haiku

singing off key
a Jerusalem cricket
feels the barbs



I couldn't think what to write about today, so I sat quietly and listened.  Outside my bedroom window I could hear a cricket singing loudly.  I figured I could shape that sound into a poem.  I think this is a good Sunday poem.  I'm already planning how to make a concrete poem out of the word cricket.  I want the c for a head, the k will turn to make legs, and the t will bring up the rear.  What fun.  Can you tell I've read Bob Raczka's new book, WET CEMENT A Mix of Concrete Poems?  This is a whole book of 21 concrete or shape poems that really pushes the boundaries of text.  He does some creative printing for his poems like  takeoff, icicle, eracure (that's not a typo, it is Raczka making a point with his poem title) and the backward printed homer.  I do wonder how he presented his manuscript to his editor.
Can you sit and be quite for a few minutes today?  Can you shape what you hear into a poem? Have fun writing.

The world is full of incredible noises.

TRICK-OR-TREAT

I'm going trick-or-treating
with this BIG candy sack.
I'll have to start out early.
It'll be a while before I'm back.

I'm going to fill it full
with every kind of candy
and then I'll share with you.
This Halloween is dandy.

I haven't bought any Halloween candy yet?  What is your favorite kind of treat?  What do you like to get? Can you try writing a poem about trick-or-treating or Halloween candy?  Have fun writing.

MY JACK-O-LANTERN

I picked my pumpkin.
It's big.
It's round.
I'll make it
a jack-o-lantern
as soon as I
can lift it
up from
the ground.

Oh, my.  I can't believe Halloween is only a couple of days away.  I've been so busy with other things I have done nothing to get ready. 
What are you doing to get ready for Halloween?  Have you carved a pumpkin?  Do you have a costume?  Can you try writing your own Halloween poem?  Have fun.

Two Sheep

Two wooly sheep
sat under a tree
listening to the buzz
of a bumble bee.

One sheep said,
"That song's full of honey."
"Yes," said the other,
"But I think it's funny."

Both sheep laughed
and had a good day
listening to the bees
buzzing away.

   Happy Poetry Friday.  I hope you are having a great day.  This poem is definitely a draft.  I wrote it to go with the picture I drew which was a lot of fun.
For your poetry challenge for today, can you draw your own picture and write a poem to go with it? Otherwise find a picture you like from a magazine to write about.  Have fun writing.



   To find more poetry, buzz over to the Round Up, hosted this week by Irene Latham on her blog Live Your Poem.  Thank you, Irene ,for hosting the party.

If you believe, you will achieve.

SYMPHONY OF SOUNDS

All morning long
I've listened
to the wind chime ting
as the trade winds blow
and the chickens sing.

The day keeps growing
as the clouds move along
and I listen 
to my world
singing its song.


   What are the sounds of your world?  Is it something that lifts your spirit?
I recently had the thought that in Kauai I don't here crickets.  I think the chickens eat them all.  When I mentioned this to my husband, he noticed he hadn't heard cicadas in Hawaii either.  And I thought about the train whistles I got to hear in Tucson that aren't on island.
   What fun.  Can you write a poem today about the sounds you are thankful for in your community?

The beauty of the earth around me sings.

HAPPY WORLD SMILE DAY

  

Joy's Smiley Face

   Every year on the first Friday in October you have the opportunity to celebrate World Smile Day.  Isn't it wonderful that this celebration also falls on a Poetry Friday.  What better way to celebrate smiles than with poetry.  Today honors Harvey Ball, who in 1963 designed the big yellow smiley face. What can you do today to make someone smile?  I'm going to try writing a tetracty.
     I learned about this form from Australian children's poet Kathryn Apel. I also found more about the history of the form here. Tetractys also have a mathematical meaning, find more here.

So I thought I'd try using the tetracty form to write my smile poem.

Smile

strangers

will smile back.

Lift someone's day

with smiles you'll make new friends along your way.

   This is a syllabric form with five lines. The first four lines have as many syllables as the line number.  One syllable in the first line, two in the second, three in the third and four in the fourth.  In the fifth line are 10 syllables.  So there are 20 syllables in the whole poem, 10 in the first four lines and 10 in the last line.  You can try rhyming lines 4 and 5, but it's not required.  If the poem was written in two lines, you'd have a couplet.  You don't have to rhyme like I did with the day/way, but I think it adds a nice echo and a little music to the verse. 

    This poem has a hat shape and so now I'm thinking of writing another tetractys poem about tipping one's hat in greeting or tribute.  Poetry is like that--one fun idea leads to another.  You never know where your poetry journey will take you.

  Now it's your turn.  Have you ever drawn a smiley face on a card or letter?  Do you include them in your texts?  Does your teacher use smiley faces when grading class work?  Have you ever tried to make someone smile?  Today, in honor of World Smile Day, try writing your own poem about smiling? Have fun.  I hope you have a bright yellow marker to use in writing your poem.  If you'd like to share your poem, please leave it in the comments below.  Remember if you are younger than 13, you'll need a parent or teacher to leave the comment for you.

   Today is Poetry Friday.  You'll find more poetry at the Round Up hosted this week by Violet Nesdoly on her blog here.   Thanks Violet for hosting us this week and for a great post on Poetry Camp at Western Washington University at Bellingham, WA. (If you follow this link, you'll see pictures of me and find out what I was doing last weekend.)

Do an act of kindness--make one person SMILE.

Poetry Camp

I just got back from Poetry Camp at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington.  What fun I had with over 40 children's poets.  There was lots to learn and lots to do.
  On my air flight home I met a young 3 year old.  She gave me a picture she had made.  I asked her name and she told me she was, Salsa.  I thought this was unusual and I looked to her dad for an explanation.  Had I heard right?
  "Just call her Salsa," said Dad.  "She likes to change her name every week or so." 
   How unusual, I thought.  I knew this young person had the heart of a poet, if she was changing around words and selecting the ones she likes. 
   If you could select a name to be called this week, what would it be?  I think I'd be Cookie this week because I've baked a lot of them for a writers meeting.
   Here is the picture Salsa gave me:

Salsa has stickers
of a horse, 
a dog.
a cat.
She draws 
the corral,
the doghouse
and a mat.

 I thought it was clever of Salsa to be able to draw the surroundings for her stickers.  Do you have some stickers to play with?  I have stickers of soccer balls I think I'll try drawing a soccer player.  Once you've drawn your picture, can you write a poem to go with it?  Have fun writing and sticking, and drawing.

Enjoy each day and treasure the people you meet.