Election Day

Today is Election Day

"GET OUT AND VOTE"

the advertisements

all say.

You can vote red.

You can vote blue.

Voting is something

we all should do.

This is our freedom.

Don't throw it away.

Please go vote,

this Election Day.

      Being able to pick who governs our country is a very special privilege.  Not everyone in the world has this opportunity.  What are some of the symbols of our country and our freedom?  Our flag, the Liberty Bell, Lady Liberty, even the colors red, white and blue all stand for the USA.  Can you write a poem today about voting, freedom or one of the symbols for the United States?  Have fun.  Use your imagination. What would happen if a dog wanted to run for President?  What would she campaign on?
   If you'd like to read more about our freedoms and elections,  Janet Wong has written a poetry book, DECLARATION OF INTERDEPENDENCE Poems for an Election Year.  
   Last March, Janet Wong allowed me to share a couple of the poems from her book with you.  You can find those poems HERE.

DECLARATION OF INTERDEPENDENCE Poems for an Election Year

HAPPY POETRY FRIDAY

       Today is an exciting day.  I have four autographed copies to give away of Janet Wong's collection of political poems titled, DECLARATION OF INTERDEPENDENCE Poems for an Election Year.  This is a creative collection of poems to get you thinking about the privileges and responsibilities we have as US citizens.

      The first poem in the collection is:

1 / LIBERTY

I pledge acceptance

of the views,

so different,

that make us America

To listen, to look,

to think, and to learn

One people

sharing the earth

responsible

for liberty

and justice

for all.

     This poem certainly makes me want to stand up and salute.  It takes and re-frames our Pledge of Allegiance, and in so doing refreshes the words so we have to pause and think about our role in making a promise to our country.

    But just so you don't get the idea that this is a boring book of history, it isn't, here is Janet Wong's humor that just has to come out through her poetry.
Any kid can relate to:

4 / BILL OF RIGHTS

When the teacher

asked about the Bill of Rights 

my friend said:

Is that

when you get charged

for Free Speech?

    The poems do what good poetry is supposed to do--they give you something to think about and there is a surprise in each one.  What fun. 

    So, if you would like to win one of the copies of DECLARATION OF INTERDEPENDENCE Poems for an Election Year, all you have to do is leave me your poem in the comments below.  It can be simply a couplet, a quatrain, a haiku or a one sentence prose poem.  Just leave a comment and I will take all of the emails, put them in a hat and draw out four names.

    I want to thank Janet Wong for this fun week for me.  When I first heard the title of the book, I did think, how unexciting for a kid.  I never in the world would have thought that I could come up with five poems written in response to the collection.  So Janet Wong, you surprised me,  Thank you for that.

   And just so I  can show  an example of a haiku, here is my poem for today:

American flag

clanks on the metal flagpole

let freedom ring

   I'm looking forward to reading your comments.  Have fun writing your poem.