Progressive Poem

WHAT IS POETRY?

“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.”
― Leonardo da Vinci

What is poetry?
It is finding the truth, no need to lie.
It's munching on watermelon and letting seeds fly.

It's a letter that come with a card in the mail.
It's the lacy silver threads left by a garden snail.

Yesterday my buddy Amy VanDerwater at Poetry Farm started the 2013 Progressive Poem with this line:

When you listen to your footsteps  (Amy VanDerwater)

the words become music and (Joy Acey)

     So there you go, Matt Forrest Esenwine , the next line is yours to create. 

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. )