BIRTHDAY SURPRISE

      Sorry to be slow with my posting for yesterday, but it was my birthday and I was having a grand time. I went to a Friends of the Library book sale and bought lots of great picture and poetry books.  Lots of books at $10 a bag.  And here is a poem about what happened with my birthday dinner.

BIRTHDAY SURPRISE

Eating dinner,
my cards and presents
by my plate.

Unwrapping gifts
my family knows me
I get a new journal.

The cake is chocolate
the ice cream too.
I look up to see
movement out the window.

Surprise!
There in my backyard
is a bobcat.
She slowly walks closer.

She has come to give me
one more present
the gift of her sighting.

     Do I need the last line of this poem? Or, should I switch the last two lines? Can you see how, "There in my backyard/ is a bobcat." is more exciting than There is a bobcat/ in my backyard? The order of the words  helps to build excitement.
     Can you write a free verse poem about what you did today?
     I feel wonderfully blessed to have so many friends sending greetings for my birthday via email and Facebook.  Thank you all.  I'm such a lucky girl.

Editing a poem is like picking fleas from a monkey's back.

FIRE VI

Gosh, and I thought I was done with the fire poems, but then these came in the night and wouldn't let me sleep.  So here are a few more. 

Fire is the wish
on your
birthday cake.

Fire marches
up hills, on picnics
in a little red ant.

Fire ablaze
in the trees
during autumn.

Fire is a prayer
said over
lit candles.

Fire is a secret
held inside
of a match.

    I'm not sure I like the "Fire is" format because that "is" is a dead verb--it doesn't show any action.  But I do like the idea of fire being a wish or a secret.  Now, can you understand how this FIRE kept me awake playing with words?  It is your turn.  Can you write a simple three line poem (a triplet) about a noun you like?  Have fun writing and you can leave your poem in the comments below if you want to share.

  A variation of two of these verses can be seen over at my friend David Harrison's blog.  He has a feature called Word of the Month poems (for adult and youth poets).  He provides a word and challenges poets to write a poem using his word.  The word for this month is CANDLE. 

Desert Ocotillo

Ocotillos bloom
in spires of red, hot pokers
your birthday candles
everywhere the flames burning
too quickly they are blown out


      This poem is a tanka.  I haven't written many tankas so I did have to go back to one of my form books to check that I had done the syllables correctly.  Tankas were made popular by Chinese courtesans who published books of tanka written to their sponsor.  Those books are some of the first poetry books published of poetry by women.  The tanka has 31 syllables, five lines long in a 5, 7, 5, 7, 7 pattern.  It is like a haiku 5-7-5, with two extra 7 syllable lines.  Also, these poems encouraged the use of reference to the lover or sponsor.

    Your challenge for today is to try writing your own tanka.  Have fun.

     And here is a thought, if you get stumped in writing.

"The poet doesn't invent.  He listens."    Jean Cocteau

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.

A Year

In September, I got a new blue backpack to start school.

In May, a wren built a nest in the planter outside my window.  I heard the birds sing.

In November, Grandma sent me a new pair of soft red mittens.  I lost them before the new year.

In June, I went swimming in the cold water of the lake.

In January, I didn't celebrate my birthday, the snow was too deep.

In August, Grandpa took me fishing, I caught my first fish.

In October, Daddy took a trip to Texas and brought me back a t-shirt.

In February, my younger sister stole $5 from Mom's purse to buy books at the book fair.

In July, I ate six ears of buttered corn at the Fourth of July picnic.

In March, the frogs croaking down by the creek were so loud they kept me awake.

In December, I got a bicycle for Christmas and was so happy.

In April, it was National Poetry Month when I wrote this poem.

     Here is another list poem based on the months of the year.  I've mixed up the months to keep the poem more interesting and less predictable.  What line do you think is the most interesting?  I've tried to include the five senses--smell is probably the weakest in this poem.  What would make a better line to feature smell?
    So here is your assignment.  Write 12 lines of poetry based on the 12 months of the year.  Try to include your five senses.  Make one line a negative line of something you didn't do or something that didn't happen.  If you have a sibling, make one line about something your sibling did or likes.  Do you have a pet, devote one line to your pet. Start by making a list of things you've done, seen, received--that sort of thing, and then pick some interesting ones to shape into your poem.  Have fun.  Please share your creations with me in the comments below, or at least share your most or least interesting line.  Write on.