SUMMER

   I am participating in the summer poetry swap organized again this summer by Tabatha Yeatts.  Over the summer I am sending five original poems to fellow children's poets and I'm receiving poems from five too.

  The first poem I received was from Donna Smith.  She lives in Maine, close to the Eastern most lighthouse in the United States.  I live on the same island as the Western most lighthouse in the United States.  Our Kilauea Lighthouse was closed while repairs were made and only recently re-opened.  Donna wrote this poem.  (Thank you Donna for permission to share your poem here.)

 

As the lighthouse
Sends its beam
Across the waters
In the night
And through the fog
Reaching and
Forever changing
The lives
Of those it touches
At just the right time
So is the writer's pen. 

by Donna Smith, 2016

 The really fun thing about Donna's poem, is she had it printed on a canvas bag.

This is really handy because it holds my journal, pens, colored pencils and sketch book.  I take this with me when I take my walks and go adventuring.

I had my Joy-Write bag with me today when I took this picture.

Joy Acey, summer 2016

lazy summer day

with nothing to do

but swing on the gate

Can you try writing your own modern haiku today?  What did you do today?  Have fun writing.

I met Alli and Steve on my walk today.  They were riding on their razor scooters to go see Niki the horse that lives down the road.  Alli and Steve are fourth graders.  Our Kauai kids start school on Aug.  1.  So they only have three days of freedom left before they go back to school.  When do the children in your area go back to school?

Today is Poetry Friday and you'll find the roundup over at Reflections on the Teche.  Thank you, Margaret Simon for hosting us this week.

You're the one to make your dreams come true.  You can do it. 

Hiding Frog

Little green frog hides in the moss
behind a rock,
hopes no one sees
him hiding there.

He doesn't move, perhaps he thinks
you won't see him
if he doesn't
blink an eye lid.

But you do see him sitting there
and you both stare
before he croaks
and hops away.

  This is a minute poem.  It has 60 syllables, divided between three stanzas.  The first line has 8 syllables, and the next three lines each have 4 syllables.  Would you like to try writing your own minute poem today?  I can guarantee it will take more than a minute to write it.  Have fun shaping your lines.

And here is a quote from a book mark my friend Tabatha Yeatts sent to me:
You are the sky.  Everything else is just weather. Pema Chodron 

POETRY OF SCIENCE

   I have poems in the new edition of THE POETRY OF SCIENCE: The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science.  Editors, Janet Wong and Sylvia Vardell, founders of POMELO BOOKS have re-organized, reshuffled, and re-done the Poetry Friday Anthology for Science (loved by teachers) to make it more kid friendly with a bright, new Children's Edition.  The new book has delightful line drawings by Frank Ramspott and Bug Wang. (This poetry anthology would make a great gift for any budding scientist.)
   I think children will read the book first in an excited rush and then come back to the poems again and again as topics interest them.  There are many great poems in this edition.  I have three poems included in this new edition and I'm well pleased to share a page with Jane Yolen.  You'll find 248 fun poems by 78 children's poets.

SHOTS! SHOTS! SHOTS!

I need the shots,
please make it quick.
I see a needle,
think I'll be sick.
You say it is just
a little stick.
I know vaccinations
build immunity,
but getting them
takes bravery.

   Have you had a shot recently?  Have you gotten a flu shot this season?  Do you remember what it felt like?  Were you scared?  Can you try writing your own poem today about getting a shot or some time when you were brave?  Have fun writing.
     The Poetry Friday Roundup is being held over at http://tabathayeatts.blogspot.com/ today.  You can go to  to find more fun children's poetry at Tabatha Yeatts' blog The Opposite of Indifference.  Thank you for hosting us,  Tabatha.

     You can be the bravest person you know. 
   

13 WAYS OF LOOKING AT A SNOWFLAKE

Since I'm going to be moving over the holidays and who knows what will happen with my internet connection, I thought I'd start early with sending good holiday wishes.

  Since I wasn't sure how things would go with the move, I didn't participate in Tabatha Yeatts' Holiday Poetry Exchange this year.  With all the stress of moving, I didn't know how creative I'd be feeling.  And being able to "artistically" present my poem would be impossible since all my art supplies are sitting in packed boxes. But there was a moment when I was packing and I came across a poem that  Irene Latham wrote for me during our summer poetry exchange titled 13 WAYS OF LOOKING AT THE MOON.  Yes, I wanted to try this.  Of course her poem and mine are both based on Wallace Stevens' poem 13 WAYS OF LOOKING AT A BLACKBIRD.

And, I'm discovering that when my world is crazy the best way I know to calm myself and feel settled is to write a poem.

Here is my poem:

13 WAYS OF LOOKING AT A SNOWFLAKE

six-sided symmetry
crystal chiller
mitten sparkler
tongue tingler
snowball starter
snow angel swish
eyelash wish
dream of no school
Inuit house
skiers delight
one frozen tear
individual as a fingerprint
start of an avalanche

   So here is your challenge for today.  Take a holiday icon (a wreath, a candle, a jingle bell, snowglobe, menorah, hot chocolate, etc.) and try writing your own 13 WAYS...poem.  Have fun writing.

   It is the happiest time of year for those who hold the joys of the season in their heart.


Happy Poetry Friday Roundup.  The party this week is over at  A Teaching Life blog.  You'll be able to find more poetry fun here.  Thank you,  Tara Smith for hosting us this week.

SEQUOIA II

 Yesterday, for THE FRIDAY POETRY ROUND UP, I posted a poem about Sequoia.  The poem was one I'd written from a challenge posted by Michelle H. Barnes on her blog, Today's Little Ditty. Earlier in the month Michelle interviewed Nikki Grimes and Nikki posed 10 words and asked us to write poems for one of the words.  My poem started with the word leaf and ended up at talking leaves with Sequoia. Then yesterday, Tabatha Yeatts on her blog, The Opposite of Indifference, presented a Biography poem.  She used Langston Hughes' poem Helen Keller as a mentor poem for form to write her own poem Louis Pasteur.  You can find these poems on her blog here.  I love biography poems and told Tabatha I'd try putting my Sequoia information into the format she used for her poem--12 lines!  So, here is my attempt.  What do you think?

SEQUOIA
by Joy Acey

He
developed script
for writing Cherokee,
a language they could see.
He,
a teacher,
gave Indians tools
for writing and reading mastery.
He left behind a newspaper
full of talking leaves,
a message so strong
they named, after him, redwood trees.

    Using 12 lines can you write a bio poem about yourself or someone you admire?  Have fun writing.

WHAT IS POETRY? 

Poetry is the language in which man explores his own amazement. --Christopher Fry 

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

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

 It's daffodil trumpets covering the hill. 
It's a deer at the creek, drinking her fill. 

 It's giggling and laughing and being absurd.
 It's reading a haiku and feeling each word. 

It's a dragon who blows flames, loud and hardy. 
 It's fairies in the garden having a tea party. 

It's the sound of a truck shifting its gears.
 It's the feel of two soft puppy ears. 

 It's a bright sun rise and glowing moon shine.
 It's a Carolina wren singing in a Lob-lolly pine. 

 It's a snowman rolled on a cold winter morn. 


Each day during April, I will add a line to this poem. If you'd like to suggest lines, please leave your suggestions in the comments below.

 Next Thursday is Poem in Your Pocket Day, April 18, 2013. Last week I shared with you how I've been making poetry pockets for some of my friends. Janet Wong, editor of THE POETRY FRIDAY ANTHOLOGY has created pockets with poems from the anthology. My poem, Keys , is one of the four. Also included are Petting Zoo by Laura Purdie Salas, Bluejay Sings Two Different Songs by Mary Lee Hahn, and Sack Lunch by Charles Waters.

And in the mail yesterday came a lovely surprise I wanted to share with you, Tabatha Yeatts sent me a FIB to carry in my pocket.

A Fibonacci Poem for Joy

 by Tabatha Yeatts

 Sneak
 A
Poem
 Into your
Pocket for those days
 When your secret self needs a friend.

Thank you, Tabatha for letting me share your poem.

 The Friday Poetry roundup is hosted this week by Diane Mayr at Random Noodling.