Shaped By Our Stories

“As individuals, we are shaped by story from the time of birth; we are formed by what we are told by our parents, our teachers, our intimates.” – Helen Dunmore

Dunmore, born in December 1952, grew up in a large British family, which she said was a great influence on her writing.  "In a large family,” she explained, “you hear and observe a great many stories."  The writer of both award-winning poetry and dozens of books (mostly for children), she said writing for kids has given her a special grounding in her craft. 

                                            “Children will not pretend to be enjoying books, and they will not read books because they have been told that these books are good. They are looking for delight.”  Among her clever children’s books are Aliens Don’t Eat Bacon Sandwiches and Go Fox, just two of her works taught in British elementary schools.  For "Saturday's Poem" here is Dunmore’s,  

Smiles Like Roses All down my street smiles opened like roses sun licked me and tickled me sun said, Didn’t you believe me when I said I’d be back? I blinked my eyes, I said, Sun, you are too strong for me where’d you get those muscles? Sun said, Come and dance. All over the park smiles opened like roses babies kicked off their shoes and sun kissed their toes. All those new babies all that new sun everybody dancing walking but dancing. All over the world sun kicked off his shoes and came home dancing licking and tickling kissing crossing-ladies and fat babies saying to everyone Hey you are the most beautiful dancing people I’ve ever seen with those smiles like roses!