SOMEDAYS

Rooster in Conte by Joy Acey, 2017

Somedays I feel
like I want
to throw back my head,
fill my lungs,
and C R O W.

For you, I wish
to have that
same feeling,
expecting surprises
to rise up
like the morning sun. 

copyright 2017, Joy Acey

 I've been working on drawing roosters with smooth, clean lines.  Using the fewest possible strokes to still have a recognizable chicken.  Here is what I came up with after some practice:

simple rooster, 2017

 How are you feeling today?  Do you feel like your world offers endless possibilities?  Like with work, you can do anything?  I hope so.  That's how I felt when I started to draw my rooster.  I wasn't sure I could do what I wanted.  I wasn't sure I could draw a simple rooster. So I broke the task into small steps.  To achieve what I wanted, I removed lines or pen strokes.
Can you try writing a poem about how you feel today?  If it seems too hard, break the poem down into small steps.  Have fun writing.

Big leaps are just small steps taken one after another.  Keep trying and don't give up.

RAIN, RAIN, RAIN

Clouds cover
over the moon.
Dawn is coming,
will be here soon.
Rain, rain, rain.

Chickens quiet,
they are still.
Sun is peeking
over the hill.
Rain, rain, rain.

Downspout water
in a rush
welcomes morning.
All is hush, with
Rain, rain, rain.

EACH BREAK

Each break, a small miracle
see it
     in the geode
          glistening
in magic.

Each book
broken open
     reveals
          new worlds.

Each pomegranite
sends rubys
     dripping
          goodness into the world.

Each wave
breaking
     toward shore
          is a delight
on the beach.

And the birds
tell it all
     each break
          is a small miracle
in their eggs.

     It is probably because I had an appointment to see the Orthopedist for my 4 week check up of my broken pelvic ring yesterday that I got to thinking about all the ways breaking could be a great thing.  I was reading a book about surfing in Tahiti last week and it had beautiful pictures of surfers flying through a barrel wave.  The pictures were stunning of the tube of the wave with a surfer inside.  It got me to thinking how the very act of a wave cresting over on itself defies gravity.  But I've also seen lava tubes that have done the same thing.  What magic it is--a small miracle of nature.  Have you ever considered that our intestines do the same thing?  We have this long tube inside us that runs top to bottom.  That too is a small miracle.
     We are surrounded by wonders of nature.  It is like a magic show and if we take the time to slow and observe, we have a front row seat.
     What is something you have observed today?  Can you write a poem about it?  Have fun observing and writing today.   

Ho'omoe Wai Kahi Ke Kao'o

 
Let Us Travel Together Like Water

Flowing In One Direction--a Hawaiian

proverb.

THE EARTH CRACKED OPEN: A Lament

I opened my mouth
and tasted the sky.
I opened my heart
and heard birds cry.

Their conversations
were noisy and deep.
In many tongues,
I heard them weep.

The earth is changing.
It's no longer the best.
We birds can't find
a good place to nest.

Temperature is rising.
Can't take the heat.
Like canaries in coal mines
birds die in the street.

Bees leave the hive.
They're in another zone.
Ask how we can do this
to the place we call home.

     A lament is a poem expressing grief or sorrow.  It is a poem of mourning.  I wrote this poem on Earth Day last week.  I'm very concerned about what we are doing to care for our planet, even though I live on a small island in the Pacific Ocean.  I garden and recycle.  What are some things you do to care for our land and oceans?  Can you write a love poem today to the earth?  Have fun brainstorming and then writing your poem.

Me ka mahalo nui.   
With deep gratitude. 

 What can you do to show your 
gratitude to the earth?

HAPPY LEI DAY

Today we went out
to the plumeria tree
to pick some flowers
for mommy and me.

We threaded them all
in a fragrant chain.
We did it once
then again and again.

White and pink,
and rainbow too.
Again and again
until we were through.

We strung the flowers
into a round lei,
to celebrate for
this Lei Day.

 What do you do to celebrate May Day?  Do you give flowers to your friends?  Do you make paper flowers?  Today's challenge is to write a poem about your favorite flower.  I hope you have a happy Lei Day (our 90th) and that you have fun writing poetry.

He lei poina ‘ole ke keiki.
A lei never forgotten is the beloved child. (a Hawaiian proverb)

  Have you ever thought about how dull life would be without flowers?  What would the bees do?  We'd have no honey.  I'm so glad we have flowers and showers to help them grow. 

AH, SPRING!

Egrets take to their wing.
Shama trill and lilt notes ring.
The myna birds do their bird thing.

Cows in the pasture bray their moo.
I'm glad to be here, wish you were too.

The man on the corner
is washing his car
all the while singing
to a distant star.

The weather is better.
Yes, it is spring
and I can't think
of a more enjoyable thing.

Aaaaah, Spring. 

   What things do you notice with spring?  Mary Oliver has a line in her poem The Summer Day, "I don't know exactly what prayers is.  I do know how to pay attention."  Every time I pause to notice things around me, I wonder am I paying close enough attention.  I need to practice--a lot.  How do you practice paying attention?  What have you noticed today?  What have you learned today?  Can you try writing a poem about that?    Then try drawing a picture to go with your poem.  Today I was playing with digital drawing.  My picture was drawn on my computer using a program called Paper 53.  I need to learn more about the program, but for now I had fun playing.  I hope you find time to play today, too.  After all, it is spring.

   A shama is a local bird, only found on Kauai and O'ahu.  Also known as the White Rumped Thrush, it has a red-orange chest like a robin.  It is considered to by the most gifted song bird on our island. It was first introduced to Kauai from Malaysia in 1931 and released on O'ahu in 1940.

Nothing is so beautiful as spring-- Gerald Manley Hopkins

Asleep at the Wheel

I'm back after a three week course in Botanical Illustration.

  I learned a lot.  We used colored pencils and water color pencils to do our art.  I learned about plants, but I also learned about myself through doing the art. I learned some new techniques for drawing and coloring.  I learned that I don't particularly like the static-ness (Is that a word?) of plants.  I'd rather observe flowering plants in their natural habitat.  I also gained a great respect for the people who do botanical illustration.  Why someone would want to spend hours, days, weeks trying to get their picture to look like a photograph is beyond me though.
Here are the parts of a hibiscus flower.  This is Hawaii's State Flower.

 

It was interesting to take the flowers apart to see all of the hidden parts, but I hated ruining the pretty flowers.  I kept thinking of a Mary Oliver line from her poem This Summer Day, "Don't all things die at last, and too soon?"  And, I didn't like my role in making that 'too soon.'

   Can you find a flower, leaf, nut, fruit or plant to try drawing today? And when you are done, or while you are making your art, think of a poem to go with your picture.

I kept thinking of this:

FLOWERING TREES

Flowering trees sway
on a tropical isle,
watching them play
makes me smile.

   Maybe part of the reason I wrote a short poem about trees is because a friend, Mark Walsh (an emergency room nurse) challenged me to write a TREE poem.  He wants to start a poetry tag game with me.  I hope I am up for this.  Do you know how to play poetry tag?  One person starts with a poem and the person tagged plays off of that poem.  In this instance Mark might reply with a poem about flowers, growing, isles, tropics, or things that make him smile.  Who knows what his poem will be.  It could be something he writes or a poem from another poet.  Poetry Tag might be something you'd like to try with your friends.

Tomorrow, March 14 is PI Day (3.14), many people celebrate by eating pie.  What is your favorite flavor of pie?  Can you write a pie poem today to give to a friend tomorrow?  I think I'm going to try to bake a pie today.  Somehow it seems unfair.  I don't want to start my oven because it will make my house too hot and on the radio they announced New York City Schools will be closed tomorrow for a snow day.  If you live in Australia or south of the equator where it is summer season now, you know what I mean.  But if you live where it is snowing, all I can say is come visit me where we spend our entire year in shorts and t-shirts.  I do live in paradise.
 

January 2, 2017 Monday

How was your day?  I'm starting to get organized for the new year, but the weather outside is so nice, I'd rather be outside.  Can you try writing a poem about how you feel today?
I hope it is a great day for you too.  As Picard from Startrek would say, "Make it so."

You have the power to make today a good day.  What have you done to make it a good day for someone else?

OCEAN SWIMMING

Little Rose Tahini
lost her bikini
while swimming ocean waves.

Her surfer brother
brought her another
twas one of his better saves.

Oh no! How am I going to get myself out of this pickle? Have you ever gotten yourself into a fix where you needed someone else's help?  Have you ever forgotten your school lunch and you needed your mom to bring it to school for you, or perhaps a friend shared his lunch with you.  Perhaps you've forgotten a paper you needed at home, or ripped your pants?  Think of a problem you've had and how you solved it.  Did you leave an important book you needed for your homework at school?  What did you do? Now, can you write a poem about your problem and how you solved it?  What happened?  Can you use a poem to tell your story?  Have fun writing.

Because of you, the world is a better place. 

 Today is Friday, time for the Poetry Friday round up.  All our poetry links are being gathered today by Buffy Silverman on her blog here.  Thank you Buffy for pulling us all together to celebrate the Winter Solstice.

 

Christmas Paradise

Sitting on the beach,
lazing in the sun.
Children dash in the waves.
 Fun,      fun,      FUN!


   Can you believe it was 77 degrees in Kauai yesterday?  My friends are all sending me pictures of snow and talking about how cold it is.  They write about sweaters, snow shoes and sitting by the fire drinking hot chocolate.  I love those things, but I'd rather read about them than be in the cold.  I'd rather see pictures than live it.  After living on Kauai for a year, now when I put on a coat it seems to weigh my whole body down.
   I can remember visiting my sister in Australia one January.  All the children were on the beach having a water rodeo, with swimming and life saving competitions because it is summer south of the equator.
   What is the holiday season like in your part of the world?  What holiday traditions do you treasure?  Can you write a poem today about what Christmas means to you?  This might make a fun list poem.  Have fun writing.

TALK TO ME HENRY

Henry, the rooster
sure likes to crow.
He's the sound
of this island
I'm learning to know.

He crows in the morning
i n - c e s s - a n t - l y!
He crows at noon,
at one, two and three.

He crows at night
when I go to bed.
I can't get his crowing
out of my head.

He's forever crowing.
I don't know why.
But, Henry, the rooster,
is part of Kauai.

   Often, when I'm on the telephone with a friend, she'll say,
"I hear Henry."
   Roosters crow a lot on Kauai and since I live up-country near farmland, we have lots of free range chickens roaming round.  I think it is fun to have my phone conversations punctuated with rooster crows.  So much so that I have named the rooster, who crows under my bedroom window early in the morning before the sun is up, Henry. Henry is one noisy guy.
  When I'm on the telephone with my son from Seattle, I can hear the sounds of automobiles.  He lives in on busy street.  With my son in Chapel Hill, NC, I hear ambulance sirens. He works at a hospital.
   What sounds would someone hear if they were talking to you on the phone?  Can you try writing a poem about sounds on your phone?  Have fun listening and writing.

My favorite nest is in your arms.  Your loving hugs have many charms.

DREY

I learned a new 
word today.
A squirrel's nest
is called a drey.


Snug his drey
perched in a tree
is where Mr. Squirrel
wants to be.

   
     I love learning new words, especially if the word is short, simple and one I think I should have learned years ago.  Do you know the word drey?  For a fun challenge today, can you use a dictionary to find a word you don't know.  Then use that word in a poem.  Have fun hunting for your special word.

Let me show gratitude for gifts from the Universe.

Rainbow

There was a rainbow
above my school today.
I saw it when
I went out to play.
It was shining
as if to say,
I hope you have
a glorious day.

Lift your heart, see the rainbows.

I KNOW

" I know,"
said the frog
as he sat on his pad,
"there must
be a reason
for feeling so sad."


"Oh dear,"
said a fly
as he buzzed by,
"there sits a frog
about to cry."


"Please,"
 said the fly,
"Don't feel so sad."
"Zap," went the frog
and now he's glad.

  Did you hear the joke about the Mother Frog who told her little tadpole not to play with his food? Can you try writing an acrostic poem on the word FROG today?  Have fun.

   Today I will try to be my best self.

senryu

standing in the street
a stunning woman watches 
contemplates traffic

     A senryu is a special kind of haiku.  Instead of dealing with nature and natural subjects, the senryu deals with human conditions and human subjects.  It still is written in the traditional 5-7-5 syllable, three line verse, or 17 syllables all together. Like haiku, the senryu is written in present tense.
    I had fun with word play in writing this poem.

Can you try writing a senryu today?  I give you permission to people watch in order to write your poem, just try to be polite and discrete.

How can one be sad on a sunny day?  I'm grateful for sunshine.

haiku

I went to the Tucson Botanical Gardens today to see an exhibit on Frida Kahlo's art, garden and life.  They built a mini-Mayan temple with Mayan artifacts and cacti decorating the many steps.  Butterflies were enjoying all the marigolds.

It was a lovely sunny day and great to see the butterflies both outside in the wild and in the Botanical Garden's Butterfly House.

painted ladies pause
flutter over marigolds
in a garden dance

 Happy Veterans Day.  What did you do today?  Can you try writing your own poem about something you saw or did today?  Have fun writing.

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.  Anne Frank   This quotation was on a garden sculpture paying tribute to the butterflies.

Have a great weekend.

Haiku

A red tail hawk floats
in a seamless desert sky
looking for dinner

Have a great day writing?  Who do you think Donald Trump will pick to write the occasional poem for his inauguration?

Harm not.  Help all you can.

HAPPY ELECTION DAY

Today is the day citizens of the United States get to vote for the candidate of their choice.  Has your mom or dad already voted?  I'm going to be away from home today, so I voted by absentee ballot several weeks ago.  I hope everyone who can casts their ballot today.

I was away working over the weekend at the Kauai Writers Festival.  When I came into my studio this morning, a book had fallen from my bookcase and was on the floor.  Of course, I couldn't just shove the book back on the shelf.  I had to lovingly hold it and think about how I had acquired the book.  I had to look inside at the poems.  (Some mornings I'll do anything to put off getting to work.)  The book was The Best Loved Poems of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Selected and Introduced by Caroline Kennedy, published by Hyperion.  This collection has many classic poems for reading and memorizing.

I thought the first poem was quite appropriate for today.  As I read the poem a chill came over me.  Was there a reason this book had fallen?  Was there a reason this poem had asked to be read?  Since it is in the Public Domain, I'm going to share it.  Let me know if you get chills too. Try reading the poem aloud, so you can hear every word.

AMERICA, THE BEAUTIFUL

by Katherine Lee Bates

O beautiful for spacious skies,
      For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
     Above the fruited plain!
        America! America!
     God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
     From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet,
     Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
     Across the wilderness!
        America! America!
     God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
     Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved
     In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved
     And mercy more than life!
        America! America!
     May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
     And every grain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
     That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
     Undimmed by human tears!
        America! America!
     God shed His grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
     From sea to shining sea.


     Teachers, you can find a beautifully illustrated copy of this poem and guidelines HERE. All the citizens who vote are part of our country's brotherhood.  
     Can you try writing a poem about our country today?  If you need a prompt, try an acrostic poem using your candidate's name, AMERICA, United States, or VOTE.  Have fun writing.

America, how may I help you?

SUNRISE

Kauai Sunrise

The sun pauses
behind
the mountain peak
Sleeping Giant,
like a cue ball
it hesitates
before slowly rolling
away from its pocket.
Reds, yellows, oranges,
even purple lights
shoot up
streak around the clouds
I feel I am rising
into this glorious morning.
I am a Kauai chicken
my lungs swell
ready to crow. 

This poem uses a simile.  Look for the word "like" to find it. How has the simile been extended in this poem?  There is also a metaphor.  "I am a Kauai chicken." What is your weather like today?  Can you try writing your own poem using similes and metaphors?  What if you wrote a persona poem from the voice of your weather?  Have fun writing, and as always, if you want to share your poem, please include it in the comments below.  I love reading your work.
Remember, according to COPPA rules, you must be over 13 years old in order to leave a comment.  If you are younger than 13, you can have a parent of teacher leave the comment for you.
Have a super day writing.

My schedule shows the Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Laura Purdie Salas this week.  Thank you, Laura, for hosting us. You can find more posts about children's poetry on her blog at http://laurasalas.com/poems-for-teachers/

Make all your days glorious in the Paradise of your creation.

SYMPHONY OF SOUNDS

All morning long
I've listened
to the wind chime ting
as the trade winds blow
and the chickens sing.

The day keeps growing
as the clouds move along
and I listen 
to my world
singing its song.


   What are the sounds of your world?  Is it something that lifts your spirit?
I recently had the thought that in Kauai I don't here crickets.  I think the chickens eat them all.  When I mentioned this to my husband, he noticed he hadn't heard cicadas in Hawaii either.  And I thought about the train whistles I got to hear in Tucson that aren't on island.
   What fun.  Can you write a poem today about the sounds you are thankful for in your community?

The beauty of the earth around me sings.