I love this photo, and if had started reading at his age, maybe my whole life would have been different. As it was, my life is more complicated than I ever thought it would be. That is, because I wear many hats in my so-called "retirement."
We all wear different hats in life, especially as we
get older. My hats include those of a husband, father, grandparent, uncle,
friend, teacher, essayist, instructor, tutor, performer, golfer, biker,
children’s poet, and an adult poet.
Over the past
three decades I have written many children’s poems. During that time, I sometimes have played
this recording in my head, “Someday I am going to get more serious about
writing adult poetry and join an official writing group.” Now I feel old enough, and I have taken the
plunge. I am more than willing to share my poetry for adults and chase around
for publishers.
I feel passionately about poetry, whether it’s
written for children or adults. Exactly how passionately? Well, I have strong
beliefs about the value of poetry. I am working on a poetry handbook for
homeschoolers, and what follows is an excerpt from the introduction:
“Poetry
can help you understand the world better and yourself better. Poetry can
provide an avenue for you to untangle mixed-up feelings. Poetry can make you
laugh and encourage you to take problems in stride. Poetry can give you words
of courage to remember in times of stress.
Poetry
can be a friend that goes wherever you go. Poems can be tucked into your book
bag or your brain matter, and taken with you on any journey, short or long. In
other words, poetry can play an important part in your life as a road map to
courage, compassion, laughter, fun, success, and self-knowledge. This will
become clearer as you read on.
Getting
involved in poetry can make you a better listener, observer, reader and writer.
Most kids will admire your brain power, and adults will clap wildly as you
enter the room. (Okay, am exaggerating about the loud applauds, but you can do
that in poetry—exaggerate, and you tickle someone’s funny-bone. You have the
power to make others laugh or to take your words seriously.) Poetry is great stuff, and best
of all: you’re the boss of your words. You can do whatever you set out to
achieve, if you are determined.”
I am determined to share what I have learned and
what others have learned about the world through poetry. I have a popular
website for kids, parents, and teachers at www.joe-sottile.com
, which features a monthly poetry contest for kids in grades 1-12 and photos of
where “Silly” Sottile was last seen usually doing poetry.
You can help me to blog more often about what I
believe in as a poet and person who wears many hats, if you become one of my
“followers” at http://poetryinsider.blogspot.com My main goal is to blog about stuff that is meaningful to writers and change
the world on poem at a time.
