GOOD BYE DOVES

Doves sit on the courtyard wall
making their dove-y coo-y call.
Saying hello and good bye
before they fly 
into the blue, blue sky.

  The doves usually huddle on my back hurricane fence, but today they all sat on the wall in front of the house so I'd be sure to see them.  They didn't want to be missed.  Have you ever missed something?  What was it?  Can you write a poem today about something missed?  Have fun writing.

Cold turkey sandwiches are de-lish.
   The Poetry Friday Roundup is over at Carol's Corner.  Go here for links to more children's poetry.  Thanks Carol for hosting us.

DOVES

Maddening dove calls
coo-cooing-cooing-cooing
Squab for dinner.



Fill your paper with the breathing of your heart.  William Wadsworth

BLUE HERON

copyright 2014, Joy Acey

By the time the
light comes
up and
everything

Has a rose-glow
eyes will not see herons
rising
over grass lands, winging to the
next resting spot.

   Have you ever seen the Great Blue Heron?  To watch one take off in flight is amazing.  First, he'll stretch out his long neck, tuck his legs back and flap his wings.  In a flash he is gone.  Are there birds around your house?  This morning I'm watching Australian zebra doves and little rock doves waddling through the grass.  Can you write a poem today about birds, or your favorite bird?  Will you be leaving a Christmas present for the birds?  Have fun writing your poem.  Happy Holidays.

MY DOG

copyright 2014, Joy Acey

My dog loves to run in the desert
barking at doves in the sun.
It's hard to miss the cacti spines
When he's having so much fun.


    Do you have a pet?  What is the pet's name?  What does your pet like to eat?  What does your pet do?  Can you write a poem about your pet today?  Have fun writing.

SUNRISE

to the east

Sunrise
to the east
angry red awakening

Birds chatter
doves fly
saguaro to saguaro

In the west
still visible
full moon
in a too blue sky

to the west

   Happy Flag Day.  I learned this morning that flag day was started by a teacher Bernard J. Cigrand in 1885.  He gave his students an essay to write on the meaning and importance of our flag.  This was to commemorate the June 14, 1777 adoption by Congress of the Stars and Stripes in the Flag Resolution of 1777.
I also learned that the state of Arizona has had five flags flying over Tucson--Spain, Mexico, the Confederacy, the United States, and the Arizona state flag.  How many flags have flown over your state?  Can you write a flag poem today?
Have fun writing.

On a field of blue
50 white stars stand
each like a brave soldier
with a gun in his hand.

To protect and defend
these United States
as we try to remember
historical dates.

Thirteen stripes shine
in white and red
for the first states
and to honor the dead.

This is our flag
long may it wave.
As we celebrate Flag Day
and the heroes so brave.

HAPPY FLAG DAY

SUMMER 2014

Summer arrives
and it's HOT.
Leaves wilt,
Saguaro blossoms
last less than a day.

The doves, pigeons
and the quail
scope out swimming pools
to watch and drink.

The gila woodpecker
takes his fill
and the hummingbird feeder.

Lizards laze on walls
and even search for cracks
in the doors to catch
a cool breeze
from the air conditioning.


     It is 108 degrees today.  We're all counting the length of triple digit days.  This is a free verse poem that describes life in the desert.  Can you write your own poem about what the weather is like in your part of the world?  Do have fun writing.
    I've been having fun making poetry boxes this week.  I'll explain tomorrow.  I also read that tomorrow in National Doughnut Day, so I'd better work on a poem for that.  Yum!  I'm hungry just thinking about it.

Sunshine

The sun is shining
sparkly bright
the doves have landed 
from their flight.

Won't you come 
and visit me.
In Tucson it is
bright and sunny.

    Can you write a poem today about the weather in your place of the world?  Have a happy day.

TODAY, LIVE

Four doves sleep on the fence.
A lizard walks over the desert floor.
The wind blows in light rushes
bending the creosote bushes.

The sky is blue,
the clouds, fluffy and white.
It is a day where I feel
everything is right.

     How is your day going?  I met with a group of seniors today, so I could hear the wonderful  poems they are writing.  This is always lots of fun for me. Can you write a poem about what the sky looks like in your part of the world?  Enjoy.

Happy Monday

Lying in bed
just after dawn
the sleep of night
is suddenly gone.

I'm listening to doves
cooing away
as I lie here and think
of the coming day.

Monday is the start
of this new week.
There's lots to do
and lots to seek.

I'm making my list
of things to get done.
I'm counting blessings
for lots of fun.

I  hope whatever
you have to do
this will be a
great week for you.



     Today's challenge is to write a list poem about all the things you need to do today.  Can you make it fun and interesting? 

My Morning Walk

On my morning walk I saw:

   a gila woodpecker sitting on a tall saguaro,

   a dozen doves sitting on a telephone wire,

   two western cotton-tail rabbits,

   a covey of quail,

   lots of lizards,

   a piece of red quartz, 

   a roadrunner running,

   and, oops,

   a quick moving king snake.

      This is a very simple list poem of things I saw on my morning walk.  There are three lines that use alliteration.  That is where words have the same beginning sound.  I've also repeated the "qu" sound three times in this poem.  Can you find those?  Repetition of sounds helps to put more music into your poems. 
      My friend Ellen Johnston-Hale taught me that, "It isn't about the rabbits; it's de-tails."  There are details in almost every line of this poem.  Do you notice how I could have just said birds, rabbits, a rock, a snake?  But the details included in each line make the line more interesting.
     Why do you think I wrote oops, in the penultimate (next to last) line? 
     Can you write your own list poem about things you saw on your way to school today?  Remember to include lots of details and try to include at least one alliteration.  Have fun writing and please share your creation.

Bird Song Morning

The cactus wren sits

atop the giant saguaro

to sing a trilling song

in the early morning.

She calls to the hummingbird

who sits at the top

of the ocotillo

to enjoy this early morning.

The hummingbird calls hello

to the white wing dove

who sits atop the giant saguaro

to eat from the fragrant blossoms.

It is a morning full of bird song

trilling, thrilling

atop the giant saguaro.

     What are the sounds you hear this morning?  Can you write a sound poem?  Have fun and I hope you have a great weekend.  I'm off to North Carolina today.

A Dozen Doves

A dozen doves perch

on the telephone line,

fluffing their feathers

and feeling fine.

Sitting on the lines

that look like a music staff

the notes of their song,

aren't bad by half.

     This morning on my walk, I saw the birds on the line, and like a shape note singer, I sang their song.  It really was a happy tune.  What is your favorite song?  If you were writing a song for a Valentine, what would you say, sing?  Have fun trying this.  Happy Valentines Day.

Counting Doves

One dove sitting

on a telephone wire,

along lands another,

says he's a great flyer.

Two doves sitting 

on the telephone line,

along lands another,

says he's doing fine.

Three doves sitting

on the telephone post,

along lands another,

says,  four is the most

number of birds

to sit on this post.

Along came a hawk,

off they all flew,

flying away

into the blue.

One flew east,

one flew west,

two flew south

and built a nest.

       This morning there was a quail sitting on my fence.  He had a grey chest, a white band and dark bottom.  It looked like he was wearing a winter sweater with a feather cap on his head. He had his feathers fluffed to capture the air and warm himself.  I wonder who first observed the birds doing this and figured out we could do the same thing with down quilts to keep warm.  Do you have a cold poem you want to write today?  Enjoy.