Keys from THE POETRY FRIDAY ANTHOLOGY

 

KEYS
     by Joy Acey
Princess of Poetry

Jingle, jangle,
keys on a ring.
To the house,
the car,
or anything.

Jingle, jangle,
can you hear
the keys
sing?


     Now let's see if I can get this to work.  It is supposed to be titles and the Princess of Poetry reading KEYS from The Poetry Friday Anthology.  If I can't get this to work, I have also sent this video to Renee Latulippe to use in the video library on her blog NO WATER RIVER.  So as soon as I know where, I'll put the link here.

     Don't you love how the sun burst on my tiara is like the sun burst on the Anthology cover?  And my hair color almost matches the color of the cover of the book.  You had better believe I'm having fun with this.  Some things do work out right.

    Copies of the Poetry Friday Anthology can be ordered from Amazon or directly from the publisher Pomelo Press.


     thanks to Amy VanDerwater for hosting this Poetry Friday roundup at the poem farm.

Words

"Do not hold it against me, O speech, that I borrow weighty words,
and then labor to make them light."  Wislawa Szymborska

fly overhead, stuffed
like cartoon bubbles
balloons I rope in
they burst,
so much
hot air


    The quote at the beginning of the poem is called an epigraph.  Can you write your own poem today that uses an epigraph at the beginning, a quote that adds meaning to your poem?  The quote or phrase doesn't have to be from a famous person, it could be something your dad, mom or teacher says.  Like "History is my favorite subject."  Then your poem could be about something historical, or other things your teacher says. "Look at that." my dad.  The poem could be about things you notice, or something you've seen.  You can also look in the newspaper or magazines for epigraphs.  be sure to remember to let the reader know where you got the information, or who said your epigraph.  The title of this poem leads into the first line.
    Do you know who Wislawa Szymborska was?  Can you find her poetry on the web? 


 

Haboob Cinquain

Desert

dusty wind blows

a wall of sandy grit

unable to see in the storm

haboob

     Before I moved to the desert, I didn't know the word haboob, which is a fierce sand storm.  Can you write your own cinquain today?

paved road

warmed by the sun

four quail scuttle across

a rabbit races after them

good day

Shopping

Monday

cyber seeking

time to get a head start

on Christmas holiday shopping

click, done

     Did you recognize that this poem is another cinquain.Did you do any on-line shopping yesterday?  I hope your shopping gave you time to be inspired for writing a poem about something you like to do on your computer.  Have fun. 

Post Thanksgiving Cinquain

Eating

dinner again

biscuits and pumpkin pie

bowls of left over turkey soup

Grateful.

   How many days did you eat your turkey?  I've put the left over soup in the freezer now.  It will be wonderful on one of the busy cold December evenings.  Can you write your own turkey poem today?  You pick the form you'd like to use.  Have fun.

Cinquain

Monsoon

Cholla blooming

Creosote scents the air

Cactus wren nests in saguaro

Warm rain

Today's poem is a cinquain.   It is a five line syllabic poem.  The first line has 2 syllables, the second line has 4, the third 6 and the fourth 8, then in the fifth line there are 2 syllables again.

line 1 = 2 syllables

line 2 = 4 syllables

line 3 = 6 syllables

line 4 = 8 syllables

line 5 = 2 syllables

Can you write your own cinquain today?  Mine tells about the desert where I live.  Can you write your cinquain about where you live?  I'd love to read your poem.  You are welcome to leave your creation in the comments below.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you are enjoying this last day of the holiday weekend.   

Word Play

When I go to bed
at the end of my day
that is when
the words
come out
to play.

They come running
from under my bed
they sing,
they dance
they stand
on their head.

They fill all the corners,
they swing from the lights,
they shout and cavort
all through the night.

They fill up my notebooks
cause my pens to leak;
they cackle, they howl,
they even squeak.

I awake 
in the morning,
it's just as I feared
the words have run off.
They've all disappeared.

So how can I write
with words gone away?
All my words want to do
is sleep through the day.


     If your words could talk to you, what would they say?  Can you write a poem today that is a letter to yourself?  Have fun writing.

Thanksgiving in the Barn

     Here is a first for me.  I'm reposting (with some corrections) a poem from Thanksgiving last year.  When I looked at this poem, I still liked it and I wanted to share it with you again.

All of the animals

on the farm

have Thanksgiving dinner

in the barn.

But before they chow-down

for their meal,

each of them mentions

how thankful they feel.

The horse neighs he's thankful

for his bucket of oats.

The sheep baa thanks

for their warm wooly coats.

Above their heads

a spider is grinning

she says she is thankful

for the web she is spinning.

The ducks give their thanks,

and especially the drake,

with the geese and the goslings,

for an unfrozen lake.

The pig oinks, he is thankful

for his muddy sty

and for the scraps 

of uneaten pie.

The goat butts his head
To spread hay in his pen.
The rooster crows, he is

thankful for all of the hens.

The chickens are thankful

they're still laying eggs.

The dog says he's thankful

for treats when he begs.

The cow says she is thankful

for cream with a moo,

and they all want to know

if you're thankful too.

     I hope you had a great Thanksgiving, that you enjoyed the parade, that your team won the football game, and that there are plenty of left-overs for your turkey sandwich today.  Thank you for stopping by today and for all the help and support you've given to me in my writing poetry for children.  I'm especially thankful for you.
    The Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Mary Lee this week over at Year of Reading.

Happy Thanksgiving

The turkey in the oven
smells like it is roasting.
The kitchen smells like baking.
Meet the friends we are hosting.

The TV shows a football game
Daddy yells, "Hurray!"
Mom asks us all to please
go outside and play.

My cousin makes a center piece.
My aunt sets the table.
This morning we watched Macy's parade,
it came thru on our cable.

We are all so thankful
for all this food to eat.
I'm glad that you stopped by,
it is a special treat.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Little Pumpkin Pies

Five little pumpkin pies
cooling on the window sill.
A dog raced by and grabbed one
then he ran up the hill.

Four little pumpkin pies
cooling in the sun.
Daddy walked by
and he ate one.

Three little pumpkin pies
on the counter rest.
Preacher comes to eat lunch
Mom gives him the best.

Two little pumpkin pies
planning on some fun.
Grandma sneaks a pie away
now there is just one.

One little pumpkin pie
is left here to say
we hope you have
a Happy Thanksgiving Day.


      There was a message left on my phone yesterday from my friend Sue McDowell who said, "Sorry I missed you, I guess you are out writing about five little pumpkins."
    h  So, Sue, here it is.  Hope you have a great day.

hair cut

the scissors clip-clip

creating a brand new me

hair piles on the floor

             OK, it is your turn.  Can you write a haiku today?  Have fun.

Quiet Monday

quiet, clear morning
a coyote out walking
crosses before me



    I wrote a haiku today about my morning walk.  I always appreciate when I see animals out on my walks.  It helps to remind me that there is more to this world than you and me.  It makes me wonder what happens when there are no longer coyotes to see, or jack rabbits and squirrels.
    Are you getting ready for Thanksgiving holiday?  What is your favorite thing to eat for Thanksgiving dinner?  Can you write a poem about that today?  Does anyone know about salsify?  The book I'm reading says it is a root vegetable also known by the name oyster plant.  I don't think I've ever tasted this plant, so I'm going to see if I can find some.  Isn't life fun when it comes with new experiences?  I hope you have lots of new experiences today.  Enjoy.

Jody

You can do it.

You can run.

Running in

a marathon.

Running with all

your friends.

You will make it

to the end.

    I learned a new poetry form this week.  It is a Jody.  I learned about this from reading the facebook page of my friend Malaika King Albrecht,  she is editor of an e-zine Red Headed Step Child.  Evidently a Jody is a poem of encouragement that is used with runners, (so the poem needs a strong cadence rhythm) to urge the runner home to the finish line.
   I love learning about new forms, so I had to give this a try.  Here is a short Jody.  Thhis got me thinking that we all need encouragement, so maybe we need more encouraging poems.  Can you write a poem of encouragement today?  I thought if you know someone doing NaNoWriMo, or PiBoWriMo that person might need some encouragement, so lets try for positive poems.  If you'd like to share your creation, please leave it in the comments.

   Oh yes, I promised some good news today.  I went to the Arizona State Poetry Society meeting yesterday.  I won several prizes in their annual contest.  I won a first and a third place in the cinquain category.  (Can I call myself a cinquain expert now?)   My friend and critique partner,  Bridget Magee won an honorable mention for her cinquain and a second place in another category.  Bridget is the person who encouraged me to start this blog and you can read her poems at Wee Words for Wee Ones.  Congratulations Bridget.

Carl the Clown

Carl the Clown
wanders through town
carrying his ladder around.
He uses his ladder
to climb from the ground.
UP, UP, to the top he bounds.

Once he is there,
he wobbles and wiggles.
His tummy turns over
it bobbles and jiggles.

             Carl leans left.

                                        Carl leans right.

He could be at the top
leaning all night.

      Except, 
Carl the clown
knows how to climb down
and take his ladder home.



     Thanks to my sister Clo Ann, who said "Ladder," when I told her I didn't know what I was going to write about for today.  Then she sweetly asked, "Does that grab you?"
     I told her it actually did because I couldn't remember a poem with ladder, except for Horton the Elephant who had a ladder to prop up Maizie's tree with her nest.
    So, here is the poem I came up with for LADDER.  Don't ask me where Carl the Clown came from.  I don't know, he was just there when I needed him.  Have you ever seen the circus act with a clown that balances on a ladder?  Can you write your own circus poem today?  Have a fun Saturday. 
   Hopefully, I'll have some really good news to share with you tomorrow.

Daddy and Me and the Starlight

In the middle of the night

Daddy gently shook the bed

woke me.

"Come," he said.

I pulled on my boots.

Daddy wrapped me

in my warm comforter.

Then he picked me up,

carried me outside

into the cold night air.

We sat, cuddled in a lawn chair,

looked up 

at the waxing moon.

"There's Leo."  Daddy pointed

to the constellation rising

in the east as we watched.

Breath smoked

from our mouths.

We whispered into the quiet.

From a distant owl,

who, who, who-who--

overhead stars rained 

in a meteor shower.

Just Daddy and me

and the whole world

waiting.

I stuck out my tongue

to taste this night--

to taste my happiness.


     Tonight is a good night to watch the Leonid meteor shower.  It is best seen late Friday, early Saturday morning, or late Saturday to early Sunday morning.  During a meteor shower most of the meteors appear to come from a radiant--a point in the sky--for which the meteor gets its name.  This one is named for Leo.  In December are the Geminids, and August has the Perseids.  those are the three best predictably good meteor showers every year.
     The front part of Leo will be visible around 1 AM on the eastern horizon, and the entire constellation will be up by 2.
    Can you write a poem today about the stars?  Enjoy your viewing.

    The Poetry Friday Roundup is over at Anastasia Suen's blog, Booktalking today.  Thanks for hosting us all for the poetry party today, Anastasia.

School Rules

My school has 

a lunchtime rule--

No trading food--

it isn't cool.

But watching you 

eat your pumpkin pie

makes me so hungry

 I could cry.

This isn't trading

make no mistake.

I'm just sharing a bite

of my chocolate cake.

You're my best friend

so let's give it a try.

Can I please have

a taste of your pumpkin pie?


      Does your school have lunchtime rules?  I know schools that have rules like no peanutbutter (that was because there were children with allergies to peanutbutter) or worse yet, no talking during lunch (because the lunch room got too noisy with all the talking).  Can you write a poem today about school rules?
Oh this seems like a rich area for poetry.  Are there special rules for the school library?  Have fun writing.

Peaches and Cream

While you were

eating peaches and cream,

didn't you

notice

everyone watching you

sip your cream?

Didn't you care we

all wanted some and

you wouldn't share?

     I'm not feeling terribly creative today, so I wrote an acrostic on Wednesday.
Can you write your own poem about Wednesday?  It is the middle of the week day. What can you find special about Wednesday to write about?  Have fun and if you'd like to share your creations, please leave them in the comments

Geode

I crack
your hard shell
and there is music
and fire leaping
into my hands,
the sparkle 
of moon-kissed 
diamonds.
When we're together
your glitter bursts
into the tapping
of my heart beat.

Baby's Words

Mom heard the baby
and said "Kitchy-coo."
Baby kicked her feet
said, "Goo-goo-goo."

Daddy tickled Baby on her chin
then coughed a little, clearing phlegm.
Baby kicked the air and stared at him
then she said, "Ah-hem, Ah-hem."

Grandma cleaned out Baby's ear
Looked at her, and said, "Oh dear."
Then she patted Baby's rear.
Baby said, "Cheer-cheer, cheer-cheer."

Grandpa said, "A smell is coming through
I wonder what we should do?"
Baby held up her fingers, two
then she said, "Phoo-phoo, phoo-phoo."

"Wonder if we should call the doctor quick
to find out if Baby is sick?"
The doctor came in very little time.
said, "This baby really is quite fine
she just has a grand talent 
for making words rhyme."

      I tell you what, get out your jump rope and try saying this to the beat of your jumping.  I think it will sound better this way because the meter is really fluey.  I wrote this because the word for the month over at David L. Harrison's blog is "talent" and I wanted to write a poem using the word.  What talents do you have?
Do you want to try writing a poem about your talent?  (To see more TALENT poems, click on the WOM Adult Poems on the top of his tool bar. )

Oronyms

I've been trying to think of a poem I could write (for about a year and a half) using oronyms.  I just couldn't come up with anything.  Oronyms are sound units that are redistributed to make different words or phrases.  Like using a notion for an ocean.  Or ill eagle for illegal.   I think this must be a lot like using puns in poetry.  Knock, Knock jokes would be a good example.

This poem does it.
And thus (very rough draft)

The Olympic committee
wrote to say
they wanted new events
for Olympians to play.

My brother and I
thought of pogo stick jumping,
cannon ball flying ,
and bumper car bumping.

Finally we thought
 we'd suggest they try
an event where
Olympians could toss pie.

We tried this out
to our delight
and had a really
good pie fight.

We tried to clean up
and got about half.
Then Mom came along
said, "Go take a bath."

We wrote the committee
expressing our cheers.
They telephoned back,
but we couldn't hear
because we are Pie Throwing
pie-in-ears.




     I know, that last stanza needs work to get to pioneers.  Any suggestions?  I'm going to get this right.
what words can you think of that are oronyms?   (Don't cha just love that word?)  Try writing your own poem and I'd love to see it.  Greg Pincus had a poem posted for Poetry Friday, titled  Etto's Voice, that I would call an oronyms.

Sailing

I've sailed
many a boat--
a sabot, a sunfish
a catamaran.

Been on many 
ships, sampan,
schooner, triple masted,
paddle wheel,
luxury-liners.

But the best ship
of all is
your friendship.

THE FRIDAY DANCE

Toes wiggle.

Ankles rotate.

Knees bend.

Legs kick.

Hips sway.

Waist twist.

Tummy jiggle.

Chest giggle.

Right stretch.

Left stretch.

Face smile,

Big,

All the way.

It's Friday.

Let's Play.

     Have you ever watched football players doing a happy dance when their team makes a touchdown?  It is Friday and I'm feeling especially good to have made it through this week. So, I'm doing my own happy dance.  Your task for today is to think about your own happy dance.  Can you write your dance into a poem?  Sometimes if you make your  body happy moving,  the rest of you will follow.  Have a fun Friday.

    Ed DeCaria is hosting Poetry Friday today at Think, Kid Think.  You can find many other Friday poems to read here. 

Trust the Starlight

Sometimes

I need

the quiet of starlight

the twinkling of stars

to remind me

how vast and enduring

our universe is

and I am

only one small grain

in our great cosmos.

     This is a free verse poem.  If you look carefully you'll see it is only one sentence long.  Is this a "worthy" poem?  I don't know.  Are the line breaks in the best places? I don't know.  Is this poem "Done"? Probably not.  I'm going to have to sit with this poem a while longer to find out what it wants to be.  But for now I'm willing to share these few words with you because sometimes I think it is good to remember each of us is unique but we are all apart of something much greater than ourselves.  I don't have a poetry challenge for you today except to suggest that poetry is a way to capture your thoughts and share them with others.  Have a great day thinking.

haiku

a hawk, hear its cry

as a car whizzes by

a snake on the road

     Do you ever have days when you get stuck and can't think of anything to write about?  Look out your window.  What is the first thing you see?  Now look for something to move or listen for a noise.  So now you have two things to try writing a haiku about.  Try this and let me know what happens for you.  You are welcome to leave your poem in the comments below.  I'd like to read your poem.  Have a great day listening and observing.

Election Day

Today is Election Day

"GET OUT AND VOTE"

the advertisements

all say.

You can vote red.

You can vote blue.

Voting is something

we all should do.

This is our freedom.

Don't throw it away.

Please go vote,

this Election Day.

      Being able to pick who governs our country is a very special privilege.  Not everyone in the world has this opportunity.  What are some of the symbols of our country and our freedom?  Our flag, the Liberty Bell, Lady Liberty, even the colors red, white and blue all stand for the USA.  Can you write a poem today about voting, freedom or one of the symbols for the United States?  Have fun.  Use your imagination. What would happen if a dog wanted to run for President?  What would she campaign on?
   If you'd like to read more about our freedoms and elections,  Janet Wong has written a poetry book, DECLARATION OF INTERDEPENDENCE Poems for an Election Year.  
   Last March, Janet Wong allowed me to share a couple of the poems from her book with you.  You can find those poems HERE.

Great Blue Herons

Three great gray herons

came to the lake today.

In among the bracken

is where they stay.

Eating up the minnows

and other little fish,

the herons think this restaurant

is very de-lish.

They'll lay an egg in a nest

high among the trees.

Along the shore of our lake

is everything they need.

Have you ever watched a great blue heron fly over a lake?  They look so awkward flapping their wings to take off, and then they fold their legs back  and become a long dart to fly over water looking for dinner.  Can you draw a picture of your favorite bird today, and then try writing a haiku.

flashing reflections

great blue herons swoop the lake

look for fish dinner

    The water color above I painted.  It is another one of the art projects I did with my sister while she was here visiting. 

Night Tales

It is just as you said.

I've looked at the moon

and it is all so vast.

But, imagine, if you will,

that every star

is a wish, and every wish

is a story.

Can you see the two bears, 

a big one and the minor?

Loping across the sky

chased by a hunter, Ryan.

He has an arrow notched

in his bow.

Taking aim at 

the lion or those fish.

Then he leaps on his horse

Pegasus in a wild race.

And yes, I see those girls

hands joined in a circle dance.

They laugh and giggle,

their pigtails flying behind them.

One is Leda and another

is named Cassie.

Seven sisters all together.

I don't know which

is my favorite wish.

I haven't heard

all their stories.

     Since it is Sunday, can you make up your own poem about the sun?  Is the sun a huge chili?  Or perhaps a great weight lifter?  Have fun playing with this one.

Sandy's Destruction

One neighbor brought milk.

another brought ice

In times of crisis, like this

I realize most people are nice.

     Let's be creative today.  Can you write a poem about Hurricane Sandy, or about things you can do to help?  Do have fun.

The Avacado

An avocado grew at the top of the tree,

wondering what his life would be.

Each day he watched the sun pass by

as he grew up toward the sky.

His skin grew thick and shiny black

he started to droop and fell back.

He saw birds perch and start to swarm,

he didn't want holes in his perfect form.

His limb began to stretch down, down

and the avocado bent toward the ground.

Finally the avocado shouted out  Wheee!

As he jumped off from that tree.

Can you hear him singing, Ole, Ole,

as he gets smashed for guacamole?

      Oh dear, I'm being silly again.  I couldn't think what to write about, but I have some potato stickers Debbie Ohi sent me from the book she illustrated--I'M BORED.   Debbie gives personality to a potato, and the stickers say "Power to the Potato."  I think you're lucky I didn't spring a potato poem on you today.  But a grocery ad from the newspaper was sitting right here with jumbo Hass avocados on sale for 99 cents.  (It was a toss up between the avocado and the grapefruit--same price.)  I thought I'd have more fun trying to rhyme that "o" on the end of avocado.  But then look what I did.  I put avocado in the middle of lines so I didn't have to rhyme.  But I did like rhyming "Ole" with guacamole.
OK, here is your challenge for today, can you write a poem about a fruit or vegetable?  Have fun.  I'd love to see your creations in the comments below.

Poetry Friday is being hosted today at MAINELY WRITE. 

Dia de los Muertos

Happy Dia de los Muertos.

Happy Day of the Dead.

Today I'll remember my loved ones.

I'll sing and I'll dance and wear red.

I'll make a sugar skull for Grandma

then write her name on the head.

I'll eat this yummy sweetness

thinking of her as I go to bed.

I'll write a note to my grandma

and ask her to came back to me.

We'll toss marigolds, eat good food

and swing a pinata in the tree.

I'll celebrate and remember

to keep my dead relatives close.

We'll parade for the Day of the Dead.

Happy Dia de los Muertos.


     Today starts a special holiday in Mexico and celebrated here.  It is All Saints Day.  Do you have family traditions or special things your family does for holidays.  You might have some fun doing some research on holidays.  There are many holidays in other countries that we do not celebrate.  Can you write a poem today about your favorite holiday?