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!
Welcome to J!
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!
Welcome to J!
J is for
 |
| Just Across the Street by Rachel Field |
Just Across the Street
Just across the street,
Just beyond my view,
Just around the corner,
Just in a mile or two -
Just across the river,
Just on up that hill,
Just beyond the rainbow,
Just over rock and rill -
There's just another friend
I have yet to meet
Just another story
Just across the street.
Just beyond my view,
Just around the corner,
Just in a mile or two -
Just across the river,
Just on up that hill,
Just beyond the rainbow,
Just over rock and rill -
There's just another friend
I have yet to meet
Just another story
Just across the street.
©Donna JT Smith, 2014
Here is an interesting and amazing research paper done on Rachel Field. You will want to read this.
Just Across the Street (1933) A contrast of city and country life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I couldn't skip this well-known author. I attended UMO while Stephen King was there, and was among the group on the library steps when he and others spoke out against the Vietnam War. He was an imposing figure even before his writing days
officially began.
 |
| Joyland by Stephen King |
Stephen King was born in
Portland. He attended Durham Elementary School and Lisbon High, and
graduated from the University of Maine in Orono with a degree in English
in 1970. He married another Maine writer, Tabitha (Spruce) King, in
1971.
He was the author of Carrie, Salem's Lot, Misery, The Shining, The Langoliers, and so many more! Many of his works have been
adapted to film, television series, mini-series and movie. King was the 2003 Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American
Letters.
This post was brought to you by the letter J!
Joyous!
Here komes K!
Joyous!
Here komes K!
Nice post Donna !! Love the lines :There's just another friend
ReplyDeleteI have yet to meet
Just another story
Just across the street......:) Just Awesome !!!
Thanks, Julekha! Often I think of this now...how many streets I've crossed to discover new friends and new places.
DeleteI consider blogging one of those streets!
I'm so glad to have met you.
The book by Rachel Field looks like another treasure, Donna. I love that final verse, another friend to meet! There was a time in my reading life that I read almost all of Stephen King's works, especially The Stand, and later recommended them to my students. More recently, his book on writing has been a favorite. I still want to read the JFK one, but haven't. How great that you saw him in the early life!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read the Rachel Field book. It is out of print. But I love the pictures on the cover. I think I've only read Salem's Lot by King. His are just a little too scary for me! I enjoyed watching The Langoliers years ago.
DeleteIf you ever get to Maine, it is worth a trip to Bangor to see King's home and fence of spiders, bats and gargoyles...
DeleteI honestly think that Maine is best known for being the home of Stephen King. When I was in London, nobody could figure out where Maine was until I mentioned Stephen King.I think some of his recent work - Duma Key, Under the Dome, Joyland - is among the best he's written.
ReplyDeleteI may have to try this new book. I don't like really scary stuff any more though, so...
DeleteHaven't read Joyland, but I loved that poem. Beautiful. I'm always timid about heading just across the street, but what kind of awesomeness am I missing out on?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Crystal! Yeah, sometimes crossing the street can be a pretty big deal.
DeleteI like the poem - lyrical and uplifting almost skiptoable.
ReplyDeletePerle Champion at
Perle’s Ink,
freelance words & art
Hmmm. Yes, it is skiptoable. Hand me my jumprope! Maybe the pictures on the book made their way into my subconscious poetic mind to start the rhythm for the rhyme!
DeleteLove the message here about the importance of relationships, made all the more meaningful by the efforts we sometimes need to take to cross that street. Nice, Donna!
ReplyDeleteThanks, MIchelle. And thanks for hosting Poetry Friday today. I got so caught up in making sure I'd posted this for A-to-Z that I forgot to mention Poetry Friday in it. It's late at night now...guess I messed up that!
DeleteNo biggee, Donna. Hadn't even noticed!
DeleteThank you, J! I enjoyed the Maine facts and loved the poem "Just Across the Street."
ReplyDeleteViolet N.
Thank you, Violet! Glad you enjoyed it!
DeleteJoyous, indeed! I love your poem, and may have to steal the idea of using a book title as the inspiration for a poem. By the way, I was at UMO in the late 70's, when Stephen King was teaching there. I didn't take any of his classes, but people definitely weren't shy about boasting about being in his classes!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I found this to be lots of fun. As long as the object is to just go with the title and not the content of the book, then the door is wide open.
DeleteThose must have been some classes. I had forgotten that he taught some classes there, too. Would have liked to have gotten in on some of those!
Love the possibilities in your poem! We JUST need to look and we'll find friends and stories!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mary Lee! I've found more new friends lately while traveling, blogging or just being out and about lately!
Delete