Poetry Friday: A Celebration of Lee Bennett Hopkins

Lee Bennett Hopkins was the recipient of the 2009 NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. Several lovely poets organized a celebration for Lee and created a book of poetry in his honor, with the help of NCTE. Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong graciously invited me to include an entry.



The beautiful cover was created by Stephen Alcorn.

My entry was based on the Lee's book Been to Yesterdays that really prompted me to find my voice and form.



Been to Yesterdays

You stretched out your hand
and gave me
Been to Yesterdays.

“Stowed in cardboard
corners
memories rest
quietly
in paper chests”
like my own
waiting to be dusted, lifted, and remembered.

Your mother,
grandmother,
and middle grade voice facing divorce
found my mother,
grandmother,
and me facing the divorce in my childhood.

Been to Yesterdays
took me to my own.
Thank you for
holding out your hand
so that I might grasp it.

Lorie Ann Grover, 2009

Thank you to all the poets who worked so hard to honor Lee! Well done!