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.

EDDIE

Easy Eddie
for his food pick,
likes to eat
Eggs Benedict.


     Happy last day of March.  Tomorrow is April Fools Day.  I wonder what wild tricks I can think to play.  Tomorrow also starts National Poetry Month.  It is a great time to celebrate poetry.  For your poetry challenge for today, can you write a poem about eggs?  Sunday is Easter.  Will you have an egg hunt?  Will you dye eggs?  Have fun writing.  And tell me about your celebration.

HAPPY EASTER

All the children
Pick up Easter baskets,
Reach for colored eggs hidden
In bushes, trees and on the
Lawn, to wish you

HAPPY EASTER

      Did you see the lunar eclipse last night?  Can you write a poem about the moon?
 

ROBINS

Two robins were looking
for a place for their nest.
They wanted to build
in a spot that was best.

"Shall we build here?"
said one.
"No, here," said the other.

"My dear, tell me where
you will be a mother."

So they found a large oak
and there built their nest.
And with four blue eggs,
 it was time for a rest.

The female sat  the eggs
until they hatched.
And she loved them all,
her broody batch.

She kept them warm
under her wings.
Fed them worms,
taught them to sing.

And when they had feathers,
she gave it a try
Pushed the hatchlings out
and taught them to fly.

     This morning on my walk I saw a hummingbird sitting in the ocotillo.  There was a purple finch in the mesquite just behind.  When I came back from my walk the hummingbird was still sitting there.  I guess I should look for a nest near by.  Your challenge for today is to write a poem about a bird.

Freida the Frog

Said Freida, a frog
laying her eggs,
"I'm bored, and exhausted
and I've cramps in my legs,
from squatting here laying
in this cold pond each night
It's a chore, I abhor it.
It's definitely not right."

    I went to a workshop yesterday morning and one of the things we talked about was using mentor texts to help us with our writing. One of my favorite writers of picture books in verse is Dr. Seuss.So I thought I'd try this re-vamp from one of his stories.  So your challenge today is to take a poem or story written in verse and write your own version.  You don't have to do the whole story, just try the experience of this and see if it works for your and gives you any ideas.

EGG UPDATE

Every morning on my walk

I check on the quail eggs

by my neighbor's mailbox

laid on the ground

in the sand

between the paddles

of the prickly pear.

Yesterday I saw

a small black lizard

race by the eggs.

I've never seen

the quail there.

It has been

over a week now,

or is it two

that I have counted

the eggs each morning.

today I counted ten.

I wish the hatching

would begin.

No that is probably not right,

once the eggs are laid,

the hatching starts.

I wish the pipping would begin,

that is when the chick

pecks through the shell

and climbs out of the egg.

Now, that will be an exciting day.

A day of new beginnings.

    It was fun thinking about the difference between hatching and pipping.  Here is a challenge, can you write a poem today about the meaning of a word?  You might want to use a dictionary and randomly find a page and a word.  Have fun and you are welcome to share your poem in the comments below.

Look what the quail has done

among these prickly pear sticks.

She has laid her eggs there.

Can you count the six?

One, two, three,

four, five, six.

Try writing your own counting poem today or just select one number and write a poem about that.

Happy Marigold

                Desert marigold

          yellow and bright

          hosted a butterfly

          who paused in flight.

           When the butterfly

           flew out of sight

           I gave thanks

           for this morning's delight.


     Just looking at a butterfly makes me happy.  What beautiful, delicate creatures!  Butterflies belong to the Lepidoptera order, which means they have four scaled wings--but you'd need a magnifying glass to see the scales.  I think this butterfly is a hairstreak, probably the very common Gray Hairstreak, part of the gossamer-wing family, which can be seen in southern Arizona year round.
     If you were a butterfly, you'd always be smiling.  What colors would you be?  Where would you travel?  Can you write a poem today from the view point of a butterfly?  This is called a persona poem.  You take on the personality, or become the person (the butterfly) of the poem.  Think about the four stages of your life--eggs, emergent larva or caterpillar, cocoon, and winged butterfly.  Have fun writing and share your creations.