by Robin Patterson

A couple of weeks ago, Scholastic Canada Ltd. reached out to request reprints of one of my published poems for inclusion in a Grade 6 textbook. I felt quite honoured! Well, the cheque came last week, so now I guess I believe it, lol! (And although I can’t remember how much I was paid originally, it was more this time around!)

So, when I mentioned this to Yvonne as Collectif member news, she suggested that I put together “a short piece of the journey of that poem.”

So, I started to dig through my files and found most of the work had already been done!

In 2006 (yikes!) I taught a 16-week Poetry & Publishing workshop for a program called ArtSmarts. ArtSmarts partnered local artists with grade schools to bring the arts into classrooms across Quebec. My placement was with a mixed grade 5/6 in Brossard. This little presentation was my opening to that workshop, showing the time and effort that went into getting just the smallest item published.

That workshop!? That’s a whole other story!

Here is the poem! Published in 2006.

When Grandpa Gets to Fiddling

When Grandpa lifts his violin
And props it ‘neath his chin,
I can hardly hold my horses
For the dancing to begin.
 
My fingers snap, my knuckles knock,
My toes begin to tap.
My shoulders shrug, my elbows bend,
My hands begin to clap.
 
And very soon I’m whirling, twirling,
Jumping to the beat.
I hop and bounce, I somersault,
And land back on my feet.
 
I samba, stomp and jitterbug,
I mambo, jig and spin,
When Grandpa gets to fiddling
And plays his violin.

This poem’s journey began before April 1996. I submitted it to numerous publishers and magazines…by snail mail…one at a time. Back then it was considered poor taste to send a submission to more than one venue and the quickest way to be black listed.

Here you see the list of rejections, and the final SOLD at the bottom of the page! (I guess I’ll have to add another line to this!)

The acceptance letter!

There were some almost acceptance letters!

But most were form letter Thank you but no thank you’s.

This is what the Manuscript looked like as I took advice from those almost buyers. I seriously considered any advice from anyone who took the time to personally respond.

And of course it inspired an illustration somewhere along the way!

Robin IS

THE CRAYON BOX STUDIO

The Crayon Box Collective

www.crayonboxcollective.com