JOIN US TOMORROW

Tomorrow A Pen and a Nest visits Hope Anita Smith at home. Hope and I share the same editor and we met several years ago at our publisher's dinner. That night I had not read her book yet and I'm embarrassed to say my questions surrounded her former nanny position to a celebrity's child. The celebrity would be relieved to know that Hope maintained a professional posture and didn't reveal any private details. In fact, she gave no details. However I think I shocked her with how much trivia I knew about her former employer. I have been known to occasionally read People Magazine.

When I returned home, I read Hope's book. After I finished, I wish I could have had a different conversation with her. Hope's spare powerful language provokes a range of emotions. She is an amazing poet and an award winning author. I'm thrilled that she's agreed to be our first Poet at Home. Here's an excerpt from The Way A Door Closes:

Audition

Saturday mornings at our house

are full of music.

Grandmomma is singing.

She says she's auditioning

for the heavenly choir.

The music of her voice

gets us up and dressed,

gets us fed

and out the door.

Grandmomma is singing.

Her voice as rich as cream,

sure as tomorrow.

I close my eyes and try

not to let her see how her song

moves me.

Let her keep practicing.

She is music,

and I never want her song

to end.