Poetry Friday: A year of RAINBOWS, and the PF Roundup!

On April 2, 2026April 3, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry20 Comments

Welcome to National Poetry Month!

Has it been one year already? Indeed, it has!

I’m so excited to be hosting Poetry Friday AND celebrating the one-year Book Birthday of my debut children’s poetry anthology A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025)!

Feel free to leave your links in the comments, and I’ll round them up old-school style.

Rainbows is my 12th book, and although I’ve contributed to numerous anthologies by other folks over the years, this is the first anthology I’ve created myself, and it was a dream-come-true.

In advance of the book’s publication, I did a lot of blog interviews, and I remember one of the most common questions was, “What was the hardest part of putting the book together?” Many folks assumed it was tracking down the poets to see if they would contribute to it; that, I can tell you, was the easiest part!

All the amazingly talented individuals in the book are friends and acquaintances of mine, and we all knew each other in some way, shape, or form through Lee Bennett Hopkins and his anthologies. Although he didn’t know it at the time, I had always planned to dedicate the book to him (he had agreed to write the flower poem for me), so when he passed before I was able to sign the contract, I decided the book would be a memorial to him as much as a dedication.

It was only fitting that so many of his friends joined together to create this book – and I’m honored they were willing to do so:

What was the most difficult aspect of creating this book? The RESEARCH! Even the submission process was easier – and that’s saying something. I sent my proposal to a couple of Lee’s past editors and Kathleen Merz at Eerdmans reached out to me just a few months after I’d emailed her.

The research, though…

Oh, my gosh – the research. There were so many things I discovered that I had never known about, like moonbows, pilot’s glories, Caño Cristales (the river of Five Colors), the Gouldian finch, and so many more! I couldn’t include everything, so I needed to weed through the subjects and pick the most intriguing, with the most captivating stories. Like this one:

*^{© 2025 Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, all rights reserved; click to enlarge}*

Georgia Heard’s “Garden of Stars,” about the Rainbow Nebula in the constellation Orion, is the final poem of the collection – and what amazing artwork by fellow New Hampshirite Jamey Christoph! (That’s right, a couple of NH boys put this thing together!)

If you haven’t picked up a copy, I hope you’ll at least check it out at your local library. For a 56-page children’s book with 22 poems, sidebars, illustrations, a glossary, and reference details to learn more, it’s a heck of a deal at less than $20.

Again, leave your links below and I’ll be sure to share them throughout the day!

(If we’ve not yet connected on Instagram, please find me! I’d love to keep in touch. From new releases to blog posts to poetry and more, Instagram is a great way to learn more about your interests, and to connect with the folks who interest you.)

TODAY IN THE KIDLITOSPHERE:

Janie Scully offers two springtime flower poems (and a recently-published esophagus poem!) at Salt City Verse.
Tracey Kiff-Judson is celebrating two of my favorite subjects – dinosaurs and poetry – with author/poet Suzy Levinson.
Over at Jama’s Alphabet Soup, Jama is kicking off National Poetry Month with a spotlight on Andrea Poto’s newest poetry collection, and also be sure to check out her April 1 list of all the kidlitosphere NPM happenings!
The annual Progressive Poem is back for another year, and today Patricia Franz adds her line!
Denise Krebs is taking part in a project called Ethical ELA and shares two new poems at Dare to Care.
Michelle Kogan is feeling inspired by backyard birds this month, and shares a new poem about the red-bellied woodpecker.
Today is Holy Week for Christians worldwide and Alice Nine is celebrating with a collection of poems various poets.

My schedule of school visits for the 2026 Spring Semester is filling up!

I love sharing with students my love of poetry, the writing process, dinsoaurs, and lots of other things! So if you think you might be interested in having me visit your school – either in-person or virtually – check out all the presentations I offer below, then email me at Matt (at) MattForrest (dot) com!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic things! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be showing students rainbow-colored bacteria, discussing dinosaur breath, or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

You can purchase personally-signed copies of Flashlight Night, (Astra Young Readers, 2017), Don’t Ask a Dinosaur (Pow! Kids Books, 2018), and nearly EVERY book or anthology I’ve been part of!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

Just click the cover of whichever book you want and send a comment to the good folks at MainStreet BookEnds in Warner, NH requesting my signature and to whom I should make it out. (alternatively, you can log onto my website and do the same thing) They’ll contact me, I’ll stop by and sign it, and then they’ll ship it! (Plus, you’ll be supporting your local bookseller – and won’t that make you feel good?)

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

To keep abreast of all my posts, please consider subscribing via the links up there on the right! (I usually only post once or twice a week – usually Tues. and Fri. – so you won’t be inundated with emails every day) . Also feel free to visit my voiceover website HERE, and you can also follow me via Twitter , Facebook, Instagram, and SoundCloud

Poetry Friday: Celebrating National Weed Appreciation Day 2026 with John Agard

On March 26, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry20 Comments

Honestly, I had no idea this coming Sunday was National Weed Appreciation Day until I stumbled upon it online. (thanks, internet!) But I knew there just HAD to be an appropriate poem to go with it.

Sure enough, John Agard, the esteemed British Guyana children’s writer and poet, came to the rescue:

Weeds

For just happening to be
in the wrong place
you are well maligned

labelled parasite
invader trespasser
in short non grata

the unwelcome guests
with no plan to depart
in the near future.

The laidback scroungers
who make their bed
wherever they creep.

But with such poetic
names to live up to… (continue reading HERE)

– © 2009, John Agard, all rights reserved
.

I love this poem, and I hope you’ll read the rest of it.

Marcie Flinchum Atkins is hosting today’s Poetry Friday roundup and is celebrating twilight – both the time of day AND her new book, When Twilight Comes, her new nonfiction picture book!

My schedule of school visits for the 2026 Spring Semester is filling up!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: Welcome, spring!

On March 20, 2026March 20, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry17 Comments

It’s been one of the coldest winters on record here in New Hampshire, so the first day of spring is a welcome sight!

I’ve been out straight the best couple of weeks with school visits (in fact, I just wrapped up a 5-day writer-in-residency at a local elementary school – whew!), and was wondering what to post today when I realized this sunrise photo was speaking to me.

It’s certainly not your typical sunrise photo – looking more ominous and foreboding than cheerful and promising – but it was certainly an arresting sight, had you seen it in person.

During my residency, I worked with every class in the school; I shared some of my poetry and that of friends like Georgia Heard, Laura Purdie Salas, and others, introduced students to some of the many ways one can write poetry, and then we all worked on group projects creating our own poems! It was a lot of fun for me and for the kids, and I’m looking forward to sharing some of their incredible writing in the next couple of weeks

(If you’d be interested in learning more about my school/library visits, please send me an email so we can chat!)

Today, however, we have more poetry throughout the kidlitosphere, and Tanita Davis is rounding it all up at her blog So Many Books, So Little Time, where she is hosting the Poetry Friday roundup with a challenge to write an ovillejo poem: a classic Spanish form you’ve likely never heard of, that’s been around for hundreds of years, and was popularized by Cervantes! Jump in!

My schedule of school visits for the 2026 Spring Semester is filling up!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: Sharing an award (and a library shelf!) with Joyce Sidman

On March 12, 2026March 12, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry10 Comments

I was visiting our local library this week perusing some of the new titles, when I discovered this:

This was a nice surprise, not only because we’re friends and the fact that Joyce contributed to my poetry anthology A Universe of Rainbows (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025) with her poem “Along the Zambezi” (about moonbows). These books also reeived the same recognition as 2026 NCTE Notable Poetry Books at the National Council of Teachers of English convention this past November!

Moreover, Joyce’s Dear Acorn includes a poem about – guess what? – RAINBOWS!

*^{© 2025 Clarion Books, all rights reserved; click to enlarge}*

In her book, Joyce poetically personifies the natural world with messages and “letters” from such subjects as an oak tree, rain droplets, and even the sky itself! I hope you get a chance to read it, because you’ll be a happier person once you do.

Of course, I need to share her ‘other’ poem, from Rainbows:

*^{© 2025 Eerdmans BFYR, all rights reserved; click to enlarge}*

Thank you, Joyce, for gifting the world with your words – and for gifting my book with your poem! And congratulations on the NCTE Notable recognition, as well. I’m so honored to see my book next to yours, literally and figuratively.

It may be Friday the 13th, but Linda Baie at Teacher Dance isnt worried at all – she’s hosting the Poetry Friday roundup with a short, touching poem about the rain, lost loved ones, and angels.

My schedule of school visits for the 2026 Spring Semester is filling up!

I love chatting with students about creativity, poetry, the writing process, dinsoaurs, and lots of other things! So if you think you might be interested in having me visit your school – either in-person or virtually – check out all the presentations I offer below, then email me at Matt (at) MattForrest (dot) com!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be showing students rainbow-colored bacteria, discussing dinosaur breath, or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: Celebrating Women’s History Month with astronomer Caroline Herschel

On March 5, 2026March 5, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry15 Comments

You may have heard of William Herschel, the German-born astronomer famous for his discovery of the planet Uranus as well as his pioneering work in developing the use of telescopes and astronomical spectrophotometry in his search of the cosmos.

You may not, however, have heard of his sister, Caroline, who worked closely with him most of her life. An astronomer in her own right, she not only discovered several comets (including 35P/Herschel–Rigollet, due to return to the Earth in 2092), but was also the first woman scientist to receive a salary!

And yes, that may seem like a strange distinction, but way back in the late 1700’s, even men often didn’t receive salaries for their scientific work – so when she began receiving wages for assisting her brother, it was a big deal.

So, being the astronomy fan I am, and wanting to recognize Women’s History Month in a poetic fashion, I thought I would share this poem, penned by a woman born in my own birth city, Baltimore, MD:
.

Planetarium

…..Thinking of Caroline Herschel (1750—1848)
…..astronomer, sister of William; and others.

A woman in the shape of a monster
a monster in the shape of a woman
the skies are full of them

a woman …..‘in the snow
among the Clocks and instruments
or measuring the ground with poles’

in her 98 years to discover
8 comets

she whom the moon ruled
like us
levitating into the night sky
riding the polished lenses

Galaxies of women, there
doing penance for impetuousness… (read the rest HERE)

– © 2016 The Adrienne Rich Literary Trust
.

Known for her powerful, feminist, and often political poetry, Rich passed in 2012, leaving behind a cataloque of deeply personal yet widely accessible poems inspired both by her politics and her personal relationships. I was particularly taken with this poem, due to its subject matter and broader context. I hope you like it.

More poetry can be found at today’s Poetry Friday Roundup, where Karen Edmisten is hosting the festivities with an original poem insired by the work of current US Poet Laureate Arthur Sze.

My schedule of school visits for the 2026 Spring Semester is filling up!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be showing students rainbow-colored bacteria, discussing dinosaur breath, or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: More student poetry (MY student, that is!)

On February 19, 2026February 21, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry18 Comments

My daughter has always been an artist.

When she was barely 2, she drew a hand picking up stones – it looked like lines and squiggly circles, but that’s what she said it was. I tested her a week or so later, and she confirmed this to be true! I realized that even at that young age, she was drawing with intention. (You can read more about this, along with the poem I wrote to go with it, HERE)

Since then, she has continued to show great skill – and she hasn’t even hit her teens yet!

(By the way, those two pencil sketches were drawn in about 30-35 minutes, each – how that’s even possible, I’m not sure)

You can understand, therefore, why I was so happy to learn that one of her school projects was to write a poem – and she did a fantastic job!

Using photos from IPAC’s “Astropix” website, the students were told to write “Astropoetry,” poetry about the cosmos – from stars and planets to nebulae and black holes. My daughter found a photo she liked, and then wrote her poem:

Untitled

It’s a galaxy full of dots, a flowing void with eyes.
A giant glittery ocean, an overwhelming sky
pink and pretty, shiny and bold –
a glass of pink lemonade, calming and cold.
It’s just like summer, with clouds and such.
A colorful scenery, the perfect touch.

– © 2026 Esenwine, all rights reserved
.

I don’t recall that she’s written a poem before, as she has only begun truly enjoying reading in the past year, now that she’s discovered manga. She’s always been a good reader, she just never enjoyed it – so I’m happy this seems to be lighting a fire. Her older brother (who used to claim he didn’t like poetry, sigh) started writing poetry when he was around her age, so who knows what either of them will end up creating in the future. I’m eager to find out!

For today’s complete Poetry Friday Roundup, head on over to Chicken Spaghetti where Susan Thomsen is hosting the festivities with a draft of an original poem celebrating ‘winter flurries.”

My schedule of school visits for the 2026 Spring Semester is filling up!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be showing students rainbow-colored bacteria, discussing dinosaur breath, or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: “Zombies in Love”

On February 12, 2026February 13, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry22 Comments

With everything going on in the world – and the fact that today is Friday the 13th – it just feels like we need something completely preposterous. Allow me to present…
.

Zombies in Love

My girlfriend’s a zombie.
Our true love is grand.
Whenever we’re walking,
we always hold hands.

When she first caught my eye
I knew we’d never part.
She gave me her love,
and I gave her my heart.

.
(And just in case you didn’t catch the double-entendres, you might want to re-read that.) 😉

Happy Valentine’s Day, though – I hope you liked it!

Speaking of love, I do want to take a quick moment and send some “love” to the folks at the Children’s Department of the Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library in Philadelphia. They showed some “love” for my book Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) by sharing the book on their Facebook page.

I also want to thank our Poetry Friday friend Jama Rattigan for sharing the news about MY friend, Charles Ghigna, and his new book The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s First Poems (World of Eric Carle, 2026), featuring illustrations by (of course) HIS good friend, the late, great Eric Carle.

(Charles and I wrote Once Upon Another Time (Beaming Books, 2021) and have collaborated on several of my anthologies)

From subjects like baby animals and rainbows (YAY!) to fun, toddler-appropriate activities like hand-clapping and swinging, this board book is a colorful addition to the youngest libraries.

Be sure to check out Jama’s review today, and for even more poetry, check out the complete Poetry Friday Roundup at Life on the Deckle Edge, where Robyn Hood Black is hosting the festivities with an original haiku borne from her love of retreats, collages, and journals!

I am booking school visits for the 2026 Spring Semester!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be showing students rainbow-colored bacteria, discussing dinosaur breath, or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: Looking back at a “Winter Morning”

On February 5, 2026February 7, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry22 Comments

This winter has felt like one of the coldest winters I can recall. Temperatures have been below freezing for what seems like weeks – we had a couple of days that got above freezing the third week of January, but other than that, it’s just day after day and night after night of single digits and teens.

Today, it actually hit 28F and I thought it was a heat wave!

So I spent some time looking back at some of the winter poems I’ve shared in the past and discovered one of my favorites, originally posted six years ago in 2020. (Pre-COVID – boy, those were the days…)

Considering the weather, I thought this perfect to share today:

It might be frigid, but it has been a busy week, at least. I’ve got a new wordless picture book manuscript I’m working on (thank you, StoryStorm!), a new anthology proposal I’m putting together, more school visits to coordinate, and I needed to make a few special visits to local bookstores (and a library!) to sign stock.

Oh, and of course, I graced a couple of covers with shiny new seals…

(Thank you again to NCTE for designating Rainbows a 2026 NCTE Notable Poetry Book, and the Northern Lights Book Awards, recognizing Stargazing as the Best Picture Book in their Mindfulness Category!)

Molly Hogan is hosting today’s Poetry Friday festivities at Nix the Comfort Zone, where she accepted an Inklings’ challenge to write a poem after Wendell Berry’s “Like Snow,” so head on over to check out her poem and the complete Roundup!

I am booking school visits for the 2026 Spring Semester!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be showing students rainbow-colored bacteria, discussing dinosaur breath, or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: Looking back at 2025, thanks to Jama!

On January 30, 2026January 30, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry16 Comments

It’s been a long, busy week.

Aside from all the worries and travails we’ve been dealing with collectively here in this country and the world, I’ve been dealing with anxiety and stress for my own personal reasons: working on a manuscript that may never see the light of day, visiting a school out of state, and talking to my kids about why respect, justice, and responsibility appear nonexistent these days.

My son and I are both on the spectrum, and have what I refer to as our “autistic sense of justice” – we see things in black and white, good and bad (even though I realize the world is primarily varying shades of gray). If we witness a wrong, it’s very upsetting – and there have been WAY too many wrongs going on lately.

So I’ve been trying to explain to him why people behave in certain ways, how to respond to them appropriately, and how to not let anxiety get the better of ourselves.

It’s not easy.

Especially when I have to explain things like the National Ice Out Day today – the benefits of which I still question. I’m not opposed to people protesting and making a nationwide show of solidarity, but I’m not sure things like this actually effect the change we’re hoping for. Suggesting no work, no school, etc. is asking a lot. What about people who depend on their hourly wage? Will they feel guilty if they go to work, or will they feel guilty if they lose their job for not going to work? My wife is a healthcare provider at our local hospital; is she expected to not show up and leave her patients hanging? How is she supposed to feel?

And schools, for many kids, are a safe space. What happens when their teachers, their confidantes, are not there?

Again, I fully support the sentiment, but I’m not convinced this is the right way – or even an effective way – to do it. We had an Ice Out Day back in January, remember? Didn’t really make much of a difference now, did it? Because he we are, doing it again. And please understand, I’m not condemning anyone for feeling the need to protest; we all feel like we need to do something, and that’s understandable. I just feel that ballot boxes and one-on-one conversations – even difficult conversations – are where we’re going to see the real change.

So – this is an overly long explanation for why I just haven’t been in the head space to put together a Poetry Friday post. And it’s not something that happens very frequently. Leave it to my friend and fellow blogger Jama Rattigan, for providing a ray of sunshine!

I have to thank Jama for coming to the rescue with her retrospective of all her Poetry Friday posts from 2025! She is back from her holiday hiatus and shares links to every one of her posts – including one featuring a certain poetry anthology I’m rather fond of:

Here’s why I love seredipity – or irony – or Fate – or whatever it is that causes things like this to happen. When Jama featured A Universe of Rainbows (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025) last April, she shared Nikki Grimes’ opening poem, “The Saturday of No,” about a young child’s disappointment about a rainstorm dashing their weekend plans:

THE SATURDAY OF NO

Saturday morning raindrops
pelt the slate rooftop, 
tap out a message
I don't want to hear:
No sunshine.
No clear blue.
No hopscotch.
No soccer.
No softball...  (read the entire poem at Jama's post!)

- (c) 2025 Nikki Grimes, all rights reserved

Somehow, this just feels like such an appropriate poem for today – feeling sadness, anger, and discouragement only to be greeted by the “storm’s apology” of “sun-drenched strips of color.” Thank you, Jama, and thank you, Nikki!

Another Rainbows contributor, Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, is hosting today’s Poetry Friday roundup at The Poem Farm, with a triolet about goodness – and recognizing the things that matter.

I am booking school visits for the 2026 Spring Semester!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be showing students rainbow-colored bacteria, discussing dinosaur breath, or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!

Poetry Friday: “Fire Dance,” the haiku that never made it into “Rainbows”

On January 22, 2026 By Matt Forrest EsenwineIn poetry13 Comments

When it comes to blogging, sometimes you struggle to figure out what you want to write about.

Sometimes…things just come together.

Case in point: thanks to the recent solar flares, we’ve had some nice viewing of the northern lights this past week. We live in a very wooded area, so it’s hard to see them as clearly as some folks – and even living in New Hampshire, we’re not far enough north to see the detail that some folks do.

But they are beautiful, nonetheless!

I took these photos at the base of our neighbor’s driveway, looking up at the only semi-open view of the northern sky we have. Other than some clouds low on the horizon, we had fairly clear skies – and I took advantage of it. I’m particularly fond of the first one.

Two days after I took these photos, what arrives in the mail?

Stickers from the National Council of Teachers of English, featuring the official gold seal recognizing my A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025) as an NCTE Notable Poetry Book:

It does look good on the cover, doesn’t it? It’s quite an honor I am still trying to process!

And as I was applying the stickers to the book covers, I was thinking of the northern lights and it came to me. I realized what I needed to share today! Another one of those “killed darlings” you hear about – a poem I wrote about the aurora borealis that never made it into the book.

First, close your eyes and imagine the northern lights (or southern lights) in your mind. Picture the colors, the flickering, the majesty. Now, open your eyes and see if this captures the scene you imagined:
.

Fire Dance (haiku)

like rainbows on fire
flames flick, quiver at the poles
kaleidoscope sky

I still wish I could have included it, but I had to be judicious with the number of subjects and poems and didn’t want to overload the collection. Rainbows contains 22 poems and sidebars, full-color illustrations, a glossary, and reference material, all packed into 56 pages! For being less than $20, it’s a sizeable children’s book, so a few subjects needed to be culled, alas.

But at least you get to read it now – and hopefully you liked it.

Today’s Poetry Friday roundup can be found at The Opposite of Indifference, where Tabatha is featuring a thoughtful, meditative sort of poem titled “Concurrence” by Denise Levertov.

I am booking school visits for 2025-26!

I love chatting with elementary and middle school classes about writing: why poetry is fun to read and write, the importance of revision, and how imagination and creativity can lead to fantastic careers! My presentations are tailored to fit the needs of the classes and students’ ages. One day I might be sharing details of how a picture book like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) was created; the next, I’ll be showing students rainbow-colored bacteria, discussing dinosaur breath, or crafting origami sea turtles!

Student presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
How a Child Saved a Book
“Once Upon Another Time”
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
“I Am Today”
“A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human”
“Everybody Counts: Counting to 10 in Twelve Languages”
“A Universe of Rainbows!”

Adult presentations include:

The Making of a Picture Book
The Most Important Thing about Writing Poetry
Free Yourself with Free Verse
Tight Language, Loose Narratives: Crafting a Non-Traditional Picture Book
The Journey of a Children’s Author

Learn more at MattForrest.com!

=====================================================

Order PERSONALLY-SIGNED copies of my books
from my local independent bookstore!

=====================================================

I’m also on BOOKSHOP:

And I’m very happy to be part of the BOOKROO family, too!

=====================================================

Ordering personalized signed copies online? Oh, yes, you can!

Click here to view all my books and to order!

======================================================

Did you like this post? Find something interesting elsewhere in this blog? I really won’t mind at all if you feel compelled to share it with your friends and followers!