ONE HOT SUMMER 7

Will the monsoons ever come?

Will I see lightning?

Will I hear thunder?

Once more?

Yes, the monsoons will come.

But now it is summer.

Doves coo and 

the elf owl hoots a sweet lullaby

to sing you to sleep.

Listen.

Hush now,

sleep,

the monsoons have come.

Raindrops splash

against your window.

Cracks of lightning shine

in the sky,

and everything is cool

and green,

once more.

    So, there you have it.  Everyone is waiting for the monsoon season to begin again.  I hope you have enjoyed working your way through a week's worth of waiting for the monsoons.  
       I did want to share the headline from yesterday's newspaper with you.  In Tucson, we really do wait for the monsoons to come.

This poem is inspired by NOW IT IS WINTER, written by Eileen Spinelli.  The ending to her story is very different from mine.  Her's is very elegant.  Please read her book to see how it makes a great mentor poem.  I hope my ending makes sense.  

      Now for your poetry challenge.  Look at poems you like and find what you think is a good end line.  Now make that line the first line for your own poem.  Have fun writing.

Writing Children's Poetry is the best place 

I know to play.

ONE HOT SUMMER 6

Will the monsoons ever come?

Will we see the water

rush and gush across the road?

Will the cracks

in the earth disappear?

Once more?

Yes, the monsoons will come

and we will see water

rushing and gushing

and filling the cracks.

But now it is summer,

and the snake and tarantula

sleep underground.

Now you and I shall hike.

Here is your backpack

and your water bottle.

All ready to go?

Walk slow.

Shhhhhh.

    Today is day six of my poems based on NOW IT IS WINTER written by Eileen Spinelli.
Only two days left to this tale. 
     Here is your poetry challenge for today.  Can you make a list of things you would say "Shhhh," to?  Can you write a poem about that?  Write a list poem, or pick one item and tell us about it.  How do you feel hen someone tells you to shhhh?  Have fun with writing your poem.

Children's Poetry is the owl that calls to me each night.

ONE HOT SUMMER 5

Will the monsoons ever come?
Will water rise in the wash?
Will we be able to fish 
like Dad and I did last year?
Once more?

Yes, the monsoons will bring
the river back and water 
will rush through the wash.
But now it is summer
and the bats fly at night
swoop in circles catching bugs
and sunsets come 
in reds, purple, orange.
How pretty.

  This poem is inspired by NOW IT IS WINTER, written by Eileen Spinelli,  Her picture book was illustrated by Mary Newell DePalma, published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, copyright 2004.  And, as you can see this is the fifth day I've been adding verses to this poem.  Our monsoons haven't started yet, but they should be arriving soon, in the meantime we fight the heat.  It does explain why our kids get out of school in May.  One wonders what people did before air conditioning.  Oh, I do remember--swamp coolers.And I remember driving over desert roads with a canvas bag hanging from the radiator for extra water to keep the radiator cool.
    What things do you do to stay cool in the summer?  This is your challenge for today, write a poem about things to do to stay cool.  When I was young I'd go to the matinee at the movie theater, or to the library to stay cool on hot summer days.  Have fun writing your poem.

A children's poem presents unlimited possibilities.

ONE HOT SUMMER 4

Will the monsoons come?
Will I help Grandpa
gather Saguaro fruit
and desert marigolds?
Will we look for horned toads
and gila monsters
near the arroyo?
Once more.

Yes, monsoons will come
to you and Grandpa
and to the horned toads
and gila monsters.
All will be there.

But now it is summer.
Now we lick
prickly pear popsicles.
So cool, so delicious.
Taste it.

     I'm still using NOW IT IS WINTER, written by Eileen Spinelli for my mentor text.  What is your favorite food to eat in summertime?  Can you write a poem about summer foods today?  Have fun writing.

   It is Friday again and time for the Poetry Friday Round Up.  A chance for you to read more poetry by children's poets.  The Round Up is hosted by Jama Rattigan today at her blog Jama's Alphabet Soup.  Hop over to the party and enjoy the poetry.  Thanks, Jama for being the hostess with the mostess for us.



Reading children's poetry is a great way to build vocabulary.

ONE HOT SUMMER 3

Will the monsoons come?
Will I race outside laughing
with my mouth open
to catch rain drops
on my tongue
once more?

Yes, monsoons will come
and raindrops
will fall on your tongue
and laughter too.

But now it is summer.
Now you can stand in the shade
to feel a few degrees cooler
playing shadow games.
What fun!

    It is three days now that I have been using Eileen Spinelli's NOW IT IS WINTER as my mentor text.
What games do you like to play in summertime?  Can you write a poem about your favorite game?  Have fun writing.

Children's poetry must be written with enthusiasm.

ONE HOT SUMMER 2

Will the monsoons come?
Will creosote bushes blossom
scenting the air
with tiny yellow stars
ever come?

Yes, there will be
creosote bushes and monsoon rain.
But now it is summer.
Now there is sunshine
and we wear sun block
and dark sun glasses.
So hot!
Feel it.

    So I've broken my verses into several posts.  This poem is inspired by Eileen Spinelli from her picture book NOW IT IS WINTER.  What is your favorite thing about the mountains, the plains, the city, the beach?  Try writing a list poem about all the things you love about your place.  Have fun writing.

Children's Poetry is written for the child in each of us.

ONE HOT SUMMER

Will monsoons ever come?
Will clouds umbrella over the sun
to make shade?
Will they drift into my dreams
like cool dew drops over my pillow?
Will the rains come?

Yes, the monsoons will come.
But now it is summer.
Now the sunlight blazes.
Heat ripples off the pavement.

The morning sun glares
when I pull my covers
over my head.
The birds hide in holes
in ancient Saguaros.
They lift their wings
to say hello.

     This poem is inspired by NOW IT IS WINTER, written by Eileen Spinelli,  Her picture book was illustrated by Mary Newell DePalma, published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, copyright 2004. 
    What things do you like to do in summer?  Can you pick one of your favorites and write a poem about it?  Why is that your favorite summer thing to do?  Have fun writing.

If more people read children's poetry the world would be a better place.

HAPPY POETRY FRIDAY

       It is Friday, time for a poetry party and time to celebrate the new Poetry Friday Anthology for Science, compiled by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, published by Pomelo Books. . 

      The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science is a fun way to discover science and poetry together.  The Anthology has 218 poems written by 78 children's poets. 
Each poem is a magic creation to develop a child's interest in science and poetry.

Three great children's poets have kindly agreed to help with the celebration--Laura Purdie Salas, Janet Wong, and Eileen Spinelli.



       Laura Purdie Salas, children's author and poet has allowed me to share her acrostic poem from the anthology. Thank you, Laura.

THINGS TO DO IN SCIENCE CLASS
by Laura Purdie Salas

Look at labels.
Ask advice.
Be sure to check directions twice!  Wear

Solid shoes to shield your feet,
And keep your table clean and neat.
Follow Rules that you are given.
Explore
The startling world
You live in.


©2014 Laura Purdie Salas.  Used with permission of the author, all rights reserved. (Third Grade, Week 2, Lab Safety, from The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science compiled by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, Pomelo Books.) 

    I love acrostic poems and this one I thought was a dandy.  Do you see how it fits to spell a word in the left margin?  But this poem also rhymes, which makes it a special poem to me.  Well done, Laura.  Can you take your own science word and write an acrostic?  I used the word LAB to write mine:

Love 
All about
Biology.

   Now it's your turn.

   And while you are thinking about writing your own science poem, I want to share another fun science poem.  This one is from Janet Wong, extraordinary children's poet. Thanks, Janet.

DR. LEE
by Janet Wong

Last week
I couldn't
see the board
in any
of my classes.

Dr. Lee
saw
right away
that I needed
some glasses!

When I grow up
I want to be
a doctor
just like
Dr. Lee!



©2014 Janet Wong.  Used with permission of the author, all rights reserved. (Kindergarten, Week 34, Science Careers, from The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science compiled by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, Pomelo Books.) 


Janet told me she envisions Dr. Lee as a woman. I think it is a delightful poem to think about all the medical, biological, scientific professions one can go into if you like science.  Young people hold the future of the world and science can help to make our lives better.


Eileen Spinelli has also given me permission to share her poem.  This poem has a special effect on me.  Every time I read it, I get a tiny little flutter in my heart as I consider all the possibilities in the world that can happen between those spaces inside the atoms. (If you click on her name above you can see another science poem of hers and all the covers of her wonderful books.)

IMAGINE SMALL
by Eileen Spinelli

Imagine something very small:
a rubber duck, a ping-pong ball.

Imagine something smaller yet:
a pebble or a violet.

Go smaller now: a silver bead
a baby's tooth, a pumpkin seed.

Keep going--
freckle, flea or gnat,
a speck of dander from the cat.
Imagine that.

And then imagine this--so cool--
a teeny-tiny molecule.
So teeny-tiny you and I 
can't see it with the naked eye.

To think of it gives me a chill.
But there is something smaller still:
the atom!

Billions fit in a fleck of foam
or on the dot at the end of this poem.

Billions.



©2014 Eileen Spinelli.  Used with permission of the author, all rights reserved. (Second Grade, Week 9, Matter, from The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science compiled by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, Pomelo Books.)   
Gosh, I don't know why, but I really feel up-lifted when I read this poem.

Here is my poem from the anthology:

Capillary Action
by Joy Acey

 I put my stick of celery
in my cherry drink.
Three days later
the leaves turned pink!

Tell me your reaction.
Tell me what you think?
Could capillary action
happen when I drink?


If you'd like to know more about THE POETRY FRIDAY ANTHOLOGY FOR SCIENCE you can see more sample poems at the Pomelo Books web site here.

Sylvia Vardell had a terrific post about the books on her blog Poetry for Children last week, here.

   These science poems are special to me because science plays a big part in my life.  My husband is a scientist, an immunologist to be specific.  He loves to do science experiments and find out new things.  It is exciting to find out something new no one else has ever known before and then to be able to share that information with others.  But, due to cuts of almost 25% to federal research budgets, less than one in six new grants is being funded.  Research programs across the United States are being eliminated and scientific labs are shutting down.  There are some fun student made videos titled STAND UP FOR SCIENCE, that discuss this problem on the  Federation of Societies for Experimental Biology web site.

Perhaps by reading THE POETRY FRIDAY ANTHOLOGY FOR SCIENCE you'll discover something you never knew before, or find something about yourself  you didn't know.  I hope you do and I hope you'll be able to share your new knowledge.  Have fun with science and poetry.  Happy Friday.

    For more poetry on our Poetry Friday Roundup, hop over to Rogue Anthropologist and catch lots of other great poetry sites. 

    On Saturday at 1, Juantia Havill, Ken Slesarik and I will be reading science poems from the Poetry Friday Anthology for Science at the Science tent at the Book Festival in Tucson, on the mall at the University of Arizona.  It is all FREE and we'd love to see you.  Drop by and say HELLO.

Tea Party

Yesterday I suggested you try writing a poem about a tea party.  I just got back from the Highlight's Founders Workshop in poetry, so I'm running.  I'm busy, there is so much to catch up on.  Sorry this post is late.  But Linda Anderson asked me a question about having tea in a bubble and it got me to thinking.  I could use my response for today's poem.

Hey Linda,
  The bubbles are magic, so you can put as many imaginary folks in a bubble as you'd like. There you go again, Linda--how wonderful--you've got me thinking, a funny series of poems (probably quatrains) with advice for having tea parties.

The Snail
 

Never invite a snail for tea
he'll slobber on the plates
and eat half cookies.
He'll leave his slime
all over the place,
and will not brush crumbs
from his face.


I'm jazzed about all the things I learned at the workshop and all the ideas I need to follow up on (and the revisions I want to work on).  The workshop was a wonderful experience--
I recommend it for anyone who has the chance to attend and loves children's poetry.

One of the free books in my "BAG" was Eileen Spinelli's TEA TIME TODAY; Poems to Sip and Savor.  It is a delightful book with lots of tips on how to have the most delightful tea parties.  I'm going to need to study this book to see how my poems are different. 

But, your challenge for today is to write a poem about one person you'd invite to a tea party, or someone you wouldn't want there.

Never invite the hippo,
you really don't want him there.
He will crack your hand-painted china
and smash your dainty sitting chair.

    (Yuck, that really needs some help with the meter, but the idea is there to get you started.)  Have a super Friday and I sincerely hope I get some of this work done so I can really work on my poetry and have my own party.

    I welcome your comments, or your poems (please) in the comments section below.  Thanks for dropping by.  I appreciate all your help.