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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.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Christmas Ornaments


     Isn't it fun when good ideas start to pile upon each other, taking an ordinary thought and making it something different and fun?

     Today's post started with HeidiMordhorst asking for poems related to light for a themed poetry roundup this week. That request got the wheels in my brain turning slowly.,

     Then, I was notified by children's poet Matt Forrest that I had won two hand made Christmas ornaments from Maine. That got me feeling very grateful and thinking about Christmas ornaments.

      This made me stumble upon the idea of making a Christmas ornament for several of my children's poetry friends.

     So here is a candle of light for Heidi. The text says:

You shine so bright
through the night.
Let your light shine.



     Matt Forrest's ornament had to be a bell.


Hear the bells ring.
Hear the bells sing.
On Christmas Eve
ting-a-ling.


     David Harrison gets a Christmas star, like a sheriff's badge, in honor of his book COWBOYS.

On top of the Christmas tree
sits a golden star
to welcome good wishes
from near and far.

     To Tabbatha Yeatts who set up a Christmas exchange between fellow children's poets, her own Christmas ornament.



Of all the ornaments
on the Christmas tree
you are a special one
to me.

     To Amy VanDerwater at Poetry Farm, my Christmas exchange partner,

                               (this is supposed to be a barn)

At midnight
all the animals
get to speak
in their own
special poetry.

     To Robyn Hood Black, haiku specialist and wolf expert,

                                     (this is supposed to look like a wolf)

Yip. Yip.
Bark. Bark.
This is how
a wolf says HARK,
and Merry Christmas.

     To Renee LaTulippe at No Water River,



May the waves
of creativity
gush
for you.
Here's wishing you
waves of happiness.

    I still need to make a sunburst for Janet Wong.

You bring
children's poetry
to the world
and beyond.

    And a butterfly for my poetry sister Cory Corrido .

Flap your wings,
fly awhile
you always bring
a poetry smile.


     Can you tell I'm having fun with this?  If you'd like to share your Christmas ornament idea, in the comments below leave the shape of the ornament and the text you'd put on it and who the ornament is for (it can be for yourself--I imagine Jama would have cookies, Laura Purdie Salas would have a book. )

21 comments:

  1. What a cute idea! Renee may have a No Water River, but she does gush forth creativity, doesn't she? Yes, Jama would need a food-related ornament and a book sounds good for Laura. Something silly for Gregory K at Gottabook? His book is called "Late Bird," so maybe a bird. A wolf is very appropriate for Robyn! Thanks, Joy :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tabatha,
    I thought of you the whole time I was doing this, I knew it was something you'd have some good ideas for. Thanks for making poetry fun for me.

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  3. Joy,
    Lovely and fun. I think I'll ask my kids to make some for their grandparents.

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  4. What a great & sweet idea for all your poetry friends, Joy. I'm not sure for whom, but I think I would make a boat, maybe for Kate Coombs, whose book about water is so beautiful.

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    Replies
    1. Linda,
      I love the idea of a boat sailing upon the green river of the Christmas tree.
      Thank you for your great ideas. I'll look for Kate's book.

      Delete
  5. What fun! I send a lily pad and a haiku to Diane Mayr.

    a thought, a song
    from my lily pad
    no tree for me
    plop

    To Violet Nesdoly, my poem exchange partner in Canada, a snowflake.

    ice crystal stars
    unique designs
    for a snowflake tree

    Thanks, Joy!

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    Replies
    1. Joyce,
      Thanks for getting into the spirit of my challenge. I love your choice of ornaments and the poems you wrote for Diane and Violet. Well done.

      Delete
  6. Joy,
    Awesome idea. Thanks for sharing your creativity and the personal touch that poetry brings.

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  7. These are amazing, Joy! You are so creative! I love the idea of a book-shaped ornament for me:>) And I think we need a smile-shaped ornament for you (hope a smile wouldn't look too creepy...):

    a laugh
    a smile
    a rhyme

    gift of
    poems and
    time

    Merry 2013!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As long as I'm not wearing my retainer with that smile I think we'll be OK on the creepy factor, but even that is usually fun for kids. (It is so much fun creeping the grown ups out.)
      Thank you for my lovely ornament and a great rhyme.

      Delete
  8. Dear Joy, simply amazing!!!!
    Thank you for my butterfly ornament and poem. I love them both.

    My Christmas ornament to you is this:

    Bursting with gold light
    Ever cheery and bright
    JOY is a sunflower
    My friend - a delight!

    ............................

    Happee Christmas and a joyful 2013.


    Cory

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    Replies
    1. Cory,
      You are such a special person to me.
      Thank you for my ornament, and for the pictures you sent to me and for my own rhyme. Woweee! Life doesn't get much better than to be surrounded by so many talented poetry friends.

      Delete
  9. Joy! How lovely! You just made my day with my very own water ornament. I just love it - thank you so much, friend!

    My ornament for you is a white dove:

    gentle soul
    fluttering words
    whispering peace

    Merry Christmas! :)

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    Replies
    1. Renee,
      This is beautiful. Thank you for my ornament. I can really see this haiku. I love it.

      Delete
  10. Joy, What a magnificent gift from you to our community, and how thoughtful that you set up such a sweet and warm exchange. Thank you! (Now I want to go and listen to those critters tomorrow night, for you are right indeed.) I would like to send an ornament in the shape of

    a candy cane for Mary Lee...

    Our Poetry Friday
    shepherdess
    herds words with love.


    an angel for you...

    Sparkly halo
    over green hair --
    one winking angel
    surprises!

    Merry Merry Christmas to you, my exchange partner!

    xo,
    a.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amy,
      I like having Mary Lee's candy cane hanging on our tree. Thank you.
      I'd say this is the first time I've gotten a halo, but when I was 4 years old I played an angel in the Christmas program and I got to wear a white robe and a halo made from a coat hanger covered with tin foil.
      What parts did you play in the Christmas plays?
      And of course my favorite Christmas tune is JOY TO THE WORLD.
      Thank you for hanging these two ornaments on the Christmas tree.

      Delete
  11. What fun is this! Joy, again you live up to your name.

    Thank you to Joyce Ray - my poem swap partner. I have a bauble for her--a BELL on which it says:

    notes ring
    stories echoing
    the ancient years

    And for Heidi, our hostess this week, I have a CANDLE on which are the words:

    light flickers
    on her new path
    through a creatured wood

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    Replies
    1. Super, Violet.
      Thank you for hanging these two ornaments on the Christmas tree.

      Delete
  12. Oh boy; Oh Joy--I was feeling bad that I hadn't got around to visiting your blog until last (I was just following down the list)--but now I'm so happy to come and find all your sweet personalized ideas and everybody's JOYful responses. A great way to end my hostessing experience!

    Coincidentally, my friend Janet is headed up to her family in CT today and will be passing by Newtown. I gave her a gingerbread man off our tree to hang somewhere near Sandy Hook, and inscribed it with love from us in Bethesda, MD. I think it won't last long in the elements, but I wanted to send something from our hearts and hands, just as you were inspired to do.

    And now, my ornament for you (and you can bet I am already planning to actually make and share these with beloveds next year)...it is, of course, a sizeable heart, but not just a heart. This heart is made of shiny metal, and it comes with a little felt-covered mallet because it's also a gong. Hang it up on your tree, and when you want to call everyone together for merriment and care, you ring this heart-shaped gong and call out the words on it:

    Come one, come all;
    all gather here!
    Lend hearts, lend hands,
    and lend your fine ears
    while we deck the halls
    with wordjoy for all!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Heidi,
    Thank you for the music. You are such a special person, I wonder if you know how much we all enjoy your posts and your poetry. Thank you for hosting Poetry Friday this week and for giving folks a theme to inspire poetry. I'm always learning from you. I appreciate thatmore than you'll ever know.

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  14. I am really late to this ornament party, Joy - sorry! (It was great having company over the holidays instead of traveling ourselves, but I got way behind on everything else. Still catching up!) The wolfy one will help me howl right into the New Year. Thank you for sharing all of these, and Happy 2013!

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