cherita.

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    1. Diane MayrAugust 23, 2019 at 10:47 PM

      I'm glad you're trying cheritas. They've become my favorite form! And, yes, you may capture my poem for the collection! Thanks for asking!

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    2. Carol VarsalonaAugust 24, 2019 at 8:16 AM

      Many thanks, Diane.

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  6. RuthAugust 24, 2019 at 9:32 AM

    I like all the Ms. Thanks for this!

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  7. RamonaAugust 24, 2019 at 12:57 PM

    Love this phrase, "laughter of friends the memento" and the idea that Lee's words are the valve that can be reopened again and again. Thanks for joining the celebration.

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    1. Diane MayrAugust 25, 2019 at 7:53 AM

      I'm happy to celebrate with all the P. F. peeps once again.

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  8. Mary LeeAugust 25, 2019 at 9:14 AM

    Welcome back! (Good luck in your new apartment!)

    This roundup has been as refreshing as a hydrant-swimming pool!

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  9. Michelle Heidenrich BarnesAugust 25, 2019 at 9:20 AM

    This is the line that speaks to me most:
    a valve waiting to be reopened

    I know you didn't use it in this context, but I feel like that describes my state of poetry limbo that I, more or less, walk around in most of the time. It's not all that comfortable, but I do like when the hydrant lets loose.

    Such a delight to find Random Noodling on my PF rounds this weekend, Diane!

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  10. Renee LaTulippeAugust 25, 2019 at 5:02 PM

    As others have noted, that line "valve waiting to be reopened / at a moment's notice" just jumps off the page. Thank you for this lovely memory poem, Diane!

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  11. KayAugust 25, 2019 at 6:13 PM

    I love reading your cheritas--you make it look so easy (but not so easy when I try to write one myself). This is just lovely, and the combination with the photo is perfect. Good luck to you and your cat with the move. I hope the first night was peaceful.

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  12. LindaAugust 25, 2019 at 6:41 PM

    Your cheritas inspire me to try one. One day soon, I'll give it a go!

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