Lantern Poem

copyright 2014, Joy Acey

Wild
wart hogs
trot around
the water hole
run


    The form of this poem is a lantern or lanterne.  I like to think of it as a half cinquain.  It has five lines like a cinquain, but each line has half as many syllables.  So there is one syllable in the first line, then 2,3,4, and 1 syllable in each of the next lines.  This form is difficult because word choice is heavily favored for one syllable words.  Thus the scope of the poem is very limited.  The lantern has fewer words than a haiku.  Plus starting and ending with just one word lines is difficult.  How do you think I did in writing this one?  Now it is your turn to try.
   My friend David Harrison has a poem challenge this month using the word evergreen.  You can find poems using this word on his blog at www.davidlharrison.wordpress.com

So let's see if I can do this, writing a lantern using evergreen.  Since evergreen is a three syllable word, I'll need to split it into two words.  An evergreen is a tree, so I'll use that for my first word.  Now all I need to do is fill in the middle.

Tree
growing
stretching tall
standing ever
green

This is my first draft.  But looking at this, I think if I change this to a pine tree, I can do more.

Pine
growing
loblolly
stretching ever
green

    Have fun trying to write your own lantern poem.

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. )

Happy Birthday

     I'm so happy.  Today is the one year birthday for Poetry for Kids Joy.
I can hardly believe I've been writing a poem a day for a whole year.  Zowee!
   To celebrate David L.Harrison is donating a copy of his most recent poetry book COWBOYS.

     Yesterday  David shared the wonderful poem "Bunkhouse."  Today we're getting a peek at  "Spittin' Mad." 

SPITTIN' MAD

Not fair!

"You're too little," they say.
"Go play with your dolls."

Been ridin' since I could walk.
I could break a bronco
good as they can.

"You're a girl," they say.
"Stay out of the way."

I'm tougher'n any boy.
Mess with me,
I'll poke 'em in the eye!

Not fair.

Not fair!

I'm so mad
I could kick a cow chip!

Not!

Fair!

      I love the idea of being so mad you could kick a cow chip.  Actually, I can see the t-shirts now.
     Gosh, I think this is a beautiful book.  I love the variety in the poems and the illustrations just blow me away. Don't you just wish you could sit in Dan Burr's studio and watch him work his magic?
     And I greatly appreciate David Harrison adding this birthday gift to our party.  If you'd like to win the autographed copy that David has donated, leave your own comment or cowboy related poem in the comments below.  You have until midnight tonight.  Then I'll put all the names into a cowboy hat (of course) and draw one name out.
    Actually, I'll draw two names and the second name drawn, I'll write a poem for you.

Here's my poem for today:

POKEY PONY


I have a pony, Pokey.
He's a sweet little paint.
Cause when I'm in a hurry--
Pokey, he ain't.

     Oh that is bad.  I think I need to go drink some sarsaparilla.  Have a good weekend and Happy Poetry Friday.

Let the Party Begin

This Friday marks the first year birthday for Poetry For Kids Joy, and to help us celebrate David L. Harrison is giving away an autographed copy of his most recent poetry book COWBOYS.   Cowboys
So, Buckaroos, to get you in the mood, David Harrison is allowing me to share two of the poems from COWBOYS with you.

I'll post one today, and the second one tomorrow.

THE BUNKHOUSE

Reckon this place could use a cleanin'.
Some boys hang their clothes on the floor
so they can't fall off nuthin',
and I've seen more'n one jaw of juice
fail to make it plumb out the door.

The walls are purty good,
got mostly recent papers pasted on.
Helps keep out wind in winter
while we catch up on the latest news.

It's nice to have a bunkhouse
in case you're partial to smellin' sweat,
boots trackin' cow manure,
and lamps burnin' skunk-fat oil.

Mighty warm in summer, though.
Good part is
the snakes eat the rats,
but the stink'll make your eyes water some.

Don't much care for sleepin' in.
Bugs gnaw plugs right outta your hide.
Reckon that's why I spread my roll outdoors.

     Isn't that fun?  I love reading this out loud and trying to sound like a real cowpoke.  Can you imagine what skunk fat smells like burning in your lamp?
   If you'd like to win the copy of COWBOYS, Davild L. Harrison's (davidlharrison.wordpress.com/) book of poetry, beautifully illustrated by Dan Burr, just leave a comment, or your own cowboy poem in the comments below.  You have until midnight on Friday night.  Then I'll put all the names in a hat and draw one.
     On my walk this morning I was thinking about all the names for cowboy, buckaroo, jackaroo, bronco-buster, gaucho, vaquaro , wrangler, cowhand, cowpoke, drover, herder, and Hawaiian paniolo who were responsible for bringing slack key guitar to The Islands.  So now see, you could write a poem about any one of these or your own choice that somehow tags cowboy.  Just have fun and enjoy the birthday party.  I'll have another surprise for you tomorrow.

Here is the start of my poem.  I have no idea where it is going to go.


If I were a cowpoke
here's what I'd do,
I'd hop on my horse
and ride to see you.

I'd bring along
a billie can or two
so we could drink tea
or make trail stew.

We'd brand the stray doggies
and push cows along
we'd sing ay-yay-yay-yay
our cowboy song.


     Now it's your turn.  Leave a cowboy poem or your own comment below.

Going to the Library

     Only two more days until Friday when I'll announce how you can win a free copy of Declaration of Interdependence, a poetry collection written by Janet Wong. Did I mentions the book is autographed by the poet?

     Here is what children's poet David L. Harrison has to say about DECLARATION OF INTERDEPENDENCE.  "Three cheers for Janet Wong for providing this collection of thought provoking and reassuring poems just as the election process heads toward a heated finish. Many of her poems bring wry smiles and all of them give the reader serious thoughts to ponder and nod over in agreement. Readers of all ages will finish this book with a deeper sense of pride in our country and gratitude for being an American."

     Yes, I'm glad to be an American.  Here is my poem for today,

GOING TO THE LIBRARY

Today

I drove to the

library

on roads

paid for

by my taxes.

I checked out a book

to read.

It didn't cost me

a cent.

My taxes

pay

to keep

libraries

free.

I'm glad

I live

in the USA

where

I can

say

what

I think

and don't

have to worry

about going

to jail.

     Your poetry challenge for today is to write a poem about why you are glad to live where you do.  Have fun writing your poem.