My Poem

My poem sits
like a monkey in a tree.
It won't come down 
and play with me.

Instead he sits there
chattering all day.
I want him to here
so we can play.

   I'm sorry my post is so late today.  Every time I've been at my computer an interruption has happened.  It is nice to be needed by so many people, but when I was finally ready to write about the colors of spring, my poetry brain was turned off and all I could think of was monkeys playing in the trees.  When I visited Thailand and the rain forest in Peru there were wild monkeys outside my window.  I finally gave up struggling with what I wanted to write about today and just went with those ornery monkeys.  What do you do on days when you have so many interruptions that it is hard to get your work done?  What can you write about that?  Have fun playing with your own ornery monkeys today.

Some days, you just can't take yourself seriously.  Have fun.

An egret sits
in the mango tree.
Preening his feathers
so patiently.
He knows
what the world
may not see,
it is very nice
in Hawai'i.

  What is your most favorite place in the world?  Your town?  Your school, your bed, the ice cream store, the moon, the beach, at the movies?  What makes it special for you?  Think about using your senses to describe your favorite place.  Can you craft a poem from your description?  Maybe you'd like to try writing it as a riddle poem.  Have fun writing.

Beside the noble art of getting things done, there is the nobler art of leaving things undone.  Lin Yutang

As March slowly
slips away,
m-u-d-l-i-c-i-o-u-s 
children come 
to play.

And April knocks
upon the door,
her bonnet tied
against wind's roar.

Spring is here
in one quick bound,
shoots push up
through the ground. 

  March is almost over.  Say good bye to March.  April is almost here.  Say hello to April.  In the Hawaiian islands we have one word for both hello and good bye--Aloha.  I think that is partly because no one ever really leaves.  Part of them always stays with us. We have the memories of our times together.  Or, as my teacher points out, you are breathing the same air as Christopher Columbus, Shakespeare or George Washington. So, for your poetry challenge today, can you write a poem about someone or something that is coming or going?  Have fun writing. 


Just write anything and put it out there with reckless abandon.  Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic.

The Cow

The cow in the meadow
calls to the moon.
I think she is looking for love.
The cow in the meadow
croons and croons,
to the full moon above.
How the cow in the meadow
has made a mistake!
Her cooing and mooing
keeps me awake.
Her noise is something
I can not take.
Now that cow in the meadow
soon will be steak.


   I was up early working today.  Can you guess what woke me up?  I don't need an alarm clock, Nature gets me up.  Can you write a poem about what gets you up?  Can you draw a picture to go with your poem? I'm looking forward to drawing a cow to go with this poem.  Have fun writing and sketching.

There is so much good in the worst of us,
and so much bad in the best of us,
that it hardly becomes any of us
to talk about the rest of us. --Edward Wallace Hoch, 1849-1925.

MY STOMACH

My stomach is grumbling.
My stomach is rumbling.
Oh dear! What have I found?

My stomach is gurgling.
My stomach is burbling.
It's making a terrible sound. 

My stomach is
on a roll,
making noises
I can't control.

For these noises,
I am not proud.
Please forgive me
for being loud.

  I'm sitting at my computer wondering what I'll write a poem about today and my stomach starts making churning noises from the glass of water I just drank.   WOW!  I remember in fourth grade sitting at my desk and my stomach made noises I couldn't control.  It was so embarrassing. I was sure my classmates would tease me about my loud stomach until I heard someone else's stomach growling too.  That person with the loud stomach became my best friend, and my classmates and I would sit quietly just before lunch to see who had the loudest stomach.  It turned out our teacher had a loud grumbly stomach too. Has this sort of thing happened to you?  Take a moment to sit and quietly listen.  What do you hear?  Can you write a poem about that today?  Have fun writing.

Sometimes I hear blood rushing through my ears.  Sometimes it is only my stomach gurgling.

SPRINGTIME

Bring on the colors
the colors of spring
that let us delight,
that let us all sing.

Bring on the shades
and the colorful hues.
Bring on the bird songs
spreading their news.

Bring on the trees,
the flowers, the light.
Bring on the paints
that give us delight.

Bring on the red,
the green, yellow,and blue.
Bring on springtime
with everything new.

Bring on new growth
that brings energy.
Come springtime, come
for you and for me.

   Whoever spoke the phrase, March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, wasn't speaking about this year. Yesterday my friends in Colorado had a HUGE snow storm.  My friends on the East Coast were battling cold winds and even here in Hawaii we had thunder, lightning, and flooding.  I guess that is why I felt moved to write my poem inviting spring to hurry up and get here.  Hopefully, by the end of the month, we'll see lamb like weather.  What animal would you use to describe your weather?  Can you find a good metaphor for your weather and write your own poem today?  Have fun writing.  Is you weather like bees buzzing?  Like a turtle hiding in its shell?  Like a dog growling or a cat with a humped back?  Like a giraffe with a long neck that the storm has to get through before it reaches the point where it can do some good? (That one was a stretch.  Sorry for the bad pun.) Anyway, you get the idea.

   Today is Poetry Friday and Heidi Mordhorst is hosting the roundup on her blog My Juicy Little Universe,



Spring is just around the corner. Tie on your Easter hat.

A "ME" DAY

Today is a me day,
just like a snow day.
It is a free day,
a take things slow day.
I'm taking a bath,
won't give emails a look.
I'm doing my nails
and reading my book.

   I have a friend who is under the weather today.  He's taking a me day.  What do you like to do when you take a me day--a day just for you?  Every so often we all need to take a day when we let obligations slide and we just do nothing but what we want to.  Can you write a poem about your kind of me day?  Have fun writing.

I am a poet: I am always hungry. Theodore Roethke

I'm Painting

I'm painting the dog house.
I'm making it red.
"Yes," said the dog.
"That's right for my bed."

I'm painting the barn.
I'm making it blue.
"That's just the right shade,"
said the cow with a "Moo!"

I'm painting the bird house.
I'm making it green.
Said the bird,"That's the best
 "color, I've seen."

I'm painting my wagon orange
like the juicy ripe fruit.
"I like where you're going,"
said the owl with a "Hoot!"

As I got out my yellow,
up lumbered a bear.
He asked me to paint him
his own rocking chair.

Now everyone is happy
except for me--I ain't,
and it is because
I'm covered in paint.

  Can you guess what I've been doing for the last two days?  My husband wanted fresh paint in his home office.  I thought I could leave him to HIS project, but somehow I always get roped into helping him.  I'm getting really good at doing the taping, the blocking in, the feathering, the trim work and my husband does the roller.  What could be better than that?   Can you try writing your own poem today about a color?  It is Springtime and all the colors are bursting forth.  Let them inspire you.

Where will you leave footprints today?

Happy First Day of Spring

High up in the sky
all day long the clouds danced
great first day of Spring

   I hope your first day of spring was wonderful. Did you do anything to celebrate?  It is also Palm Sunday and there certainly are a lot of palms around my neighborhood. Can you write a haiku about your day?
    I've been having a good day.  I got to play with my water colors again and that always makes for a great day.

 Hold the world gently in your hands.

haiku

heavy clouds settle
upon dark cresting waves
through a hole sun peeks

There is always time to write a haiku.  Can you try writing one of your own today? 

Be the light that shines in your own life.

MY DOG

My dog laughs.
He thinks
he is a smartie.
My dog sings
at his dancing party.
My dog has fun,
won't you come
and join him?
Turn up the music.
Let's all dance
the swim.

 What is your favorite dance?  Can you write a poem about singing, dancing or throwing a great poetry party today?  Have fun writing.




  Today is Friday and it is time for The Friday Poetry Round Up.  We're hosted this week by Robyn Hood Black. You'll find more links to great poetry posts at her blog, Life on the Deckle Edge.  Thank you, Robyn for a great Friday happening.

Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!' Robin Williams
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/party.html

Spring is Nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!' Robin Williams

THE CENTIPEDE

I do not need
a centipede.
I can not feed
the centipede.

I know I would
surely loose
if I can had 
to keep
a centipede
in shoes.

I guess I've dealt with this subject before.  Here is a poem I wrote a few years ago.

SHOES

I love shoes

in every shape and size.

I think my shoes are

a humdinger prize.

I have high heels of pink,

and sandals in blue

bunny slippers, roller skates,

and galoshes too.

Marching boots and

soccer shoes,

spikes shine on

my football shoes.

Zorries, flip-flops

wedgies, jellies,

cowboy boots

from crocodile bellies.

Japanese getas

made from wood.

Wearing shoes

feels oh so good.

I have shoes

for my every need.

I'm so glad

I'm a centipede.

 Happy St. Patrick's Day.  Are you wearing your green today?  In honor of the holiday, can you write a green poem?  Have fun thinking of limes, olives and emeralds.

Every great story seems to begin with a snake. Nicolas Cage
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/snake.html

 Every great story seems to begin with a snake. Nicholas Cage 

USEFUL

On my walk today
I found 
the broken half
of a hatched
bird shell.

I looked around 
for the tree
with a nest
it could 
have come from.

Nothing,
no trees close,
only a palm
on the other
side of the road.

I thought
of a bird's habit
of cleaning
its nest
by removing shells.

Flying spent eggs
away from their nest,
getting rid
of the things
no longer useful.

On my way home
I too wondered
what I could
get rid of
that was no longer
useful.

I am so happy to finally be home.  I'm busy sorting through mail, getting my traveled clothes washed and put away, and taking care of many of the small details that slipped while I was gone.  As you can see I'm thinking about the things that need to be cleaned up and organized.  What in your life needs tro be cleaned up or organized?  What can you get rid of?  Can you write a poem about that today?  Have fun writing.

Flying Tub

I have a flying bath tub
it takes me on a trip
each time I turn the faucet on
and let the water rip.

My tub can take me
on a pirate ship,
or in an airplane's hold
flying flippy flips.

As a sub, my tub dives
deep in the ocean sea.
We can travel anywhere
my flying tub and me.


   If you had a magic tub, where would you go?  To the past?  To the future?  Can you write you own magic travel poem today?  Have fun writing.

Happy Birthday Clive

March holds the birthday for poet Clive Matson.  Happy 75th Birthday.  So today I'm featuring an excerpt from one of his poems.

YOU'RE A BABY (34)

You’re a baby! I’m a baby too!

Your giantness clouds the sky,

you breathe in Valley Fires

 

and exhale smoke and roses.

Has the sun ever looked so orange?

The moon so grapefruit?

 

Love the one-eyed mushroom

 

on its thick stalk. Love the warm

 

conch with its slick pearl.

Look up! Look up!

    Thank you Clive for giving me permission to include part of your poem here.  

I know Clive from reading his book LET THE CRAZY CHILD WRITE and from attending one of his workshops.  He publishes the poetry journal Scribbler.  You can read more about his life and poetry here. You can see and listen to Clive Matson reading his poem here.

So here is my occasional poem for Clive.

When you were a baby

you liked to sing

and to listen

to keys        on the ring

         ting-a-ling.

When you were a baby

we loved all you do

we'd exclaim and delight

over every

chortle and coo.

And now you've grown,

you're an amazing man.

We try to learn

from you     whenever

          we can.

  For you poetry challenge for today, can you write a poem about what it is like to be a baby?  What do you feel about babies?  Do you have a baby brother or sister?  Can you write a poem for or about them?

 

  Today is also the Poetry Friday Round UP.  Our hostess with the mostess is Irene Latham.  You can find more great poetry on her blog.here

   March is also the birthday month for children's poets David L. Harrison and Heidi Mordhorst.  Happy birthday to all those born in March.


A poem starts as an itch. Scratch it. Write it.

FLYING

So many airplanes
in the air
flying us from here
to who knows where.

So many decisions
we have to make
like where to sit 
and what to take.

Flying is stressful,
I have to laugh.
I think I'd rather
stay home for a bath.

   This is crazy.  My husband and I are flying back to Kauai next week.  So today he told me that the seat assignments had gotten changed.  He gave me elaborate instructions on how to change my seat assignments to match his so we could sit together.  He had three different seat assignments.  He is flying Tucson to Phoenix, Phoenix to San Diego, San Diego to Lihue.
   But when I logged on to the airline web site to check on my seat assignment; I only had two seats assigned.  I am flying Tucson to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to Lihue.  I'm going to feel Presidential with us flying on separate flights just in case there is a problem with either flight. Of course, I get in an hour before he does, but I won't get a second free checked bag which my frequent flyer husband gets and I get when I travel with him.  Airlines and travel is so complicated.  Where was the last place you travelled to?  How did you go?  By plane, car, bus, or train?  Can you try writing a travel poem today?  Have fun writing.

   Let's get this show on the road.

SILLY POEMS

I'm stirring a pot of poetry stew,
who knows what the words
are going to do.

Mary went to school
with a great blue ox.
The crafty fox
jumped from his box. 

The three deaf mice
threw out their canes.
In Entsy Spider hopes
it will rain.

Rock-a-bye, baby
her cradle has sold.
Peas porridge hot
is served up cold.

Jack and Jill
waltzed off to Spain.
One fish, Two fish
swam down the drain.

What are these verses
all going to do
when they are served up
as poetry stew?

  I've been having fun playing with mixing up nursery rhymes this morning.  Your challenge for today is to try your own verse, mixing up a nursery rhyme.
Go ahead and be silly.  It is fun and feels good.  Let's get poetry crazy today.

Listen to that small voice inside you crying out to be a poem.

The sun is shining.
the sky is blue.
Happy Saturday
from me to you.

It's a good day
to do our chores
and for adventures
to open doors.

It's a day for writing,
a day for fun
with many poems
for everyone.

   Have a great Saturday.  I'm in Tucson for a few days and internet connection is going to be tricky. I'll try to keep posting poems but I may not be able to include visuals or quotations.  Let's see where this adventure plays out.

FEED ME!

 "Oo-oo-oo,"
said the cow
as she came over.

"Moo-oo-oo,
I'm tired of clover." 

Boo-hoo-oo," 
she cried, 
turning her horn.

"I wish I had
a field 
of corn."

I met this cow in the field across from a new friend's house.  Don't you think there is a lot of personality here?  Look at the two cow pictures.  What do you think the cow wants you to know?  What is the cow thinking?  Does this cow have a name?  Can you write your own cow poem today?  Have fun writing.

Eat your vegetables. 

APAPANE

© 1999 Peter LaTourrette

‘Apapane (Himatione sanguinea) on ‘Ohi‘a
Pihea Trail, Kaua‘i
© 1999 Peter LaTourrette


The apapane sits
in the ohi'a tree.
He flies so quickly,
he's hard to see.

Red and black feathers
whir to the beat
as he pauses
for nectar to eat.

He loves to sing
all day long.
Can you can hear,
his lilting song?



   The apapane (ah-pah-pah-neh) is a Kauai forest bird.  It has black wings and a red body.  It drinks nectar from the flowering trees, and, of course, the flowers are red, too.  My bird book says the apapane is a member of the vireo family.  I want to thank Peter LaTourette for permission to use his photograph. He's a brillant photographer.  If you go  here you can see several more examples.

   What is you favorite bird?  An owl?  A flaming red cardinal?  Or, a L.B.J. (little brown job)?  Can you try to write your own poem about a bird today?  Have fun exploring birds.

   Amy Ludwig VanDerwater has a brand new book EVERY DAY BIRDS, with poems about birds you may enjoy reading. The paper cut illustrations by Dylan Metrano are spectacular.

There is beauty and peace in poetry.

END OF THE ROAD

Palm trees along the drive

Palm trees stretch
over the driveway.
Sun turns their trunks
to bones in bright white light.

Shadows make
lacy patterns
along the road.

Come journey
down the path
discover the hook
at the end.

Hear chickens
scurrying
in the bushes.
A rooster crows.

A surprise awaits
in the quiet calm
at the very end
find this poem.

  Happy First Day of March. This is going to be a great month.  I have so many friends who have birthdays in March.
The first week in March is National Write a Letter of Appreciation Day.   What things do you appreciate?  What people do you appreciate?  What are you grateful for?

Two,
Four, 
Six,
Eight,
Who do I appreciate?
You, you, you.
Oh, yes, I do. 

  Can you try writing your own appreciation poem today?
Thank you for reading my blog.  You mean the world to me.
Happy poetry. 

   One day you will know this: when you work at a poem, all the heavens and their hosts bend close, rejoicing that another human has found the workplace and pathway of the poem.  Sandford Lyne