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This is my playground for poetry written for children with ideas and inspiration for writing your own poems. Come on in. Sit for a spell, have a cup of words to swirl around and make your own cup of poetry. I'm so glad you are here. I hope you'll find the Kingdom of Poetry a fun place to be.

Friday, January 22, 2016

FISH LIFE

serigraph by Yainnis Gaitis


In schools, fish swim there
and back again,
eyeball to eyeball,
fin to fin.

Only time they're closer
is when,
they're packed in
a sardine tin.

  Do you ever feel like you're packed in tight?  Perhaps when you have to walk in a line, or sit in tight rows.  Does it make you feel like you are just one of a horde?  Just remember you are special; you are unique.  Can you write a poem today about what makes you special?  Have fun writing.

 How are you doing with the snow?  Are you on the East Coast where they are supposed to have snow measured in feet?  Or, are you in Australia where it is summer?  I'm in Hawaii and I'm wearing shorts.  I'm barefoot. 


Today is POETRY FRIDAY.  You'll find more poetry posts on Tara's blog at A TEACHING LIFE.  Thanks Tara for hosting us.

11 comments:

  1. In Hawaii and barefoot??!! Alas, we are in the midst of a blizzard here in VA. The worse is yet to come.

    What a cool poem and image. Sardines will never be the same.

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    1. More tea and cocoa. I wonder how long the schools will be closed. I've been thinking of you a lot, Island Girl. I'm so glad I get the opportunity to experience your state.

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  2. Jama's in a blizzard and it's supposed to be near 60 here in Denver tomorrow. It's been such strange weather this fall/winter. Glad to hear about the shorts & barefoot-woo hoo! Love the 'turn' of your poem. I didn't guess it at all, Joy. Very fun.

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    1. Haven't you already had snow, Linda? Our high today was 79 and the low tonight is supposed to be 62.

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  3. Joy, thinking of you barefoot on the beach makes me feel like it is summer again. Your poem today reminds me of the amazing full-wall aquarium I sat in front of yesterday while drinking a cup of cocoa. The fish were moving all together but none bumped into their fellow traveler. One kept full force on his path. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Oh how fun. The Monterey Bay Aquarium has a glass circular tube with sardines swimming around and around in it. Fascinating to watch and then to see the fish all change directions on their swim and go in the opposite direction. And you're right,they don't bump into each other.

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  4. You're there! The move is accomplished! Happy New Year!!!

    Does Hawaii feel more or less spacious than Arizona? Love to think of you barefoot in Kauai (our depth is approaching 2' and the wind chill is 12*). Your poem and your reminders to be unique in the crowd (in the school?) are very poignant to me today, having just read the verse novel Paper Hearts about Polish girls at Auschwitz.

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    1. I hope you are surviving your cold weather. I'll have to put Paper Hearts on reserve at the library. I have a friend who passed last year who was Polish, had a knack for languages, spoke 8. During WWII she was imprisoned for being a spy and had a baby while she was in jail. The women and children of the war were so brave. Our new wars probably have many brave stories.

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  5. Joy,
    I wonder if snowflakes that form snowballs feel like fish in a sardine tin.

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    1. Or popcorn balls, meatballs, or snow cones. How many other things can you think of that are compacted into a ball? Do golf balls and ice cream scoops count? Cookie dough? You magic worked again, Linda. You set my mind reeling.
      All those movie cells stacked one to the next at 24 frames per second.

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  6. I remember after a vacation in Maui in 2012 about this time of year, coming back here to the southwest corner of Canada and feeling so unhappy about the weather (cold, damp, grey, vs. Hawaii's warm, sun, flowers everywhere). But most of the time I love it. Today it's clear and about 7 C. Not barefoot weather but nice for a walk with a jacket and gloves. And I enjoyed your school of fish!

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