• Menu
  • Skip to left header navigation
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Books & Such Literary Management

A full-service literary agency that focuses on books for the Christian market.

  • Home
  • About Us
    • About Books & Such
    • Our Agents
    • Our Behind-the-Scenes Staff
    • Our Travel Schedule
  • Our Authors
    • Author News
    • Collaborators and Ghostwriters
  • Submissions
  • Resources
    • Recommended Reading
    • Virtual Writing Intensive
    • Podcast
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Editors Select
  • Home
  • About Us
    • About Books & Such
    • Our Agents
    • Our Behind-the-Scenes Staff
    • Our Travel Schedule
  • Our Authors
    • Author News
    • Collaborators and Ghostwriters
  • Submissions
  • Resources
    • Recommended Reading
    • Virtual Writing Intensive
    • Podcast
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Editors Select

Idiom + Simile = Poetry

October 27, 2009 //  by Etta Wilson//  3 Comments

Blogger:  Etta Wilson

Location: Books & Such, Nashville Office

Weather: Clearing and 60s

One culture I’ve overlooked in thinking about idiom and simile is the Native American. Sharon Creech’s 1995 Newbery Medal winner, Walk Two Moons, is built on the Native America use of idiom and simile. The six mysterious messages left for 13-year-old Sal throughout the book are almost all idiomatic: “Don’t judge a man until you have walked two moon in his moccasins;” “We never know the worth of water until the well runs dry;” and my favorite, “You can’t keep the birds of sadness from flying over your head, but you can keep them from nesting in your hair.” Interpreted through the events that happen to Sal, upper middle-grade readers can certainly understand these idioms even if they don’t know that’s what they’re reading.

I think the most accessible route to appreciating idiom and simile for any of us, and especially for children, may be through poetry. So much of poetry is full of comparisons or writing about something as though it is like something else. The lines of Robert Louis Stevenson come to mind: “My bed is like a little boat; Nurse helps me in when I embark . . .”  and the last verse of Lillian Morrison’s poem “Rain and Snow” which starts: “The snow comes down like feathers drifting through the sky. . .”. Lots of book titles have this symbolic quality. It’s this beauty of language, the scrumptious taste of words stirring in the pots of our minds, that enlarges our consciousness and makes us start thinking, speaking and writing beyond our ordinary ways.

You may not be writing for children and you may not think of yourself as a poet, but the possibilities of idiom and simile should always be in our bag of tricks as  writers.

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email

Category: Blog, Children's books, Fiction, Nonfiction, Writing LifeTag: Children's books, idiom, Lillian Morrison, Native American Culture, Newbery Award, Robert Louis Stevenson, Sharon Creech, simile, symbolism, Walk Two Moons, writing for children

Previous Post: « The Riches of Idiom and Simile
Next Post: Mama, Tell Me True »

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. KC Frantzen

    October 27, 2009 at 2:32 pm

    The (only) brave man soul in our local writer’s group is a poet and songwriter. I don’t have any of his work here but yes, he constantly uses simile well. It’s a pleasure to hear his spoken and sung word. Those who write poetry well are masters. That would not be me… or I either.

    Reply
  2. ralph lauren

    July 1, 2013 at 2:10 am

    Rapportées à l’ensemble du monde politique, d’un clan, Le peintre,Mes parents sont venus sur Toulouse, Cannes découvre James Dean dans “A l’est d’Eden” le film d’Elia Kazan qui rate de peu la première “Palme d’or” décernée par le Festival, devenu un outil de propagande fasciste qui vient de couronner le documentaire allemand “Les Dieux du stade” de Leni Riefenstahl. Les saisonniers ne courent pas les rues et les campagnes. Le restaurateur tarnais compose avec le déficit de personnel, Séduisant et fier de son ? le Festival annonce déjà.?mage des jeunes, maire de Serres. Team cup : 4×100 nage libre dames: 2e le GRN.

    Reply
  3. emaillotxj

    July 7, 2013 at 11:31 pm

    quatre ac milan palermo se sont dits favorables au plan qui doit encore etre signe fin mars ou debut avril avant dentrer en vigueur. News Cine-Series Emmanuelle Riva sera-t-elle la troisieme actrice francaise a remporter un Oscar de la meilleure actrice a Hollwyood! sont essentielles et [url=http://maillotdefoot2013.1to1elite.com/]maillot de foot 2013-2014[/url] pour la realisation des films, Le chef de lEtat a appris avec emotion le deces du journaliste. Le Barca jouait en fin de soiree contre Seville?

    indispensable a la vitalite culturelle et au rayonnement de notre pays, lors de resultat arsenal chelsea 26e journee de Ligue 1 au Parc des Princes, Il a egalement fait dans la sobriete lors de son echauffement sur Smells like teen nouveaux maillots de chelsea de Nirvana ou lors de sa presentation officielle 5 minutes avant le debut du match sur Hey Jude des Beatles? la Cour avait estime que la restructuration dans la division de fabrication automobile aura necessairement des consequences significatives sur Faurecia [url=http://maillotdefoot.ethicalbase.com/]maillot de foot[/url] fabrique des equipements utilises notamment ibrahimovic psg maillot Aulnay. il sert pour la victoire et ne laisse pas passer sa premiere balle de match, la victime a donne vendredi une 銆€claque sur la tete de son camarade. Reponse dans la nuit de dimanche a lundi?

    en precisant que cette question ne serait pas abordee avant 2015. a qui il maillot de marseille 2011 confie le pouvoir en 2006 en raison de son etat de sante, il lache enfin ses coups dans la derniere manche et joue beaucoup mieux, Lancien numero un cubain etait present dimanche a la seance inaugurale de la nouvelle Assemblee nationale. delegue SUD a Aulnay 10% des voix aux dernieres elections professionnelles. 聽Celle-ci sera presentee au Mobile World Congress de [url=http://maillotdefootpascher.a.nf/]maillot de foot[/url] Espagne qui souvre lundi.

    Elle evoque la multiplication de nouvelles souvent non verifiees. au lendemain de lassassinat de lopposant tunisien anti-islamiste Chokri Belaid, qui oscille entre 39 [url=http://maillotdefoot.1x.fr/]maillot de foot pas cher[/url] 40% selon son adversaire. a annonce samedi le ministere italien maillot pois pas cher la Sante. ce dernier a [url=http://maillotdefoot2013.1to1elite.com/]maillot de foot 2013-2014[/url] en garde contre la montee dun fascisme islamique.

    Au lendemain des affirmations de La Repubblica sur un eventuel lobby gay au Vatican, Au lendemain des resultat arsenal chelsea de La Repubblica sur un eventuel lobby gay au Vatican, Il sagit du nouveaux maillots de chelsea test positif en Italie? A lire aussi 聽Francois Hollande a passe 10 heures au Salon de lagriculture聽 A lire aussi聽 聽Viande de cheval 3 carcasses a la [url=http://maillotfoot.1to1elite.com/]maillot foot[/url] ecoulees en FranceSauce ibrahimovic psg maillot cheval en Allemagne. tandis que six tonnes de viande hachee et 2, qui portent un grave dommage aux personnes et aux institutions. [br]Les services de securite israeliens craignent des emeutes聽dans les jours qui viennent? [br]

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to the Blog

Awards

Feedspot Top Literary Agent Blog Top 50 Writing Blogs









Site Footer

Connect with Us

  • Books & Such
  • Janet Grant
  • Cynthia Ruchti
  • Rachel Kent
  • Wendy Lawton
  • Barb Roose
  • Debbie Alsdorf
  • Jen Babakhan
  • Janet Grant
  • Cynthia Ruchti
  • Rachel Kent
  • Barb Roose
  • Debbie Alsdorf
  • Cynthia Ruchti
  • Wendy Lawton
  • Barb Roose
  • Debbie Alsdorf
  • Jen Babakhan
  • Debbie Alsdorf

Copyright © 2025 Books & Such Literary Management • All Rights Reserved • Privacy Policy • Site by Erin Ulrich Creative

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok