BIRD TRILLS

Winter is coming.
The birds all trill.
Snowflakes will fall
to give us a thrill.

The geese all gather,
fly south through the sky.
Why do I feel sad to say,
"Good Bye?"

     Happy December, the last month of the year.  What is your favorite month?  Why?  Each month has something special about it. Can you write a poem today about your favorite month?  Have fun writing.

THE GEESE OF GOOSE LAKE

Today's Deeper Wisdom poem is for my friend David Harrison, who has a collection of poetry titled GOOSE LAKE.

What do geese know?
    To fly south before they smell snow.
    To eat grubs from lakes down below.
    To listen for hunter's guns as they blow.

What do geese know?
    Flying a "V" makes a good show.
    Honking formation as they go.
    To feel the river as it flows.

     I discovered something about this form today.  I wasn't sure how to put the lines together for this poem and I wasn't sure which lines to include and which ones to leave out.  I went back to the basics--I looked at my five senses.  Can you find the 3 S's ( sight, sound, smell) and 2 T's (Touch, taste) in the poem?

     If you'd like to know more about writing a Deeper Wisdom poem,  Michelle Barnes is asking for entries in her contest at her blog Today's Little Ditty.    Michelle Barnes and Joyce Sidman have challenged children's poets to try writing a "Deeper Wisdom" poem.  This is a poem based on What Do the Trees Know? by Joyce Sidman from her book WINTER BEES & Other Poems of the Cold .  You can find out more about this challenge and suggestions for writing your own poem on Michelle's blog, Today's Little Ditty.

INDIAN CHANT

Chilled in down parkas,
huddled in sleeping bags
campers play a game
calling to the geese

flying in formation,
honking overhead--
Blue footed, Red breasted, 
Snow, Canadian, 
Nene, Wawa.

They shout the bird names
in Indian chant
Oh wha ta goo sei am.


     If you don't get the joke of this poem, try reading the last line very quickly five times.