OUR GUIDE

Our guide Jose Luis

pointed out things to see.

 

 Like birds flying

or the trunk of a HUGE tree.

He kept us well

and out of danger.

Treated us like friends

and not like strangers.

      Today's poetry challenge is to write a poem about a friend.  Start by brainstorming.  Make a list of the things you like about your friend.  If you get stuck, try listing things using your five senses--sight, sound, smell, touch and taste (three S, two T).  then try shaping your list into a poem.  Try a list poem or a diamente,or Cinquain.  What ever you do, have fun.  You're welcome to post your poem here.

RAIN in the Rainforest

Rain rushing off the roof at the Tambopata Research Center.

Pitter, pang, clash, twang--

this is the hail song

Mother Nature sang.

Then when she was done

out came

a brilliant sun.

If you look

quite carefully

you may

be able to see

perhaps a treasure 

you will find

in the rainbow

she left behind.

      This poem uses onomatopoeia.  That's when the word sounds like the thing it is--words like bang, ting, meow or quack.  Your challenge for today is to write a poem using onomatopoeia.

     If you really want to have a good time getting lost in the web, try doing a search for "onomatopoeia."  There are about a dozen fun videos and songs on the topic.  Start with Tigger singing his onomatopoeia song for Rabbit from Disney's Winnie the Pooh.  See Batman and Robin "kapow" and "bam" their way to justice.  Hear songs about what the animals all say.  There is a plethora of entertaining and educational material to help you with your poetry.  Have fun.

Monkey in the Rainforest

In the rain-forest

jungle vines quiver and shake

a squirrel monkey

     When was the last time you wrote a haiku?  How about trying one today?
This haiku is written in the American form of 5-7-5--with 5 syllables in the first line, 7 in the second and 5 in the third.  The haiku should also be about nature.
Summer is a great time for being outside with nature and writing haiku.  Have fun.

Monkey in a Tree

A Saddleback Tamarin

hugs the tree,

he moves away

so I can't see

he is trying to 

hide from me.

     This is one of the many animals I got to see on my recent trip to the Peruvian Rain-forest.  What would you do if you saw a monkey in a tree? Could you write a poem for him?  If you wrote a poem from the monkey's voice that would be a persona poem.  Give it a try.  Have fun.