Good Night
Everything is quiet.
Everything is still.
Everyone is sleeping
at the house on the hill.
The chickens are resting.
They don't make a peep.
The cows in the pasture
are sound asleep.
The little boy is tucked
warm in his bed,
a cool pillow nestles
under his head.
Ocean waves lap
down at the shore.
The little boy's daddy
has started to snore.
The palm trees sway,
a coconut drops.
It hits the ground
with a dull thudding
PLOP!
But no one hears it
up on the hill
'cause they're all in bed
and all sleeping still.
The moon smiles down
from the sky above,
on the house on the hill
and the sleepers he loves.
Some poems just insist on coming. I woke up in the middle of last night and I could hear the quiet. I'm excited about this poem because I can see the pictures I want to draw to go with it. When you wake up in the middle of the night, what do you hear? Can you write a poem about that? Have fun writing your own poem.
Today is Poetry Friday, a day to have fun and celebrate poetry. If you'd like to read more poetry posts and more great poetry Catherine is hosting the round up this week on her blog at https://readingtothecore.wordpress.com/ Thanks, Catherine for being a great host.
Oh Sleep! it is a gentle thing... Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Ancient Mariner
Sleep is when all the unsorted stuff comes flying out as from a dustbin upset in a high wind. William Golding, Pincher Martin, chapter 6.
I just read another sweet book about the moon, an old one I found at the library by Nancy Willard. This is lovely, and fun to hear that you "found" it in the middle of the night! I do like that last verse, "on the house on the hill/and the sleepers he loves." Happy Friday!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Linda. The chickens are crowing as I type this. It is rare NOT to hear them. Check out my post on www.joyacey.wordpress.com if you want to know about the chickens I heard at the post office yesterday. I think there might be another poem in that.
DeleteLovely! I love the dad beginning to snore. I love that they live close enough to hear waves. I wish I live close enough to hear waves.
ReplyDeleteCome visit us in Kauai and you'll hear the waves on the shore. We've got 84 degrees today.
DeletePleased to meet you, Joy and what a nice poem. I can picture the scenes and the sound effects (snoring, PLOP etc) add to the mood.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lynette. I always like including sound in my poems, kids love it and for early readers, it is the part they can participate in.
DeleteOh, to hear the quiet! Such a lovely sleepy peacefulness swaddles this poem... thank you, Joy! Also it reminds me of how palm trees bend but don't break... and sometimes we are given surprise coconuts. What a miracle! xo
ReplyDeleteDid I see you in Publishers Weekly this week? Congrats on your next contract.
DeleteI love how you gradually wove in the setting. First the ocean, then the palm trees -- all conducive to sleepy time thoughts. Nice job!
ReplyDeleteOh, thank you Jama. I wanted two more verses in the middle of this and you've just given me the idea for one of them. You're a big help. Don't you miss the islands? Monday is Prince Kuhio Day.
DeleteOh, this is absolutely beautiful! I can see this as a beautiful bedtime picture book for little ones, so gentle, and full of quiet love.
ReplyDeleteThat was my idea. Thank you.
Delete"a cool pillow nestles under his head" - love that image!
ReplyDeleteJust so you know, some words were used from your poem to use in the new Scavenger Hunt today! http://mainelywrite.blogspot.com/2017/03/poetry-friday.html
Thank you Donna for including me in your treasure hunt. What fun.
DeleteAh, sleep!
ReplyDeleteYes, Mary Lee. I'm sound asleep when the folks on the east coast are awake--there is a 6 hour difference.
DeleteLove this restful poem, Joy! (I hear coyotes howling in the middle of the night.) =)
ReplyDeleteDon't forget the train whistles--something we don't have here.
DeleteOh, I can't wait to see your illustrations. This poem is adorable and lyrical and just perfect. I wish I could wake up in the middle of the night with an idea like this one!
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't happen often, but when it does it is magic. Which is why I find it easy to tell people, I am a children's poet. Bless Bee Cullinan who opened my cocoon.
DeleteSuch a cute, quiet, relaxing poem...thank you, Joy!
ReplyDeleteMatt, I kept thinking about your little girl. How is she doing? And how is the little dude? Has he started school yet?
DeleteI just sink into the quiet and peace of your poem when I read it. It's lovely!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kay. I appreciate your comments.
DeleteI was surprised at the end that the house was a "he" - love that! (& great quotes at the post's end, too). Hope your weekend in Paradise is full of beautiful days followed by restful, inspiring sleep.
ReplyDeleteRobyn, help me out here. The he in the last line refers to the man in the moon, not the house. If the pronoun referent isn't clear, I definitely need to re-work that last stanza. Thanks for bringing this up.
DeleteI can't wait to try this! I love how you said you could hear the quiet. It's true!
ReplyDeleteYou can also feel the darkness. I want to try that.
DeleteI love the stillness and peace of this poem, Joy. Thank you for sharing it with us!
ReplyDeleteI love writing pastoral poetry. Thank you. I must admit I too feel a great sense of peace every time I read this poem aloud.
DeleteLovely, quickly moving poem Joy, I could visualize the images as they rolled down the page, thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks Michelle,
DeleteWould that make me an imagist poet? I hope so.
Lovely, Joy. Sinking into sleep.
ReplyDelete