Why I Haven't Written

Joy Acey, copyright 2014

I saw a seagull flying
over the sea
in his mouth a letter
he was winging to me.

In the wind he dropped the thing,
it couldn't get much wetter.
Now I'm forced to dry it out
so I can read your letter.

   I want to thank illustrator Bob Alley for showing me how to draw a sea gull with a letter for today's illustration.  He illustrated one of my poems in Highlight's High Five.
      Letter poems are fun to write because they let your imagination have fun.  You can try writing to a real person, but what happens if you write to an object?  Who is a favorite character from a book you've read or a movie you've seen?  Can you try writing a poem to someone today?  Have fun.

    Dear Wicked Witch of the West,
    I do not want to be you guest.
    So I'll regret this RSVP.
    I'm sorry I am not free.

    Dear Tinkerbell,
    Can you come for tea?
    How about Friday
    around about three? 

   Dear Backpack,
   I love your six zipper pulls.
   I'm sorry I stuff you
   much too full.
 

IF I WERE

If I were hot cocoa
And you were the cup
I'd warm you,
you'd hug me
then I'd be drunk up.

      I've been playing with taking two objects and putting them together to see how they would interact.

If I were the water
and you were the pool,
we'd warm in the sunshine
and keep swimmers cool.

If I were a dog
and you were my rug
would you keep me warm,
would you give me a hug?

If I were a sea turtle
and you were the sea
would we swim with the dolphins,
would you want to be me?

If you were paper
and I were a pen
we'd write children's poetry.
Let us begin.


So, here is your challenge for today--take two (or more objects) and put them together.  See what you get for your poem.  Have fun experimenting and writing.

Yellow creosote
purple Texas Ranger
red Mexican Bird of Paradise
yellow desert marigolds
fall colors in the desert
blooming.


Look out your window?  What flowers are blooming in your part of the world?  Why do I feel the blooming flowers are precious?  Can you write a poem today about your landscape?

What's Happening

Lightning flashes
Thunder rolls
Rains come
Plants rejoice
Snakes curse

   I hoe you are having a great weekend.  What are you writing today?

CLOUDS

The clouds are looking dark and gray.
I think it might rain today.
That's the reason the flowers say,
"Hip-hip-hooray.!"

If you were to have a conversation with a flower, what would the flower say?  What kind of flower would you chose to talk to to?  What would the flower tell you about its day?  Have fun talking to the flowers, for hours and hours.  (Sorry, I couldn't control myself.  Now I'm thinking about what my life would be like if I was a bee.)

If I were a bee
and you were the flowers
we'd get together
for hours and hours.

Have fun writing your own poems today.

  Laura Purdie Salas is hosting the Friday Poetry Roundup today.  You can find lots more children's poetry on her blog at http://www.laurasalas.com/blog/
Thanks Laura, for a great Friday Poetry Party.

WALKING

I'm walking, I'm walking
the sun on my face.
I'm walking, I'm walking
to keep up my pace.

Come evening, come evening
'for I hit the sack,
I'm walking, I'm walking
coming on back.

   If you went for a walk, where would you go?  What would you see?  Can you write a poem about walking today?  Have fun.

DON'T DO IT!

Do not step in a cement crack.
Do not step on a rusty tack.
Bad things will happen.

Do not sleep on a railroad track.
Do not sleep on a camel's back.
Bad things will happen.

Do not pet a moose's rack.
Do not pet a wooly yak.
Bad things will happen.

Do not poke holes in a gunnysack.
Do not poke holes in a backpack.
Bad things will happen. 

Do not feed a hungry humpback.
Do not feed a lean silverback.
Bad things will happen.

Instead ask for a do over
look in the grass for a four leaf clover
and wish for good things to happen.

   This is an easy poem for a group reading because of all the repetition.  You can add lots of verses to this poem because the rhyming family for ACK is pretty large.  Have fun trying to add verses to this poem.  You might want to use a rhyming dictionary for help with the rhyming words.  Or if this doesn't appeal to you try writing a poem about a bad thing happening.  Have fun writing.

THE GOLDEN MEAN

I'm looking for the golden mean
that lovely medium
between extremes.
I'm either late
or come too soon.
Most days I end up
talking to the moon.

    Look up the word gold in your dictionary. I did and found lots of words I hadn't thought about in a long time.  There was goldfinch, golden years, golden age, gold standard, gold foil.  Can you try writing your own gold poem today?

SICK DAY

My nose is dripping.
It's turning shining red.
I cannot get the drip to stop.
I think today
I'll stay
in bed.

   I had a busy weekend, and I'm paying for it today.  My nose is running and I'm really having to push myself to get some work done.  I'm moving very slowly today.  What is the slowest moving creature that you know about?  Can you write a poems about it today?  Have fun writing.

Sunday, September 21, 2014

My feet are floating
off the ground.
It's an exceptional day.
I am flying all around.
Tinkerbell has come to play.


   What makes an exceptional day for you?  Can you write a poem about your exceptional day?  Have fun. 

Hello, Mr. Cardinal

Looking out my window
what should I see
but a bright red cardinal
sitting in my tree.

His eye was dark and shiny
as he looked straight back at me
and I wondered what he had seen
as he was flying free.

Did he see the deer wandering
down by the sheltered stream?
Or maybe squirrels playing tag
like an Olympic team.

     If you were a bird, what kind would you be?  What would you see as you soared through the air?  If you were a bird in a cage, what would you like to read in the papers lining your cage?  Have fun writing today.

FIVE ACORNS

ONE acorn
called out, "Wheeeeee!"
as he fell
from the oak tree.

TWO acorns
bet the ranch
as they flipped
from a branch.

THREE acorns
called out, "Hark!"
as they jumped
from the bark.

FOUR acorns
rolled on their rims
as they landed
from tree limbs.

FIVE acorns
fell on their knees
as they landed
under the leaves.

They each broke open
a hard shell
and slept through winter
very well.

They set down roots
in the cold hard ground
and grew up leaves
when spring came around.


   I do enjoy writing counting poems, and this one lets you know a little bit about an oak tree and all its parts.  Would you like to try acting out this poem? Can you try writing your own counting poem today?  Have fun writing.

   The Poetry Friday roundup is hosted by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater today over at The Poetry Farm http://www.poemfarm.amylv.com/   Thanks, Amy for your beautiful poem today.  The poem is a great hug.

I'M ME!

No matter what's out.
No matter what's in.
Try to delight
in the shape you're in.

Sometimes you're happy.
Sometimes you're not,
but who you are
is all you've got.

So try to make 
the best of today,
and when you're gone
you've done it your way.

    Each of us is unique and different.  Celebrate and rejoice in your differences and try to be the best you, you can be each day.  So, can you try writing a poem about being you today?  What do you like doing?  What makes you different?  What makes you the same as your friends and family?  Oh, what a lot of fun things to write about today.

Let's Help One Another

The world needs more kindness.
We shouldn't pout and stew.
Let us help each other
with the little things we do.

     Everyone needs some help.  What would be helpful to you?  How can you help your family?  Your classmates?  The teachers at your school?  Who can you write a poem for today?  Have fun writing.

New Friends

I have found
the more kids I've seen,
few of them
are intentionally mean.

When I treat people 
kind and nice
they return the favor
more than twice.

Most folks are friendly
and show they care.
They help me out
and are more than fair.


    I first wrote the last line of this poem as: with knowledge to share. That felt too limiting--people share more than their knowledge.  I'm not finished with this poem.  It is still very rough, but I does capture the idea I had in mind when I started writing.
   Have you noticed on days  whenyou are happy and smile at other people, those folks smile back and are happy too?  Have you ever noticed if you do a good deed like open a door, or pick up trash in the lunch room, soon there are other people doing good deeds too.  I find the goodness I launch into the world comes back to me multiplied.  I feel good when I do good deeds and that goodness radiated and multiplies.  Take a moment to think about a good deed you can perform today.  Now, can you write your own poem about that?  Do have fun.  Have a happy day.

PINK CLOUDS

A spun sugary treat,
I'm a dandy.
I melt in your mouth.
I am __ __ __ __ __ __   __ __ __ __ __.


   What is your favorite candy?  Can you write a poem about that today.  Or how about writing an acrostic poem using your favorite candy.  Oh what fun.  I'm off to try it.  I hope you have fun writing today.

WHO AM I?

Floating in your soda,
a cool drink tastes so nice.
I am frozen water,
I am a cube of __ __ __.


It is hot today.  I started the morning with iced coffee and I've kept the cup going adding more ice and different kinds of liquid.  I have water and ice in the cup right now.  I went out to the book store earlier today and left my cup in the car.  When I got back in the car, the ice had melted but the wet drink still tasted wonderful.  Sometimes it is hard to stay hydrated in the desert.
  The last line of my riddle is actually a reversal.  Can you write your own ice cube poem today?  What rhymes with cube?  Have fun writing.  Happy Sunday.

SMART BOARD

I am a smartboard
in your classroom.
I replaced the chalkboard
who now feels doomed.

He misses the children,
can't hear their news.
He feels discarded
and has the blues.


     So, I've set up a problem in this poem, the chalkboard is being discarded.  Can you write the rest of the poem?  What is going to happen to rescue the chalkboard?  Have fun playing with this idea.  Happy writing.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

WHO AM I?

She zips around town,
with her cat named Doom.
The witch rides on me,
I am her __ __ __ __ __.

This is a riddle poem, but it is also a mask, or persona poem.  If you were a broom, what would you be made of?  Who would have made you?  How would you have become magical, if you are?  Where would you live?  Would you play quidich?  What can you tell us about your life and the person who rides you?  If you live at a school, what do you do after the children all go home?  How do you get along with the other brooms?  What advice would you give us?  Can you write today about being a broom?  Have fun.

A DOCTOR VISIT

I'm going to see the doctor today.
My appointment is at 9 on the dot.
I'm going to see the doctor today.
Mom says I am feeling hot.
I'm going to see the doctor today.
I hope he'll know what I've got.
I'm going to see the doctor today.
I hope I won't need a shot.

 Since this poem uses anaphora, repetition of a line, it is an easy poem to recite with two voices.  Can you write your own poem using anaphora today?  Have fun writing.

FULL MOON

Full moon tonight,
shining big and white.
Look at it, perfectly round
making shadows on the ground.

    It is your turn.  Can you write a moon poem today? 

THE HORSE'S HAT

Oh, look at that.
The horse is wearing a hat.
It sits upon his head
with a hat band of ribbon red.
It has two holes for his ears.
Made of straw he can munch.
That horse must love his hat
a whole big bunch.


    How many different kinds of hats can you name?  Derby, Panama, Cowboy, ten gallon.  A lot of professions have specific hats--pilots, firemen, cooks.  Can you write a hat poem today?

SUBSTITUTE TEACHER

A substitute teacher
came today.
My friends and I 
thought we'd play 

A joke on the sub--
the old switcheroo,
we moved our desks
and switched names too.

The sub called me, "John."
and I replied , "Who?"
Our poor sub didn't know
what to do.

Our teacher returned
and she was sad,
said we'd treated the sub
terribly bad.

We knew we had
but what could we say?
While she was gone
we wanted to play.

NOT A FROG

Some call me frog
as I hop down the road,
with bumpy, dry skin,
I am a __ __ __ __.

Who Am I?

I've two sets of lacy wings
and no matter how hard you try
you can't fly faster than me,
I'm a __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.

    I'm  still working on insect riddle poems.  I'm swimming in riddles and having so much fun.  Speaking of swimming, can you write your own riddle poem today?  Try using an ocean animal.  Have fun.

WHO MOVED THE RUBBERTREE

I say, "I can."
You say, "I can't."
I'll keep trying
because I'm an __ __ __.

    I had fun writing another riddle poem.  I hope you had fun writing too.
Can you write a poem for an insect today?  Have fun writing.

I rub my legs and make a noise,
kept in a cage by Chinese boys.
My music they say brings luck and cheer.
Some use me to tell the temperature.
As a favorite insect many pick it.
Hear me chirp, I am a __ __ __ __ __ __ __.


The Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted this week over at Arthor Amok.  Thanks for hosting us.

Riddle Poem

We have a head,
but we do not think.
You wash us off
in the kitchen sink.
You search the frig
when you want to get us,
Leafy and green,
have you guessed
we're the lettuce?

    Can you write your own riddle poem today?  Have fun writing.

MARCHING BAND

Watch the marching band
strut down the street.
Tubas and trombones
keep up the beat.

They're striding on the street stripe
as they march along.
People as they're watching
clap to their song.

   Do you like parades?  If you were in a marching band, what instrument would you play?  Would you be the drum major or a majorette?  Can you write your own poem about a parade today?

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Let's share a secret.
Isn't it fun?
When you'll omit letters
you've made two words one--
that's a contraction.

   How many contractions can you find in my poem?  Can you write your own poem today using contractions?  Can you make a list of all the contractions you know?  Now have some fun and play with those words.  Have you made up some contractions of your own?  Have fun writing and playing with words today.

I'm at my desk
writing in flow
who knows where
my story will go.

    Do you ever get so into your writing that you forget the time and your characters take over the story?  Have fun writing today.  Let you poem tell you what it wants to be.  Can you have a conversation with your poem?