HAPPY SYTTENDE MAI

If we were in Norway
the peole would say--
Happy Nasjonaldagen.
Happy National Day.
Happy Grunnlovsdagen.
Happy Constitution Day

It is a good thing
the moon is bright
because we'll be partying
all through the night.


We'll have a parade.
We'll march right here.
Because we're celebrating
the best day of the year.

Play the music.
Grab your flag.
We'll wear native dress
It's called bunad.

Eat some lutefish,
lefse and cranberries.
Try some meatballs, rutabaga.
Let's all be merry.

Syttende Mai
we celebrate 
with flags and dance.
It's a day for parades
and Norwegian  romance.

Happy Syttende Mai.

     The 17th of May is the date the Norwegian constitution was signed making it sovereign from Sweden.  In the US we celebrate the day with parades and good Norwegian food.  Claiming to have the largest parade outside of Oslo, Norway is Ballard, a community in Seattle, WA.  Wisconsin, Chicago and New York also have parades today.
    Do you celebrate this day?  What does a bunad look like?  What does the Norwegian flag look line?  Can you write a poem about a parade today?  Or write about food or dance.  Have fun writing. 

MY CLUB HOUSE

I'm building a club house
in my back yard
with cardboard boxes
it shouldn't be hard.

I'll hoist up a flag,
watch it unfurl
with words to say--
JUST FOR GIRLS.

I'll invite my friends,
bring in my toys
and we can try to keep out
the pesky boys.
(Like my brother,
who is sure
to yell to my mother,
all through the day,
"Sister won't let me play.")

     Have you ever built a club house out of boxes?  Have you built a train, a boat, or a space station?  Can you write a poem today about what you might build if you had the boxes?  Who would you invite to play with you?  What would you do?  Would your club house have rules?  Have fun with your imagination and try writing a poem.  Have an adventure today.

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

BEING CAT

If I were a cat
I know what I'd do
I curl in your lap
and purr for you.


    Today's poem came because I was reading a poem posted today by US children's poet laureate Kenn Nesbitt.
    His poem starts: If I had a dollar/ I know what I'd do...  and as I reread the lines, I thought, hey, I've written a poem with those same words.  And the more I thought about the lines, the more I knew these lines would make a good outline for lots of poems.  My previous poem was about a dog, so I tried again with a cat.  The poem above is what came out.  But what would happen if you used a bird?

If I were a goldfinch,
I know what I'd do,
I'd sit at the feeder
and sing songs to you.

     Or what happens if I try another animal?

If I were an elephant
living in the zoo
I'd share half my peanuts
and give them to you.

        I could also try a holiday, this is what I ended with for the Fourth of July.
If I were an American flag
I know what I'd do
I'd wave for freedom
in red, white and blue.


    Would the basic pattern work for professions?

If I were my teacher
I know what I'd do.
I'd make recess last all day.
How about you? 

 So now it is your turn.  Think of an animal, an object, or an event, and write your own poem.

If I were (fill in the blank.)
I know what I'd do.
I'd ______________________
____________________ with you.

    Give it a try and see if you have fun.  You are welcome to leave your poems in the comments below.  Have fun playing with this.

At My School

  This is another poem I've written in response to reading the poems in Janet Wong's poetry collection DECLARATION OF INTERDEPENDENCE Poems for an Election Year.

I went to school today

it didn't cost me

taxes make it free.

Founding fathers

decided all children

should have

a free education.

I didn't have to pay

for my teacher.

I didn't have to pay

for my school books.

At recess I went

out on the playground.

I climbed on

the jungle gym,

swung on a swing

I'm glad taxes

pay for all

these good things.

Just one more day until Friday when I'll announce how you can win a free copy of Declaration of Interdependence, a poetry collection written by Janet Wong.  Also tomorrow I'm going to share one of Janet's poems with you from the collection.

    The flag of the United State flies over our Capitol, over government buildings, post offices, at businesses and hospitals.  Is there a flag that flies at your school?  The flag is a symbol for our country.  What does the flag stand for or mean to you? Can you write a poem about that?  Have fun writing.