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This is my playground for poetry written for children with ideas and inspiration for writing your own poems. Come on in. Sit for a spell, have a cup of words to swirl around and make your own cup of poetry. I'm so glad you are here. I hope you'll find the Kingdom of Poetry a fun place to be.

Thursday, May 31, 2012

HAISA BAK

Soon it will be time
for Haisa Bak--
the Saguaro Harvest.

First the Saguaro blooms
a crown of white flowers.
The flowers close,
the fruit appears 
and grows
into red globes.

Then like the Indians
of the Tohono O'odham
we take a long wooden stick
and knock the fruit from the top
of the Saguaro.
It takes thick gloves
to pick the fruit 
from the ground.
Friends gather to help.
We peel the fruit,
all day we boil,
the pots get hot,
sweat drips from Auntie's brow.
We cook and cook
to make liquid
to make jellies and candies
from the sweet pulp,
and the old relatives and friends
sing songs, tell jokes
and tell the stories 
of other harvests
and other family
who aren't with us
for Haisa Bak.


      Can you write a poem today about a tradition in your family? 

3 comments:

  1. Wow, Joy. This is a lesson wrapped well in a few words. You've made me curious about Haisa Bak! Great post.

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  2. Thanks Susan. This was another of the new words for me that I wanted to save in a poem. The harvest festival is an old tradition that is in danger of being lost. Are there old customs in your family that are in danger of being lost? Poems can help us save those memories and share them.

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  3. WHAT A GOOD POEM... ILY... cloey

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