“Reading poetry is an adventure in renewal, a creative act, a perpetual beginning, a rebirth of wonder.”
(Edward Hirsh)
I don’t remember how or where or when I stumbled on Marilyn Singer’s poetry, but I am so happy that I did!
An early children’s poetry book that I scooped up was Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reverso Poems (2010, Dutton’s Children’s Books). It was an impulse buy based on how intriguing I found the poems. My kids would’ve loved this form because it extends the experience beyond reading. The form creates a puzzle and dangles an invitation for the reader to look a second (or third or fourth!) time to see how and why it works.
After reading Marilyn’s other reverso poems, I’ve begun to play with the form. It may even work for a picture book WIP that’s been stuck “in the drawer” for a bit. Here’s a link to Marilyn’s many other poetry books!
Stay tuned! Meanwhile, enjoy these two poems from Mirror Mirror:
Cinderella’s Double Life
Isn’t life unfair?
Stuck in a corner,
while they’re waiting for a chance
with the prince,
dancing waltz after waltz
at the ball,
I’ll be shining
these shoes
till the clock strikes midnight.
Till the clock strikes midnight,
these shoes!
I’ll be shining
at the ball,
dancing waltz after waltz
with the prince
while they’re waiting for a chance,
stuck in a corner.
Isn’t life unfair?
The Road
It may be such
a fairy-tale secret,
this much
I know:
The road leads
wherever
you need to go.
You need to go
wherever
the road leads—
I know this much.
A fairy-tale secret?
It may be such.
by Marilyn Singer
Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reverso Poems
2010, Penguin Young Readers
Patricia Franz is a kidlit writer and published poet. She believes children, dogs, and sourdough have a lot to teach us about life, joy, and wonder. She has raised two boys, four dogs, and holds a master’s degree in Theology with a focus on children’s spirituality. Patricia, her husband, her Bernese Mountain dog, Bonny, and her sourdough starter split their time between the Arizona desert and the Sierra Nevada mountains. 