← From the Front Porch
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Welcome to from the Front Porch, a conversational podcast about books, small business, and life in the South. Top down Cruising in my own lane, I slip the Do Not Disturb sign onto the doorknob of my life. I've got important work to do, minding my own business, accommodating my whims, guarding my joy. No's buried in the story only I can tell Lindsay Rush from her collection A Bit Much Annie I'm Annie Jones, owner of the Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in beautiful downtown Thomasville, Georgia, and this week we're back with the final episode in our Summer Readings series. Before we get started, are you keeping up with the Bookshelf's events? It's true, summers are quieter here in the shop. I'm not sure if you've heard, but a couple of us are on maternity leave and it gets a little hot humid down here. We're we're surviving, maybe not thriving, but we still have plenty going on and plenty is already being scheduled for fall. Maybe you thought our events were just for locals, but even if you are not a nearby listener or customer, we've got plans in the books for you too. From our fall reader retreat to our literary first look programs to our holiday shopping nights, we plan specific events for our long distance customers and friends. To keep up with all we have going on, we've got a couple of options for you. Choose the one that makes the most sense for you. You can follow us on Instagram ookshelftville, where we post regularly about in store and virtual happenings. You can subscribe to our store newsletter, which lands in your inbox every Thursday and has a complete rundown of shop events. Or you can check our website, which Erin keeps updated with event dates, tickets and details. Anything you would need to attend a Bookshelf. Links for all of those are in the show notes so you can follow along however you so choose. We have so much going on, so much in the works for later this year, and we would love for you to be a part of it. Now, back to the show. When I found out I was pregnant and came to terms with the fact that it really was happening, I began to brainstorm ways to keep the podcast coming to you regularly this summer. We rarely, if ever, do reruns on this show, and even though I'm not opposed to taking a break, we just haven't done a ton of break taking, maybe ever. So when Olivia also announced that she had a baby coming this summer, much like Nancy Meyers, I knew something's gotta give I could only batch record so many episodes before my own maternity leave, whatever that might wind up looking like. So for July and August, we have been bringing you two new podcast series and we're back this week with a final episode in our Summer Readings Episode series. Even before I recorded the Audiobook of Ordinary Time, I did try to find ways to incorporate book narration into our episodes. I want grown ups to be read to too. It's honestly why we start each episode with a book quote. Why each holiday season I read yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause. I'm very aware of copyright issues. Hello, having a husband who's an attorney. So for this podcast series, we received permission from publishers to read to you excerpts of some of my favorite new summer books. Over the last few weeks, we've read together from It's a Love Story by Annabelle Monahan, the Girls who Grew Big by Leila Motley, and A Marriage at Sea by Sophie elmhurst. That's episodes 537, 539, and 541. These episodes have been short and sweet, much like our yes, Virginia episodes, but hopefully they've given you a taste of some new summer titles I think you'll really love. Each book can be found on our website, bookshelfthomasville.com, and we've been giving you a code each week to receive 10% off of the featured selections today to close things out. And this was actually my very first idea, and it kind of morphed and became Summer Readings, but my very first idea was just to read you poetry all summer. Maybe you're so grateful that I didn't, but I really thought about the year and maybe she does this every year, but when Emily Freeman reads to us from the Psalms, that's one of the things I thought of. And I was like, what could be the equivalent? And I was like, oh, I'll just read poetry. Certainly, I guess I could have done that. But then I brainstormed with some other people and we thought about ways to still drive people to the Bookshelf website, obviously, and highlight books. Since we weren't doing new release rundowns, we weren't doing reading recap episodes. How could we still generate excitement about new books? So hopefully we've done that. But I couldn't resist then in closing out the series by reading some poetry to you. So back in April, our team honored National Poetry Month. So did a lot of bookstores across the country, but we honored National Poetry Month with readings from some of our favorite poems. We also did Poem in Your Pocket Day, which is one of my favorite things. It may not be. I think the staff laughs at me, kind of like they laugh at how much I love hot dogs. Anyway, poem in youn Pocket Day. It's always a hit. But you can scroll back through our Instagram feed and you can see Caroline beautifully walking us through some of her favorite poems. Her voice, by the way, is incredibly soothing and she is a poet herself, which I think lends to how beautifully she read those poems and recited those poems. I loved listening to Caroline back in April. It felt like listening to a meditation app. So as we wrap up August, I thought I'd read some summertime inspired poetry. Most of today's poems can be found in this gorgeous poetry anthology called A Poem to Read Aloud Every Day of the Year that is edited by Liz Ison. And then I'm also going to wrap up with a couple of poems from two modern poets I love, Kate Baer and then Lindsay Rush, who you also heard from at the top of the episode. Based on our store's sales numbers, poetry is a hard sell. I think maybe that's because it's intimidating to readers, perhaps too reminiscent of a high school English class that we hated. Though let me be very clear. I never hated high school English class. Never. I could never. But a lot of people did. And so I wonder if we associate poetry and short stories with, like, classrooms and we can't read those without being taught those. I do think that's a bit of a bummer, because now more than ever, I find poetry accessible. A lot of that has to do with Instagram. Thank you, poets who put their work on Instagram. And because of our waning and distracted attention spans, I also think poetry offers an anecdote to our overwhelming desire to scroll. Bored poetry in a reading slump. Poetry can't sleep. Poetry trying to wake up. Poetry. Poetry when you wake up and on your lunch break and right before bed, it's just a couple of lines. Sometimes they even rhyme. And the rhyme will stay with you all day like a mantra or a prayer. So read poetry perfect for these last days of summer. Because honestly, it's perfect all the time. Hi friends. Hey, it's Annie. If you're looking for the perfect companion to our show, check out the Webby Award winning daily podcast, Totally Booked with Zibby. It's hosted by my friend and fellow independent bookstore owner Zibby Owens, who's been dubbed New York City's most powerful book fluencer by Vulture. Every weekday on Totally Booked, Zibby sits down with the best and buzziest authors to share work that is truly worth your time. If you're looking for a place to start, I recently stopped by to discuss my new book Ordinary Time and I had an amazing discussing small town life and lit. So follow Totally Booked with Zibby on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you're listening now. Ever wonder what life is like with a phantom screen? It's magic. It is. Oh wow wow wow wow wow wow wow wow. Why is that? This is amazing. Retractable screens for your home make life better. Visit phantomscreens.com podbean your message amplified Ready to share your message with the world? Start your podcast journey with Podbean. Podbean, the AI powered all in one podcast platform. Thousands of businesses and enterprises trust Podbean to launch their podcasts. Use Podbean to record your podcast. Use PodBean AI to optimize your podcast. Use PodBean AI to turn your blog into a podcast. Use Podbean to distribute your podcast everywhere. Launch your podcast on Podbean today. The Schoolboy by William Blake I love to rise in a summer morn when the birds sing on every tree the distant huntsman winds his horn and the skylark sings with me. Oh, what sweet company but to go to school in a summer morn. Oh, it drives all joy away Under a cruel eye outworn, the little ones spend the day in sighing and dismay. Ah, then at times I drooping sit and spend many an anxious hour. Nor in my book can I take delight, Nor sit in learning's bower, Worn through with dreary shower. How can the bird that is born for joy Sit in a cage and sing? How can a child, when fears annoy, but droop his tender wing and forget his youthful spring? O father and mother, if buds are nipped and blossoms blown away, and if the tender plants are stripped of their joy in the springing day by sorrow and care's dismay. How shall the summer arise in joy? Or the summer fruits appear? Or how shall we gather what griefs destroy or bless the mellowing year when the blasts of winter appear? 1 art by Elizabeth Bishop the art of losing isn't hard to master. So many things seem filled with the intent to be lost that their loss is no disaster. Lose something every day. Accept the fluster of lost door keys the hour badly spent. The art of losing isn't hard to master. Then practice losing farther, losing faster. Faces and names and where it was you meant to travel. None of these will bring disaster. I lost my mother's watch and look my last or next to last of three loved houses went the art of losing isn't hard to master I lost two cities lovely ones and vaster Some realms I owned Two rivers, a continent I miss them but it wasn't a disaster Even losing you the joking voice A gesture I love I shan't have lied it's evident the art of losing's not too hard to master Though it may look like Write it like disaster Fairy Song by Louisa May Alcott the moonlight fades from flower and tree and the stars dim One by one the tale is told, the song is sung and the fairy feast is done. The night wind rocks the sleeping flowers and sings to them Soft and low the early birds ere long will wake Tis time for the elves to go from bird and blossom and bee we learn the lessons they teach and seek by kindly deeds to win a loving friend in each and though unseen on earth we dwell Sweet voices whisper low and gentle hearts most joyously greet the elves where' er they go when next we meet in the fairy dell May the silver moon's soft light shine then on faces gay as now and elfin's hearts as light now spread each wing for the eastern sky with sunlight soon will glow the morning star shall light us home Farewell, for the elves must go Summer Song of the Strawberry Girl by Mary Botham Howitt. It is summer. It is summer. How beautiful it looks. There is sunshine on the old gray hills and sunshine on the brooks. A singing bird on every bough. Soft perfumes on the air A happy smile on each young lip and gladness everywhere. Oh, is it not a pleasant thing to wander through the woods to look upon the painted flowers and watch the opening buds? Or seated in the deep cool shade at some tall ash tree's root to fill my little basket with the sweet and scented fruit? They tell me that my father's poor. That is no grief to me when such a blue and brilliant sky my upturned eye can see. They tell me, too, that richer girls can sport with toy and gem. It may be so, and yet methinks I do not envy them when forth I go upon my way. A thousand toys are mine, the clusters of dark violets, the wreaths of the wild vine. My jewels are the primrose, pale the bindweed and the rose and shew me any courtly gem more beautiful than those. And then the fruit, the glowing fruit. How sweet the scent it breathes. I love to see its crimson cheek Rest on the bright green leaves. Summer's own gift of luxury in which the poor may share the wildwood fruit my eager eye is seeking everywhere. Oh, summer is a pleasant time with all its sounds and sights, its dewy mornings, balmy eaves, and tranquil calm delights. I sigh when first I see the leaves fall yellow on the plain and all the winter long I sing, sweet summer come again. A Portable paradise by Roger Robinson and if I speak of paradise, then I'm thinking of my grandmother, who told me to carry it always on my person, concealed so no one else would know it but me. That way they can't steal it, she'd say. And if life puts you under pressure, trace its ridges in your pocket, smell its piny scent on your handkerchief, hum its anthem under your breath. And if your stresses are sustained and daily, get yourself to an empty room, be it hotel, hostel, or hovel, find a lamp and empty your paradise onto a desk, your white sands, green hills, and fresh fish. Shine the lamp on it like the fresh hope of morning and keep staring at it till you sleep. Mermaid in America by Lindsay Rush Sometimes I don't recognize my own knees in photographs, probably because for years I hid my legs under maxi dresses, party pants, strategic poses, anything to skirt attention from what I had determined was my most troublesome area. I always thought Ariel was one dinglehopper short of a full grotto for wanting a pair of these. Hadn't anyone told her about the scrutiny, the comparison, the cellulite, the spanx, the cankles, the saddlebags? I'm mostly over it now, but that's only because where I live it's way too hot to hate yourself out of wearing shorts. Beachbody by Kate Bear Mountain body I don't want your cropped body. Give me all the hot body, soft body, curve and dimple, big body, love to see a strong body, loose body, other kind of built body. Want to hear your loud body, lover in the night body. This is not your mother's body, and even if it was, look at how she moves. The names of today's poems are listed in the show notes I read to you from the poetry anthology A Poem to Read Aloud Every Day of the Year, edited by Liz Ison. I also read from Lindsay Rush's collection A Bit Much, then closed things out with Kate Bear's. And yet Kate also has a new collection of poetry releasing this fall called How About Now? You can pre order it from the Bookshelf website and purchase any of today's other selections, too. To receive 10% off this week, use code SUMMERREADINGS. Make sure you include the S at checkout again for 10% off. Use summer readings at checkout this week I'm reading Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson. Foreign Porch is a weekly podcast production of the Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in Thomasville, Georgia. You can follow the bookshelf's daily happenings on Instagram @bookshelftville, and all the books from today's episode can be purchased online through our store website, bookshelf thomasville.com a full transcript of today's podcast episode can be found at. From the frontporchpodcast.com Special thanks to Studio D Podcast Production for production of from the Front Porch and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations. Our executive producers of today's episode are Cami Tidwell, Jamie Treadwell, Linda Lee Drost Jean Queens Martha Stephanie Dean Beth Ashley Farrell, Amanda Wickham, Nicole Marcy Wendy Jenkins. Thank you all for your support of from the Front Porch. If you'd like to support from the Front Porch, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your input helps us make the show even better and helps us reach new listeners. All you have to do is open up the podcast app on your phone, look for from the Front Porch, scroll down until you see, write a review and tell us what you think. Or if you're so inclined, support us. Over on Patreon, where we have three levels of support. Each level has an amazing number of benefits like bonus content, access to live events, discounts and giveaways. Just go to patreon.com from the frontporch we're so grateful for you and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Sam.