HAPPY POETRY FRIDAY

Come to me.
Bring a poem.
I will be fed
on your hearts words. 

  Your poetry challenge for today is to add the next two lines to this poem.  Can you see I have set up a pattern?  The first two lines each have three words in them.  The next two lines each have four words.  Your two lines should each have five words.  Can you do it?  Challenge yourself.

I couldn't think about what to write today.  When that happens I often go to my book, DAY TO DAY: a calendar of notable birthdays and events, written by David E. Johnson.   I found out today was the birthday of Rod McKuen.  At one time he was called the unofficial poet laureate of the United States.  He helped to make poetry popular for the American public.  His life story is fascinating and hard for me to imagine.  McKuen was born in a Salvation Army Hostel in Oakland, CA.  He never knew his father.  He ran away from home when he was 11.  He never completed high school.  He worked as a ranch hand, surveyor, lumberjack, railroad worker, rodeo cowboy, stuntman for the movies and a radio disc jockey.  You can find out more about his life here and here.


                   



Today's Poetry Friday Round Up is being hosted by  Buffy Silverman on her blog.  You can find more poetry posts here.  Thanks for hosting us, Buffy.


It doesn't matter who you love, or how you love, but that you love. Rod McKuen 

LOST BOOKS

Happy Poetry Friday.

     First, I have a letter poem up on Michelle Hendrich Barnes' blog today.  She and David Elliot challenged children's poets to write a letter poem during the month of February.  You can find my poem here.
http://michellehbarnes.blogspot.com/2015/02/february-dmc-wrap-up-giveaway.html   
Thanks Michelle for a fun challenge.  I had a hard time distilling  this poem down to the fewest words to still tell the story.  WOW!  This was fun.

     Second, Heidi Mordhorst is hosting the Friday Poetry Roundup today.  She has an exciting list of words ending in "CH" for us to try writing poems for during the month of MarCH.  Thanks, Heidi for a great exercise and for hosting the roundup.  You can find the list and more great poetry on Heidi's blog My Juicy Little Universe.

     Third,  at a recent FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY bag day sale I picked up two interesting books.
The Child as Poet: Myth of Reality? by Myra Cohn Livingston, published by The Horn Book, 1984.  This was signed by the author.  A bit of a tome, but the references are excellent.

The Brownings: Letters and Poetry, selected and with an introduction by Christopher Ricks, Doubleday, 1970.  Oh, this has been a fun read to see the history between these two important poets. 
Does your library have book sales?  I find it is a great way to add to my poetry library (and to keep learning.)  

    OK, fourth a poem for today.

I lose my books,
it's seek and find.
I often think
I've lost my mind.

I search and search,
where can it be?
My book is there
waiting for me.

    I really do try to keep my things organized, but there is always more stuff to add to the clutter.  What do you do to try to keep yourself organized?  Can you write a poem today about something you've lost (maybe your homework) or something you've found or found out?  Have fun writing today.

Friday

Morning rises
tries on a purple gown
adds an orange scarf.

It isn't right,
she changes 
for a pink gown.

Still not right,
she dons a pastel blue gown
adds white lace clouds
for a shash.

She's all dressed
to greet
a new day.


     I really wanted to rite a poem about the Chinese New Year which is today, but I didn't get it done.  Today starts the year of the horse.  So let me send you virtual oranges, money and a fortune cookie to wish you the very best year
where we can all throw our manes back into the wind and race off to bright poetry futures.  I can see a poem happening for you, even now.  Have a great Friday.

   Can you write your own horse poem today?

Tricia at Miss Rumpius Effect is hosting the Poetry Friday Roundup.  Thanks Tricia.  She has poems about numbers.  You can go here to read more poems by children's poets this week.

http://missrumphiuseffect.blogspot.com/2014/01/poetry-friday-is-in-house.html

THANKSGIVING COLORS

After Bill Martin, Jr.

                  The seasons are changing

It's November, you see.

And I'm wondering,

Where will you be?

Olives, Black Olives.

Where will you be?

I'll be in the relish dish

beside your turkey.

Cranberry, Red Cranberry.

Where will you be?

I'll be the sauce

beside your turkey.

Corn, Yellow Corn.

Where will you be?

I'll be the side dish

for your turkey.

Potato, White Potato.

Where will you be?

I'll be mashed potatoes

for your turkey.

Lettuce, Green Lettuce.

Where will you be?

I'll be a salad

for your turkey.

Beets, Purple Beets.

Where will you be?

I'll be the vegetable

for your turkey.

Berry, Blueberry

Where will you be?

I'll be the biscuit jam

for your turkey.

Pumpkin, Orange Pumpkin.

Where will you be?

I'll be the pumpkin pie

for your turkey.

Turkey, Brown Turkey.

Where will you be?

I'll be Thanksgiving dinner

for the whole family.

     Since it is getting close to Thanksgiving, I thought it would be fun to write a color poem for all the foods of the Thanksgiving dinner.  This poem could be done in two voices. (There are several ways you could divide up the parts.)  With very young children they could draw the pictures and make a classroom book. Children could pick a color and write their own verses.  There are lots of foods I didn't use celery, yams, gravy, stuffing, carrots, and onions to name a few.  So, your challenge for today is to write your own food poem.  Have fun writing.

    Today's Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Jama Rattigan on her blog Alphabet Soup.  You can find more poetry here.  Thanks Jama for hosting us.  My foodie poem is for you.