Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Ayuh to Z Challenge - H

My theme: Book Titles A to Z written by Maine authors,
and a poem for that title each day for the month of April.  The poem is not about the book, but is written with the title as inspiration!
I wanted to highlight an adult fictional novel by a Maine author this time for the poem, but I've also included two more books for ages 8-12 below, that also have H titles by a Maine author.


Welcome to H!
H is for
The Hungry Ocean
by Linda Greenlaw

 The Hungry Ocean
When I was just a little girl
I combed the ocean side
I walked the beach both up and down
And then from side to side

I looked for little treasures:
Rubber bands and small containers
Bits of glass, tool handles,
A metal spoon, dish drainers,
Rubber tires, some driftwood,
A shoe, a belt, a sock;
And if I was very lucky,
A really smooth flat rock.

Sometimes some bones would wash ashore
And we’d pretend to fish;
I’d fry them up with salt and sand
And serve on a rock dish

We took what we could find
As it washed on the beach;
And we would gather in
Whatever we could reach.
We set up house, we made some meals,
We played all day on rocks;
Only when we went inside
Would we wear shoes and socks.

We didn’t need the store bought toys
With shells and rocks outside;
Fodder for our brains and hands,
Our toys were made seaside.

And when the tide rolled in again,
Waves covering all the bay,
The hungry ocean ate them up,
And they were washed away.
Tomorrow’s tide would bring to us
New adventures on the shore
The ocean, though it’s hungry,
Would give to us once more.

©Donna JT Smith, 2014
Linda Greenlaw is one of the most successful fishermen in the Grand Banks commercial fleet.  Greenlaw's boat, the Hannah Boden, was the sister ship to the doomed Andrea Gail, which disappeared in the mother of all storms in 1991 and became the focus of Junger's book, "The Perfect Storm".  She lives on Isle au Haut.
The Hungry Ocean is an account of Greenlaw and crew on a month long swordfishing trip of over 1,000 nautical miles out to sea.  This is not children's literature.  It's a grown up book for grown-ups!

The Hole in the Wall
by Lisa Fraustino
Lisa Rowe Fraustino was born in Guilford, Maine, lives in Pennsylvania and summers in Bowerbank on Sebec Lake in Maine.

Written in 2010, The Hole in the Wall is for 8 to 12 year olds. Sebby finds an escape from his bickering family.  It's a Hole in the Wall leading to a beautiful area in the middle of a mining area behind his home. But then strange things begin happening.

Hubknuckles
by Emily Herman

Hubknuckles - Every Halloween, Hubknuckles pays a visit to Lee and her younger sisters and baby brother. They watch the ghostly figure from the kitchen window.  But this year, Lee has decided that Hubknuckles isn’t real. She about to get a surprise.

Emily Herman and her family live in Five Islands, Maine, where, according to the author, a ghost named Hubknuckles pays an annual Halloween visit! Again, this author lives close by.

Brought to you by the letter H!

Heavenly!

8 comments:

  1. I think it's great you're getting the word out about authors from your state! The poem makes me want to be out in the ocean again...a reminder to get some sand and and sea soon.

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    1. There is nothing like the sand and sea. Love it in winter, too!

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  2. Argh-my comment was eaten! So, I remember Linda Greenlaw's name from reading The Perfect Storm. Her book would be interesting too I think-love those nature books! And your poem is a sweet thought, the playing outside on the beach. How wonderful it would be! Love "Our toys were made seaside." Yep, that's all that's needed!

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    1. There aren't nearly as many "toys" on the beach now. I think people were more inclined to dump in the ocean when I was a child. So we'd find lots of stuff besides shells and rocks. I loved "housekeeping" on the rocks and spent many hours at my grandparents beach combing.

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  3. Donna, I love this poem! It's been a little while since I've stopped in, but I remember hitting your blog before. Was it last year?

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    1. Hi, Crystal! Yes, I just checked back in time...and saw you visited for my anniversary post back in September! Nice to see you again! I stopped by yours today. Loved your tribute to your Hero - your dad!

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  4. Visiting on the 9th day of the #atozchallenge. What a great topic to bring to people outside Maine. I hope you get recognition from them for your generosity in posting their books during the month. Love the look of your site! Appreciate the focus on the writing easily read. Know you will make lots of new friends.I'm writing about gardening and related topics if you have time or interest. Come and visit.

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  5. What a great idea for your April blogs. Thanks for sharing! Your poem really had me walking the beach with you, though I have spent my life in landlocked Nebraska and Colorado.

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