Sunday, August 2, 2015 HAIR CUT

My hair is shorter.
It feels cool.
I got it cut.
to start school.

   Are you doing things to get ready to go back to school?  Did you buy new clothes?  New shoes?  School supplies or a new backpack?  Children in Arizona went back to school this week.  Can you write a poem about going back to school? Have fun writing.

Take time for good things.  Children's poetry is a good thing.

HAIR

I got a summer hair cut
now my hair is short and sweet
and I don't have to worry
after every swimming meet.

  Do you get a summer hair cut?  After you go swimming is fixing your hair a chore?  Do you have to wear a swimming cap to keep your hair dry?    Your poetry challenge for today is to write a poem about hair--your hair, the dog's hair, even the lack of hair.  Have fun writing.

The stars we are given.  The constellations we make.  Rebecca Solnit

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Do you like my smile?
Do you like my hair?

Do you like my bed?
Or how about my chair?

Do you like me standing here?
Or how 'bout over there?

Do you like my pear-ish shape?
Or like my face that's square?

Do you like my raven hair?
Or should I dye it fair?

Would you like to pet my dog?
Or maybe  ride my mare?

Tell me what of mine you like.
Or do you even care?

Would you like some tea with mint?
Perhaps you need a rest.

I'm fishing here for compliments.
It's what I do the best.

     My friend David L. Harrison has monthly prompts for writing poems on his blog.  The word for May is fog.  And now, he has added a monthly theme--fishing.  But, I didn't want to write about going fishing, or fishing poles and wiggly worms.  So as I thought about writing a poem, I got to fishing for compliments.  Then I had fun putting this poem together.  Compliments are always nice to give and receive.  What would someone say to you to give you a compliment?  Can you write a poem about it?  Do have fun.

Thank You

Thank you for coming to visit today.
It's always a good time
when you come to play.

Now that you're here
what shall we do?
Do you want to play
a game or two?

Perhaps we could work puzzles
or even write rhyme.
You're being here
assures a fun time.

     Today's poem needs work, but it is a holiday and I'm so busy trying to catch up on work. 
Happy Inauguration Day.  I'm eager to see what Richard Blanco wrote as an occasional poem for the celebration.
Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  I can't celebrate MKL Day without thinking about T.J., a five year old autistic boy I met on this day in 2003.  I was wearing my MLK button on my collar and T.J. wanted me to know that he was a KING too, and a Jr. too. 
   T.J. has always been special to me because he gave me the inspiration for this poem.  It was first published in my collection Extra Hands, Extra Heart, poems for and about children with special needs. 

T.J. DISCOVERS BRACES

On Monday
at Burton GeoWorld Magnet School
a young autistic boy
names body parts.

He touches my neck and says, Neck.
Touches my necklace.  Necklace, he says.
Hair.
Eyes. 
Eye brow.
Chin.
Lips.

When his warm fingers
touch my lips,
I smile,
showing my braces.

His dark eyes look inside,
he pauses, considers
then, proudly announces,

A teeth necklace.

Look! Look!

I know a boy

who dyes his hair.

When he goes out

to anywhere

young children point

and also stare.

"Mommy," they say,

"Look at that boy

with the blue hair."


     Hair is a fun thing to write a poem about.  From Edward Lear's beard to Michael Finnigan who had his whiskers blown out by the wind.  Just this week I heard about a barber who cuts  portraits of famous people into men's hair cuts.  Yesterday's newspaper funnies had a cartoon with a woman who had gotten her cat tangled into her long hair.  So, can you write your own hair poem?