Today, I’m leaning inwards, introspecting, and also looking at words, like immanence and ideophones, and of course, books whose titles begin with the letter ‘I’
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Introspection Inwards
Today’s NaPoWriMo prompt is inspired by Geoffrey Brock’s poem, “Goodbye,” where he describes grief in three short stanzas, the second of which is entirely made up of a rhetorical dialogue. Our challenge is to write our own meditation on grief, using Brock’s form as the “container”: a few short stanzas, with a middle section in which a question is repeated with different answers given.
Immanence
You show up in shared melodies;
in phone calls I cannot make.
You say hello in recipes remembered;
the ones that never taste the same.
Why did goodbye cheat me?
It left too soon, like breath cut short.
Why did goodbye cheat me?
It never leaves at all, it stays.
Will you ever say goodbye to me?
Each time you return, I cry.
Will you ever say goodbye to me?
I do not want you to.
You have gained immanence.
You are in the hush after loss,
You are in memory’s quiet embrace–
You are within.
~ Vidya Tiru @ LadyInReadWrites
Incredible ‘I’ Words
- Interrobang: a punctuation mark combining a question mark and an exclamation point
- Inkle: a narrow woven tape or decorative trim
- Ineffable: too great or intense to be expressed in words
- Incunabula: books printed before the year 1501
- Idiolect: a person’s unique way of speaking
- Idioglossia: a private language, often created by children
- Ideophone: a word that evokes a sensory experience
The I Books
No incunabula here in this list!
- I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More! by Karen Beaumont, illus. David Catrow (Ages 3–7). A wildly funny, rhyming romp where creativity spills gloriously out of control.
- I Tell Myself I’m Awesome by Joshua Seigal, illus. Chris Piascik (Ages 3-7). This is a collection of witty, reflective, and rather ridiculous poems to lift your mood, spark your imagination, and give your mental health a little boost!
- I’m Gonna Like Me by Jamie Lee Curtis, illus. Laura Cornell (Ages 4–8). A confidence-boosting, rhythmic reminder that our inner voice can be our biggest cheerleader.
- It Had to Be You by Loryn Brantz (baby-1). A gentle, heartfelt celebration of love.
- In Your Hands by Carole Boston Weatherford, illus. Brian Pinkney (Ages 4–8). A powerful poetic tribute to children’s potential and the future they hold.
- I Miss You Most by Charlotte Cheng, illus. Xindi Yan (Ages 4–8). A comforting, heartstrings-tugging look at grief.
- I Heard: An American Journey by Matthew Gollub, illus. Jill Kastner (Ages 5–8). A lyrical exploration of American history through voices, sounds, and storytelling.
- I Am La Chiva: The Colorful Bus of the Andes by Karol Hernández, illus. Lorena Alvarez Gómez (Ages 3–7). A vibrant, rhythmic ride through Colombian culture aboard a joyful, bustling bus.
- In and Out the Window by Jane Yolen, illus. Cathrin Peterslund (Ages 8 – 12 years, and up).
A cozy, poetic peek into seasons, rhythms, and everyday moments. - I Remember: Poems and Pictures of Heritage by Lee Bennett Hopkins (ed.), illus. various (Ages 8–18). A rich poetry collection celebrating memory, culture, and personal history.
- If This Bird Had Pockets by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, illus. Emma J. Virján (Ages 4–8). A playful, imaginative “what-if” journey full of humor, language, and possibility.
And Now, the End of This Post
Dear reader, which of these books have you read or will get first to read? Which of the incredible ‘I’ words are new / old to you? Any other interesting ‘I’ words or books to share ? Do let me know.
I am linking up to A-Z, Blogchatter, UBC, NaPoWriMo.
And you can find all my A-Z posts (this year and previous years’ as well) here:
