If the Sky Was My Heart

If the Sky Was My Heart, California Poets in the Schools annual statewide anthology, features five Sonoma County student poets Ryan Murgatroyd (6th grade), Eduardo Lopez (6th grade), Nicholas Voegels (4th grade), Gavin Rognlien (3rd grade), Gemma Ahern (3rd grade), and Fort Ross Schools entire k–2 class.

Sonoma County CPITS poet-teachers included in the book are Arthur Dawson, Gwynn O’Gara, Phyllis Meshalum, Jabez W. Churchill and Maureen Hurley.

Events to mark CPITS 50thanniversary include two book parties, a Poetry & Teaching Symposium, Voices of Gold, to be held in Marin at the Earthrise/IONS retreat center October 10-12.

Marin student poets included in the anthology are Raquel Macias (8th Grade), Hiroke Coyle (5th grade), Anias Nagle (8th grade) (of West Marin), and Sierra Sabec (6th grade, Lagunitas) Maya Rabow (7th grade), Joy Stillman (3rd grade); Lea Aschkena’s student: Lara Westbrook (3rd grade); Lillie Gray (3rd grade), Angel Sandoval (6th grade); and Aneas Nicholas (5th grade from Southern Marin).

Marin CPITS poet-teachers in the book include Brian Kervin, Terri Glass, Claire Blotter, and Karen Benke. Marin poets Dana Lomax, Prartho Sereno, Karen Benke, Claire Blotter and Terri Glass will be leading poetry writing workshops at Voices of Gold at the IONS Earthrise Retreat on Oct 10-12, as well. The symposium will feature visiting poets from around the state who will share proven strategies to deliver hands-on and out-loud poetry in schools. For last-minute registration: tina@cpits.org

A second book, Poetry Crossing: 50+ Lessons for 50 Years, an anthology of teaching resources designed for ready-to-roll use in busy classrooms, delivers poetry of diverse styles and literary traditions, including bilingual examples. Contributors with a California connection include former United States Poet Laureate Robert Hass along with Jane Hirshfield, Brenda Hillman, Ellen Bass, Juan Felipe Herrera, Al Young, Gary Snyder, Francisco Alarcón, David St. John—all of whom have donated their poems in order to further the mission of inspiring youth. The collection includes a foreword by master poet-teacher Susan Wooldridge, author of Poemcrazy, and is edited by poet Phyllis Meshulam, CPITS area coordinator from Sonoma County.

Poetry Crossing makes tangible decades of CPITS creative writing pedagogy, aimed to stimulate the intellectual curiosity and creative problem-solving skills of today’s students. If you’d like to become involved as a teacher, poet, donor or school, please find us on the web at www.cpits.org to help build the future for young writers in California.

Get If the Sky Was My Heart as a gift with a CPITS membership.
http://www.cpits.org/contribute.html