MERMAID

A mermaid sat
upon the rocks
singing to the reef.

On days the sun
was shining, her smiles
were filled with teeth.

On days the rain
was splashing, her songs
were filled with grief.

   I read something today about a "mermaid mind."  I thought this a lovely reference to wild and fanciful thinking.  Perfect for muse stirring poetry.  Great for dreaming.  What do you dream about?  Can you write a poem today about dreaming? 

Between dreaming and reality, I think I'll take the dream.

modern haiku

A gravel drive
old wooden fence
the open red gate


   I think I need more practice on painting gravel drives.  I did have fun painting this. Which is the whole point, isn't it?

  Your poetry challenge for today is to try writing your own modern haiku.  And if you choose to illustrate your poem, I hope you have fun.

  Happy Sunday.

NIGHT BEETLE

A beetle walked
into the full moon light.
He saw his shadow.
It gave him a fright.

He crawled over a rock.
It was quite a sight,
to see a beetle
out walking at night.

His back it glistened
with a greenish glow,
and where he walked to
I do not know.

Do you like bugs and beetles? What do you like best about them?  Or do bugs bug you? Have you ever watched a bee hive or an ant farm?  Can you write your own poem today about a bug?  Have fun writing.

Happy Poetry Friday.  The round up is hosted by  Heidi Mordhorst today over on her her blog My Juicy Little Universe.  You can find more poetry links on her blog today.  Thanks, Heidi for hosting us.  

Today is my 1600th blog post.  Thank you for stopping by. 

Shine your bright light from within today.

The best thing about Maine
is their green-making rain.
The chance to feel chilly
makes me feel silly.

The best thing about North Carolia
is all of their barbecue diners.
Their ice tea is sweet
and I love to eat.

The best thing about Arizona
is the desert near Sedona.
The cactus grows high
in the blue, blue sky.

   Oh, I am having fun this morning.  Can you guess your poetry challenge for today?  Start with the line: The best thing about _________________.  Then fill in the blank with your favorite state or town and tell your reader something about your place.  Have fun writing.  You can fill that blank in with something other than a place too.


In children's poetry, the world is full of amazing places.

PIZZA

Let's all try
some of this pizza pie.

"I can't,"  said the ant.
"It's not too big," said the pig.
"Oh yes," said the lioness.

"I'm in," said the pigeon.
"I will," said the hornbill.
"I also will," said the gerbil.

"I shall," said the serval.
"I can," said the toucan.
"I might," said the bobwhite.

"I'll try," said the fly.
"I may," said the stingray.
"I must," said the cow, "eat the crust."

"May I have anchovy?" asked the muscovy.
"We'll see," said the bee.
"I'll eat half," said the giraffe.

"You would, of course," said the horse.
Then it was the hen who said,
"Let's dig in."

   This was a fun poem to execute once I had the idea.  I took all the ways I could think of to try to say, "YES!" and then tried to find animals that would rhyme with my yes-words.  Can you think of other ways to say "YES!" Please let me know.  I did have some left-over animals like bruin, duckbill, spoonbill, blue gill, Parmesan (oops, that's not an animal,) termite, snake, and nene(the Hawaiian State Bird). Did you know a serval is an African cat and a muscovy is a kind of duck named after Moscow?
   Just for fun try writing your own poem to say NO.
  

Writing poetry for children is better than eating pizza.

WIND

Bend bushes bend.
Bow to the wind.
Fall petals fall.
Wind blows it all.

Springtime breezes
fly paper kites
taking our dreams
up to new heights.

    Are you ready for Memorial Day weekend?  What are some of the things you see in the wind?  Can you write a poem about the wind today?  Have fun writing.
   The Poetry Friday Round Up is hosted by Matt Forrest today over at his blog Radio, Rhythm and Rhyme.
  

 Children's Poetry Can Make You Giggle.

Listen, listen
to your heart, dear.

Hear, hear
the words it sings.

Listen, listen
to your dreams, dear.

Write, write the words
for happiness it brings.

     Dream big and may you find just the right words to share your dreams with others.

     Linda Andersen has interviewed me on her blog A Writer's Playground.  You can find out about Frog poems and me here.

WOOD SORREL FAIRY

A fairy sitting
among the wood sorrel.
Pale purple flowers
grow under the trees.
It's shady as she 
watches a squirrel
dash through the sorrel
making a breeze.

    I'm still imagining what it would be like to have a pocket fairy.  I could send her off to do errands for me.  To find things out for me, to check on my friends.  If you had a small fairy what would you do with him or her?  Can you write a poem about that?  Have fun with your imagination.

EDDIE

Easy Eddie
for his food pick,
likes to eat
Eggs Benedict.


     Happy last day of March.  Tomorrow is April Fools Day.  I wonder what wild tricks I can think to play.  Tomorrow also starts National Poetry Month.  It is a great time to celebrate poetry.  For your poetry challenge for today, can you write a poem about eggs?  Sunday is Easter.  Will you have an egg hunt?  Will you dye eggs?  Have fun writing.  And tell me about your celebration.

STONES II

Rock faces
a playground
for mountain goats.

Stones at rest
from a roll in the creek
a hidey home for salamander.

Rocks smoothed
by water
skip across our favorite lake.

Some rocks--geodes
hold a surprise
inside hidden starlight.

Stones hurl,
sticks throw,
words won't hurt.

    Your poetry prompt for today is to write a poem about something you saw on the ground today.  Have fun writing.

    I'm celebrating and marking a milestone.  Today is my 1,400th post.  I'm going off to write a stone triplet for mile-stone.

MONGOOSE

copyright 2014, Joy Acey

Mongoose
stops in the grass
his red nose glows brightly
thinking of reindeer and Merry
Christmas.

copyright 2014, Joy Acey

   Today's poem is a form poem--a cinquain.  It's a five line poem with 2 syllables in the first and last lines.  There are four syllables in the second line, six in the third and eight in the fourth line.  Seeing the bright red nose on the mongoose made me think of a re-telling of the Rudolph story set in Africa with eight mongoose instead of reindeer.  Do you think Santa could be a Masai?
   Can you try writing your own cinquain today?  Have fun working on your own poems.

haiku

Scent of roast turkey
filling my grandmother's home
my stomach growling

haiku

warm desert sunshine
on the fence a butterfly
my heart a flutter

    It is a beautiful day today.  The birds are having a gathering at my feeder.  The wind has settled to a gentle breeze.  I'm thankful for this day and thankful you have stopped by to read my poem.  Can you write your own haiku today?  Have fun writing.

Turkey's Lament

Hurry, hurry,
keep up the pace.
Quick, quick, quick,
find me a place.

Make it safe,
a hidden winner.
I dont want to be
your Thanksgiving dinner.

    Do you know what a lament is?  It is a passionate expression of grief or sorrow.  Why do you think a turkey would be sad at this time of year? So here is your poetry prompt for today--can you write a list poem about all the places a turkey might hide?  Go ahead, be silly.  You might put the turkey in the bath tub.  In Uncle Charlie's tennis sweater to impersonate him.  How about in your brother's basketball hoop?  This could be fun.  I hope you have a good time writing your poem.

LITTLE BAT

A little bat slept
under the eaves.
Each morning he'd beg
his mother, "Please,
tell me a bedtime story."

He wanted adventure
or fantasy,
but nothing that was
bloody or too gory.

Gory stories curled
little bat's hair
and gave him
an awful nightmare.

  Can you write a nightmare of a poem today?  Or you can just tell the story little bat wants to hear.  Have fun writing.

Two Jack-o-lanterns

Two Jack-o-lanterns
on a window sill.
One named Mark.
One named Bill

Put a candle in them.
Light up their eyes.
Smiling jack-o-lanterns.
Two happy guys.

The candles dimmed.
Jack-o-lanterns in the dark.
Burned out Bill.
Burned out Mark.

Light another candle.
Leave it on the sill.
Happy Mark.
Happy Bill.

This is an action rhyme.  Can you figure out the actions (hand gestures) to go with this poem?  Now it is your turn, can you write an action rhyme today?  Have fun.

HALLOWEEN NIGHT

Leaves fly
Dark sky
Limbs bend
Screaming wind
Lightning flash
Thunder crash
Scary
Halloween night.

HOW TO TALK TO A ROOSTER

If you want to talk to a rooster
here's what you should do,
just shake your head and ask,
How do you do?

The rooster if he wants
to get to know you,
will shake his comb too,
and say, Cock-a-doodle-doo.

     This poem is an instructional poem.  It tells how to talk to a rooster.  What is your favorite animal?  What instructions could you provide the animal?  How would you teach an aardvark to make his bed, an ostrich to drink tea, a bear not to snore?  Have fun writing your own instructional poem today.

SHOES

Shoes do help
to protect your feet.
But, I think going barefoot
can't be beat.


    Which do you like better, wearing shoes or going barefoot?  Can you write a poem about your preference today?  Have fun writing.

Polar Bear

Polar Bear
on an ice floe      the moon is shining bright.
                                     
Polar Bear
on an ice floe     his coat drips wet and white.

Polar Bear
on an ice floe      catches fish with his paws.

Polar Bear
on an ice floe      eats seals with his claws.

Polar Bear
on an ice floe      he's hungry as can be.

Polar Bear
on an ice floe      I hope he doesn't see me.



     This is a poem for two voices.  Can you try writing our own poem for two voices today?  Have fun writing.

     The Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Catherine Johnson this week.  Hop over to her blog for more poetry fun.  Have a great Friday the Thirteenth.