What the Heart Knows is a book of chants, charms, and blessings by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski. It was published in 2013 by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, but I just found it in my wanderings around the library. After I read The Girl Who Drew Butterflies, I wanted to see what other books I could find by Joyce Sidman. I was delighted to find this one that was illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski because I love the other book they did together:
I immediately recognized the artwork, which I love and admire!
They also wrote “This Is Just to Say,” which I have ordered from the library–I’ll let you know how it is.
The poems–Joyce Sidman
In her note to readers, Joyce writes,
We speak to send messages to the world. We chant for what we want, bless what we like, lament what we’ve lost. When angry, we curse; when in love, we sing.
We have always done this. Since earliest human history, we have used language to try to influden the world around usL the words “invoke” and “enchant” come from early words for “voice” (vox) and “song” (canto)> We’ve chanted poems and songs to help win battles……we filled our lives with poetry from morning till night.
And she goes on to share chants and charms for things like repairing a friendship, finding happiness and bravery and sleep. She writes spells and invocations–“Invitation to lost things,” “Time Spells,” “Invocation for Sandcastles,” and more. Laments and remembrances include a lament for a Teddy Bear, poems about illness and death, and riding a bike at night. She ends with “Praise Songs & Blessings.”
My favorite is the Blessing on the Curl of Cat:
As Cat curls
In a circle of sun–
sleek and round,
snug and warm,
a hint of ear
cocked in readiness–
so may I find my place
in this shifting world;
secure within myself,
certain of my worth,
equally willing to
purr
or leap.
Illustrations by Pamela Zagarenski
As I mentioned, I love her illustrations. You can check out her website, which is called Sacred Bee, here.
This is the quote that she has on her home page:
In my paintings it is not the objects that matter to me but what is between them: it is this “in-between” that is the real subject of my pictures.
When one reaches this state of harmony between things and one’s self, one reaches … a state of perfect freedom and peace—which makes everything possible and right. Life then becomes a perpetual Revelation. — George Braque
I find it hard to describe what I like so much about her artwork. It makes my heart sing. I think it’s her use of color and texture. Her illustrations are done in mixed media on wood as well as on the computer. But the images are just beautiful. OK. I give up. I can’t describe why I like them. They are just beautiful and make me happy and help me to see the beauty in the world. She makes the poems deeper and sweeter. Here is her illustration Blessing on the Curl of Cat:
In Conclusion
I highly recommend this book. It is lovely and uplifting and sometimes happy and sometimes sad. I checked it out of the library, but I am thinking about buying it so I can pick it up now and then and read a random poem and be inspired by the illustrations.
That’s it for now.
Thanks for stopping by!
xoxo
