Midnight Ramble

Tiger toes
tip-toe through
my dreams
leaving no 
dust prints
only the wish
to grab
a star
and write
it home.


Make a list of 20 nouns each day for the next week.  Then at the end of the week pick one word from each of your lists to write a poem.  Or who knows maybe as you are making your lists a word or two will jump off the page and beg to write a poem for you.  Try this and see what happens.  I've been having fun working with this all week.  My lists have been fairly productive. Have fun writing your poem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Poetry Friday

The poetry round up today is on Buffy Silverman's

 blog at Buffy's Blog. For more poetry fun,

 jump over and visit.  

Thanks for hosting us,Buffy. 

  

1. Malama Kekahi I Kekahi
    
   
   Take Care of One Another - 
   
   
   a Hawaiian Proverb

Today is Poetry Friday.

LOST THINGS

At the edge of the world
is a deep black hole
where all lost things reside--

Ribbons and keys
baby bottles and binkys
All the lost hair
from dogs with mange
the dimes and nickels
of lost pocket change.

Pens and pencils
teething rings
every sock without a mate
nuts, screws and bolts
that disappear
and lone earrings
the homework, wasn't even late
all sorts of things.

Even my teddy
that I forgot
on the bus
and never
found again.


What sorts of things do you lose?  Did you look for it?  Did you find it?  The older I get, the more things I lose track of--most often it's my cell phone.  Can you write a poem today about something lost?  Have fun writing your poem.

Happy Poetry Friday and Aloha Friday

.  

The round up is over on Margaret Simon's blog  Reflections on the Teche  For more poetry fun, jump over and visit Margaret.  Thanks for hosting us, Margaret.

December

Sunsets come earlier
and the sunrise
waits for a later time
making more of the night
leaving me in darkness
except for the bright
of a too white 
December moon.

   I don't know why, but over the last couple of years I've been learning more about the moon, Indian legends and other folklore about luna. Maybe it is my midnight writing.  I used to write in my closet at night, now I'm in my studio with windows.  So, of course I look out into the desert at night. I find it interesting that half of our lives is spent in darkness.  Most people sleep through it.  Your poetry challenge for today is to write a night time poem.  Have fun writing.

  The moons of our lives are a blessing.

haiku

yapping coyotes
punctuate the still of night
December's bowl moon

   I was awake in the middle of the night last night.  I love when that happens because I can get up to write.  The house is still; the world is quiet.  But last night, as I was walking around in the dark to get to my studio, it was very bright outside.  I looked for the moon and I saw a big white bowl.  It might have been a very big smile.  What do you do when you can't sleep at night? Can you write a poem about that today?  Or try writing about what you see when you wake at night.  Have fun writing.

Meeting with friends is a fun way to write.  Find a friend to write with today.

MY PET DRAGON

I have a pet dragon
his name is Fred.
His scales often glow
and turn bright red.
Whenever I whistle
and call him by name,
Fred opens his mouth
and out breathes a flame.
I have to be careful.
You'd think I'd have learned,
that calling out, "Fred!"
will get myself burned.

   Penny Parker Klostermann's new picture book THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT arrived in the mail today.  I won the book from a draw at Renee LaTulippe's blog NO WATER RIVER. The book is lots of fun and it inspired me to write my own dragon poem.  Your poetry challenge for today is to try writing your own dragon poem.  If you had a dragon, what color would it be?  What would you name it?  What would you do with it?  Have fun writing.

Poetry comes with silence.

ME

Somedays I'm small and wobbly.
Somedays I'm big and grand.
Somedays I know just what I want.
Somedays I do not understand.
But no matter what each day may be,
I still am glad that I am me. 

    What was your day like?  How did you feel on this Monday?  Can you write a poem today about how you are feeling?  Have fun and I hope you enjoy your writing. 

  Yes, you are what you dream.  Dream BIG.

SEEING RABBITS

A rabbit jumped
through my yard.
He beat his feet 
like a drum.
He stopped
to look me 
in the eye.
As if to say, 
please come.

I could not go
down his rabbit hole
for I surely am
not Alice.
I watched him jump
through my fence posts
off to his rabbit palace. 

   Two days ago I asked my husband if he had seen any rabbits recently.  I had missed seeing them on our morning walks.  He agreed, he hadn't seen any either.  Then this morning I saw to on our walk and when I got home, there was another in the back yard.  I guess the hawk hasn't found all the rabbits.
     For your poetry challenge for today, can you write a haiku about a rabbit?

A children's poem needs a little bit of silly.

ONE HOT SUMMER 5

Will the monsoons ever come?
Will water rise in the wash?
Will we be able to fish 
like Dad and I did last year?
Once more?

Yes, the monsoons will bring
the river back and water 
will rush through the wash.
But now it is summer
and the bats fly at night
swoop in circles catching bugs
and sunsets come 
in reds, purple, orange.
How pretty.

  This poem is inspired by NOW IT IS WINTER, written by Eileen Spinelli,  Her picture book was illustrated by Mary Newell DePalma, published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, copyright 2004.  And, as you can see this is the fifth day I've been adding verses to this poem.  Our monsoons haven't started yet, but they should be arriving soon, in the meantime we fight the heat.  It does explain why our kids get out of school in May.  One wonders what people did before air conditioning.  Oh, I do remember--swamp coolers.And I remember driving over desert roads with a canvas bag hanging from the radiator for extra water to keep the radiator cool.
    What things do you do to stay cool in the summer?  This is your challenge for today, write a poem about things to do to stay cool.  When I was young I'd go to the matinee at the movie theater, or to the library to stay cool on hot summer days.  Have fun writing your poem.

A children's poem presents unlimited possibilities.

THE WAY A POEM BEGINS

I know
how a poem begins.
It starts in quiet,
my mind still,
my palms together,
fingers pointing upward
just under my chin.
It starts as a prayer
for the right words.


    How do poems begin for you?  Can you write a poem about that today?

Writing children's poetry is a labor of love.

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. 

SEQUOIA II

 Yesterday, for THE FRIDAY POETRY ROUND UP, I posted a poem about Sequoia.  The poem was one I'd written from a challenge posted by Michelle H. Barnes on her blog, Today's Little Ditty. Earlier in the month Michelle interviewed Nikki Grimes and Nikki posed 10 words and asked us to write poems for one of the words.  My poem started with the word leaf and ended up at talking leaves with Sequoia. Then yesterday, Tabatha Yeatts on her blog, The Opposite of Indifference, presented a Biography poem.  She used Langston Hughes' poem Helen Keller as a mentor poem for form to write her own poem Louis Pasteur.  You can find these poems on her blog here.  I love biography poems and told Tabatha I'd try putting my Sequoia information into the format she used for her poem--12 lines!  So, here is my attempt.  What do you think?

SEQUOIA
by Joy Acey

He
developed script
for writing Cherokee,
a language they could see.
He,
a teacher,
gave Indians tools
for writing and reading mastery.
He left behind a newspaper
full of talking leaves,
a message so strong
they named, after him, redwood trees.

    Using 12 lines can you write a bio poem about yourself or someone you admire?  Have fun writing.

WISH UPON A STAR

Tonight
I'll go out
at dusk
to watch
the stars
appear.
I'll wish
upon the first
I see.
I hope 
the sky
is clear.

   When was the last time you wished upon a star?  Isn't it wonderful we have stars and can wish upon them?  What would you wish for?  Can you write a poem today about one of your wishes or dreams?

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

Mom,
Here's a love letter
I've written for you
to honor,
respect
and cherish you.

I want you to know
I love all you do
and I will ever
echo THANK YOU.


  I've got a different challenge for you today.  Can you write a LOVE LETTER to yourself telling about all the things you like and want for yourself?  Have fun writing.
   When my mom was alive, every year on Mothers Day I would receive a letter from her thanking me for making her a mom.  She definitely had an attitude of gratitude.  What are you grateful for?

NATIONAL IRIS DAY

Irises flower
purple bearded blooms ready
for a spring time trim

   Today is National Iris Day and my web search suggested the holiday originated in Japan.  So the day calls for a haiku.  I hope you enjoy this one.
I'm going to have fun trying to draw some irises to go with this poem.  Can you try writing your own iris poem today?

TWILIGHT

This light pushes through clouded glass,
a fading of visions.  The sun has passed fiery red,
birds settle for the night, only the owl
begins his evensong.  The leaves still on the trees

have lost their color and begin to stir.
The children called from their play
pedal bicycles home. The table set for the evening meal
and the dog fed.  Now is the time
of the clock's unwinding.  The son tells the father
of the weekend scout jamboree.

The daughter shares the sleep-over invitation.
The mother asks about homework and the father
lets the weight of the day slip
from his shoulders, considers how bright
these stars will shine.


   The Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Michelle Barnes today on her blog Today's Little Ditty.  She also has a fun poetry challenge going for this month suggested by Nikki Grimes.  Thanks for hosting us, Michelle.

I'm going out 
at dusk tonight.
I'll stay until
stars come out.
I hope I learn
something new,
and tonight will be
a real knockout.

   The moon is waning and the planets are shining in the night sky.  What do you think you'll see tonight?  Can you write a poem about what you see?  Have fun writing.

I WILL SAY YES

Today I will say YES
to the sunshine brightening the sky,
it's beauty so wondrous
it enriches my eye.

I'll say YES
as I dance on my way to school.
No cares. No worries.
I'm one dancing fool.

I'll say YES
when you ask me to come play.
I'm floating on a cloud.
Up, up and away.

I'll say YES and smile
to all I meet,
I'll even wave
to cars in the street.

YES to new things
I'll try, YES, YES, YES.
I know it will bring me
much happiness.

   I was reading a blog post yesterday at Radio, Rhythm and Rhyme from Matt Forrest and he mentioned saying YES.  It reminded me of being in a poetry workshop with him at the Highlights Educational Foundation Barn.  Any time we had an exercise or an activity to do as a group, Matt would be the first to say YES, let's give this a try and see where it takes us.  So this poem is for Matt with a message for all of us.  What can you try today that you haven't tried to do before?  For your poetry challenge today, can you write your poem in a form you haven't tried before?  What ever you do, try having fun today and say YES.

HAPPY POEM ON YOUR PILLOW DAY

May 5th is a busy day for celebrating.

In Hawaii and Japan, Boys' Day is celebrated on May 5th. Families fly kites, colorful painted carps, from their houses to show a boy lives there to be honored. I've written a poem for this holiday and previously posted it HERE.     http://poetryforkidsjoy.blogspot.com/2013/05/happy-may-5th-boys-day.html

In the Southwest, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated with fiestas and great food today. I've posted an acrostic HERE and a free verse poem HERE ,
and another poem HERE all about Cinco de Mayo.

But, Poem on Your Pillow Day is a new holiday for me.  I can not think of having a pillow poem without thinking of TANKA.  Japanese women would write tanka to put on the pillows of their lovers.  Later women convinced their sponsors to pay to have the poems collected into booklets.  These early booklets were some of the first poetry books published by women poets.  So, here is a tanka for today.

Twenty baby quail
scurry and scatter, running
under their mothers
breasts offering protection
soothing comfort, feathered love

   A tanka is a syllabric poem made up of 5 lines.
Line 1 = 5 syllables
Line 2 = 7 syllables
Line 3 = 5 syllables
Line 4 = 7 syllables
Line 5 = 7 syllables

  It is like a haiku with two extra 7 syllable lines.

  Can you try writing a poem to leave on someone's pillow today?  Have fun writing.

CELEBRATE POEM IN YOUR POCKET DAY

I've got a poem in my pocket.
I've memorized it
Until I ROCK it.
I HIP-HOP it.
I'm doing quite fine.
I can recite each line.
Because, you see
I LOVE POETRY.

   Happy Poem in Your Pocket Day.  What poem will you carry in your pocket to share with friends?  Can you write a poem today about why you like poetry?  Have fun writing.  May your poems ROCKET and HIP-HOP IT.

I BELIEVE

I believe in things
I can not see
like Santa, the Easter Bunny
and fairies who live in my tree.

I believe a spiritual being
guides from the heavens above,
but most of all
I believe 
in the power
of love.

   Is there something make believe that you want to believe in?  Can you write a poem about that today?