Pat Mora Quotes

Teachers and librarians can be the most effective advocates for diversifying children's and young adult books. When I speak to publishers, they're going to expect me to say that I would love to see more books by Native American authors and African-American authors and Arab-American authors. But when a teacher or librarian says this to publishers, it can have a profound effect.

Secrets

I am all secrets now.

I know when you walk into a room.
I don't need to see or hear you
behind me,
but I know you're there
and wish you'd touch
my shoulder when you walk by.

How can you do that,
without a sound,
send electricity,
a current
through a room full of people?

When did this crazy secret life start?
People see me but don't see
I've changed.
The me people see isn't the tangled
me inside,
trying not to think
about you,
your laugh
splashing like a waterfall
on a hot summer day.

It is always a tense moment for an author to see how someone hasillustrated his or her story, because the author has lived for so long with these characters, sometimes for years.

I did realize, as do you, how blessed I was to know bookjoy, the private pleasure of savoring text.

You're Beautiful

Like the green romance of a bud
and lily's pink, gentle sway.
You: more beautiful than yesterday.

Wildflower's blue surprise.
Daisy's white, sunny play.
You're more beautiful than yesterday.

Orchid's purple mystery
Mum's bronze ole`
You: more beautiful than yesterday.

Rose's orange perfume,
even tulip's yellow secrets say:
You're more beautiful that yesterday.

Poppy's red, teasing lips,
but YOUR beauty will never fade.

You: more lovely than yesterday,

You: my dazzling bouquet.

Nd I smile
and know
why people write music and paint and dance, lifted as if they can fly,
because this ache
crashing inside
needs to be free.
sometimes, love
becomes a melody
others hum for years.

I have a deep attachment to the natural world. It's a major influence on my writing, and as I look out over the wonderful snow-covered Santa Fe hills, I'm grateful for every day that I live here.

I write because I am curious. I am curious about me.

Our Private Rhyme

I wish we could go back in time.
I thought you'd live forever.
I feel I'm only half our rhyme.

You left and somehow I must climb
back to live without your laughter.
Can't we please go back in time?

I try to smile, pretend and mime
I'm fine, survived disaster,
but know I'm only half our rhyme.

Will any spring or summertime
shine without your teasing whisper?
I wish we could go back in time.

I hope that you'll forgive my whines.
I'm trying to be braver
So lonely being half our rhyme.

I feel you near. We're intertwined.
Your spirit makes me stronger.
I know we can't go back in time.
I'll strive to be our private rhyme.

When I'm writing poetry, 99.9% of my writing begins in English. I spent most of my life in English, although I am bilingual.

I usually begin a poem in longhand. I like to sit where I have a nice view, ideally, although I worked on haiku this weekend at an airport. I'm not one to romanticize inspiration. I try to get to the work.

I became a good writer when I saw the age of forty coming at me