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.

THE RABBIT

Jane Yolen had a poem she shared last week in a Welsh meter.  She called it an AWDL (an ode.)  This sent me back to my books on forms of poetry.  Nothing seemed to fit until I came across a CLOGYRNACH in the SHAPES OF OUR SINGING written by Robin Skelton (p. 288.)  I had to try one.

The rabbit hopping by the creek
His coat is light gray, smooth and sleek.
Hungry for more meals
at clover he kneels
and conceals what he sneaks.

   Yesterday was a five bunny day.  Most of them are really tiny and I think the hawks will be eating well.
If you were a rabbit, what would you do to protect yourself?  Have fun writing your own poem about a rabbit today.
  Laura Purdie Salas hosts The Poetry Friday Roundup this week. You can find more children's poetry on her blog at http://www.laurasalas.com/blog/books/connect-pfhost/

HAIKU

roadrunner dashes
lizard in his mouth
what a miracle



    Some days it is really awesome living in the desert.  On my walk this morning I saw a little tea cup sized cotton tail.  Just as I was about to say something to my husband about seeing it, another adult rabbit hopped right after the first one. 

What did you see today?  Can you write a haiku about it?  Have fun writing.

BUNNY JUMP!

A little flea jumps
one bunny ear 
across to another.

Whee!

She flies across 
the bunny ears
looking for her brother.

    Can you write a poem today about donkey ears?

THE TURTLE WINS

Slow, slow,
Don't go.
Ease up
on the gas.
Don't go so fast.
Find a hammock.
Take a rest.
Sometimes,
going slow 
is best.

    In the fable of the tortoise and the hare, it is the slow and steady tortoise who wins the race.  Your poetry challenge for today is to write a poem about stopping to smell the roses.  Have fun writing.

Rabbit hops
in the garden,
pauses to nibble
the new plant greens.
Rabbit dashes
across the patio,
hoping he
won't be seen.

     My rabbit has a very busy life.  He is always moving quickly.  If I don't pause to watch him, I miss seeing him.  When you look outside your window, what do you see?  Can you write a poem about the view from your window?

RUN RABBIT

Little rabbit
hopping in the desert
hops around the sage bush
hopping on quick feet.

Little rabbit
hopping in the desert
hops around the saguaro
looks for greens to eat.



    A rabbit hopped quickly past me on my walk this morning.  Our desert rabbits are very fast.  Spring is coming quickly.  I've seen more lizards and quail this week.  I even saw a dead snake on the road yesterday.  What changes are you seeing as spring approaches?  Can you write a poem about that?  Have fun writing. 

MORTIMER'S VISIT

Morty, Morty,
have you got a minute?
You hopped for JOY
and now I'm in it.

A children's poetry blog
HOPPITY-HOP!
I'll add my 2 cents
so your tour doesn't stop.


    I was tagged by Heidi Mordhorst last week to feed and house Morty for the week.  (Notice how we've become such good friends that I have a pet name for Mortimer?  You're allowed to groan that was a very bad pun.  He does look a little like my Dutch Uncle.) I've got to tell you, having him for a guest is like having fish visit.  At first he is all cute and cuddly, but then he becomes a BIG responsibility.  Just keeping him entertained has been interesting.  He's eaten all my carrots, chewed holes in my new shoes.  He wants to eat my poetry.  Oh what's a girl to do?
Answer the interview questions quickly and send him on his way.

Morty:   What does it take to be a children's poet?

JOY:      You don't have to be royalty, but it helps.  All it takes is to write poems and small rhymes for children--early and often.

Morty:    Hey, why are you the Princess of Poetry?

JOY:      I get to be royal because everyday I try to do my best, and each day I get a little better. (I sure hope so. You can be royalty too.)

Morty:    What poem do you wish you'd written?

JOY:      Oh, Morty, there are so many really great children's poems written.  But, I don't WISH I'd written poems.  I do it.  It is called BIC(bum in chair) time and I write a lot of poems.  Every poem, if you look closely at it, has merit, even if it is only that you get to eat it.  So now can I send you on, please?


These are the rules for Mortimer's blog tour, (thanks Renee, I copied from you.)

Here’s how to hoppity hop “Mortimer Minute” style!

• Answer 3 questions. Pick one question from the previous Hopper. Add two of your own. Keep it short, please! This is a Blog Hop, not a Blog Long Jump. This is The Mortimer Minute—not The Mortimer Millennium!
• Invite friends. Invite 1-2 bloggers who love children’s poetry to follow you. They can be writers, teachers, librarians, or just plain old poetry lovers.
• Say thank you. In your own post, link to The Previous Hopper. Then keep The Mortimer Minute going — let us know who your Hoppers are and when they plan to post their own Mortimer Minute.

- See more at: http://www.nowaterriver.com/poetry-friday-the-mortimer-minute-childrens-poetry-blog-hop/#sthash.vx5llQuS.dpuf

    Hey Morty, I'm sending you to Donna Earnhardt at WordWrangleNC  for a short visit.  She's the author of a very funny picture book, BEING FRANK. 

Now Morty, please don't eat any more shoes.


  And Jeanne Poland at the Vibrant Channel Creator, said she'd take this rascal off my hands too.  So look for Morty over at Jeanne's place next Friday.

    Thank you Heidi Mordhorst for sending Mortimer to me.

 Today's Poetry Friday Roundup is being hosted by Laura Purdie Salas over at Writing the world for kids.
Thank you Laura for hosting the party.

Fairy Ride

A fairy rode 
on a rabbit's back,
hopped from here
to the top of Mt. Sac.
They told stories
and sang
along the way.
Yippie-I-O
Kai-Ay.
Hurr-ay.


     There were several rabbits out this morning on my walk.  Would you believe it was already 86 degrees and it wasn't even 7 o'clock yet.  I thought I'd forgotten the first of the month ritual to turn around three times and say, "rabbit, rabbit, rabbit."
Do you know that silly thing for having good luck during the month?  Do you know other rituals or superstitions?  Can you write a poem about that today?

WHEN I WOKE UP THIS MORNING

When I woke up this morning
the sun was already out,
I watched two quails scurry
with little quailets all about.

When I work up this morning
I saw two rabbits eating grass
they munched across the garden
as I watched them wander past.

When I woke up this morning
I saw a lizard on the wall
he was clinging tightly,
he didn't even fall.

When I woke up this morning
I watched the goldfinch fling
themselves upon the bird feeder
and heard the song they sing.

When I woke up this morning
I thanked the shining sun
and all the clouds in the heavens
for making this Sunday fun.


    What did you see this morning when you woke up?  Can you write your own poem about that?  Have a great day.
    To all my wonderful friends and readers, thank you for making my birthday a really, really special day for me.  I think I had the best birthday ever.  Thank you.

DESERT THEATRE

ACT I  Scene 1

Setting:  A Tucson Backyard about an hour after sunrise

RABBIT

A Western Cottontail RABBIT enters and walk- hops to CENTER STAGE.

Pauses to nibble the fresh green leaves of Lantana.  His ears twitch.

He raises his head to look around.  EXITS stage right.

QUAIL

 
Enter two Gambel's QUAIL, who bobble-walk across stage and EXIT stage left.

White-winged DOVES sit in their balcony seats along the fence, observing.

And I, with my pen poised stand watching through the kitchen window wondering what ACT II will bring.


    I made up my own form for this poem.  It is written like a stage play.  I'm sure some poet before me has done this, actually many of Shakespeare's poems were written as plays. Now there is some good company to be in.  It just seemed like this morning the animals were putting on a production for me. I had so much fun watching.
   Your challenge for today is to take one of your old poems, or one of someone else or even write a new one and try it in a different form.  What ever you decided to write, do have fun playing with your poetry. 

Rabbit

runs across the road
white tail
a flash with uncertainty
hopping west
dashing east
under a bush
around a century plant
lost from sight
heading south
like so many
the tail catches the eye
but the feet create wonder
trying to find true north.

     What direction are you heading today?  Can you write a poem today about directions?  Have fun.

Haboob Cinquain

Desert

dusty wind blows

a wall of sandy grit

unable to see in the storm

haboob

     Before I moved to the desert, I didn't know the word haboob, which is a fierce sand storm.  Can you write your own cinquain today?

paved road

warmed by the sun

four quail scuttle across

a rabbit races after them

good day

Food Chain

FOOD CHAIN

On my walk today I saw

a dead rabbit,

dead tarantula,

dead pack rat,

dead snake.

They all made

a deadly mistake

Decided the road to take

to get to the other side.

Poor dead rabbit,

dead tarantula,

dead pack rat

dead snake

now, in the desert sun

they bake.

     Happy Saturday.  Sorry I'm late today. I've been at the hospital with my father-in-law who fell and broke his other hip, the left one this time.  Dad is 91 years old  and so has lots of health issues that take a lot of time.  Try writing a poem about one of your relatives today.  If you make it your dad, you can use it for a Father's Day card tomorrow.  Have fun.

The Rabbit

The rabbit in the garden

likes to munch, munch munch.

On tender grasses and plants

that crunch, crunch, crunch.

     I had fun yesterday practicing sketching and drew this little rabbit.  He is far from perfect, but I did think he ended up looking like a rabbit.  I hope you had fun yesterday drawing a picture to go with your poem.

     Today is supposed to be very cold again.  for a short month, even though we get an extra day with leap year, February seems to go on forever for me.  I will be happy to see March.  And now you know how Lewis Carroll wrote about the March Hare and a mad tea party.  If you were to have a tea party today, who would be there?  Can you write a mad (wild) poem about it?  Do have a good time.  Cheerio.

KANGAROO HOP

"Hello Rabbit,

How do you do?

I would like 

to hop with you."

"Very well, 

Mr. Kangaroo,

that is what

we should do."

Hop, hop, hop, hop.

Rabbit and 

Mr. Kangaroo

hopped away 

to the nearest zoo.

      This is a companion poem to yesterday's poem.  It is an action rhyme too.  It would be fun to act this poem out with a group of children.  In fact, it could be played like Duck, Duck, Goose.  One child could be Mr. Kangaroo and start hopping around the outside of the circle and pick the child to be Rabbit.  Then both children could hop in a race back to the starting point where Rabbit was picked.  The other children in the circle could recite the poem.  Oh, I wish you were here so we could try this out.

HOP, HOP, HOP, HOP,

I am a rabbit.

I hop and hop.

I keep on hopping

and will not stop.

I hop on one foot.

Hop, hop, hop.

Hop on two feet ,

hop-hop, hop-hop.

Hopping-hopping

until I slump.

One foot is a hop.

Two feet are a jump.

    This is an action rhyme.  Can you tell I've make an exercise resolution for the new year?  Can you try writing your own action rhyme? Do you like to run, skip, or sit?  I can think of words to rhyme with each of them.


My short poem


To run
is fun.
To skip,
don't slip.
But, if you sit
you're full of it.


     Which only goes to prove that I can write bad poems too.  I'm in a silly mood today.  I hope you enjoy your day too.


 

Rock Rabbit

This morning

on my morning walk,

I saw a rabbit.

He looked like a rock.

He stayed there shivering,

as if to say,

"Won't you please,

go away."

I took his picture

then walked on by.

He hopped away

this big eared guy.