WEATHER REPORT

I sit at my desk
on work I'm toiling
Outside it's 111
Would that be boiling?

    How hot is it in your part of the world?  Can you write your own poem today about the heat?
    I talked to my sister yesterday and she was wearing a sweater. Her temperature was half of what mine is.
She is in Australia and it's winter time there.  Have fun working on your poem today.  Answer the question, how hot is it?  Write on!

A good children's poem can keep you warm on a cold night.

WINTER'S BREATH

I'm being lazy today.  I'm way from home to attend my sister's birthday party and so I've been helping her, and seeing lots of family (instead of writing,) so, today's poem is one I felt compelled to write in response to a poem I read written by Jane Yolen.  Her poem included the phrase winter's breath  and I loved the thought of personifying winter to make it a real person.  And although I have been fortunate NOT to have suffered from the cold chills and ills experienced by friends and relatives in the North East, I still feel for all those folks shoveling snow and trying to stay warm.


Do you feel winter's breath
blowing down your neck
under the scarf
you have wrapped
to muffle your mouth?

Do you feel its heartbeat
rising in chilling pounds
through the soles
of your winter boots,
collecting at ankles and knees?

Do you hear its tingles
racing in icy blocks
up fingers encased, trapped
in winter's woolen mittens?

Do you taste its strength
in the weight pressing
upon your chest,
upon your shoulders,
from its heavy winter coat?

Winter's weight knocking
us down, holding captive
while we wait to be lifted
in the bright yellow shine
of trumpeting daffodils.



    This poem has a lot of gerunds in it--those 'ing' ending words.  That is something I will look at when I revise this poem.  Did you notice the possessive its without an apostrophe?  That is one of the tricky possessives in the English language.  What are some of the things you look for when you revise your work?  How many "senses" can you find in this poem?
   Your poetry challenge for today is to take one of your old poems and revise it.  Try to include more "senses" in your revision.  Have fun working on your poem.

WINTER HAIKU

Building a snow girl
on her head we put a hat
and a mop for hair.

In pink hats and gloves
we're hit with flying snow balls
we bomb the boy's fort.

Good books I can read
I'm set for a school snow day
warm, cuddled inside.

Windows with crystals
sparkling in the morning sun--
diamond tiaras.

Baking with Grandma
we make sweet sugar cookies--
a Christmas present.

For Christmas we sing
all around the neighborhood
finding peace on earth.

   So here are a half a dozen winter haiku, can you write your own winter haiku using a 5-7-5 pattern?  Have fun writing.

WINTER SNOWFALL

Winter snowfall gently drifting
flake by wondrous flake,
Silver moonbeams brightly shining
dancing on the lake.
In the water swans are swimming
gliding hen and drake.
Nature's mystery to be granted
in the life we make.


    Oh boy, am I in trouble.  I'm up in the wee hours and reading some old dead English poets and see what happens to my verses?  My rhyme scheme changes and my lines get longer.  Did you see the quarter moon last night?  What is a mystery of nature that you have seen or experienced?  Can you try writing a poem about that today?  Do have fun with your writing.

small bowl of a moon
spilling crystal diadems
chilly winter's night

    It has been very cold today and it may freeze tonight, so we've covered our plants and the citrus trees have the holiday lights on them to keep them warm.  Can you write your own poem about the moon you see?  Stay warm. 

THIS MORNING

The wind sings
a happy song
around dancing leaves.

They flutter up
before flittering
to the ground
in a patchwork quilt.

Soon it will be time
for the lull
of winter sleeping.

But for now
there is wood to chop,
pumpkins to harvest,

apples to press,
and honking geese
to fly south.

There is much to do,
just ask the wind.

     In this free verse poem, I wanted the title to be the first line.  I thought about using a lower case letter to start "the," but I thought that would look like a mistake. So the English teacher in me, insisted that the first line of the poem begin with a capital letter.
        Have you ever thought what the world would be like if we didn't have wind? Can you write your own poem about the wind, or fall today?  Have fun writing.

Winter

There comes a time

when winter

has been here

way too long.

I wish I could pack

winter's suitcases

and send it on its way.

I'm ready for spring.

I know when

winter has been 

here too long.

My world looks gray,

all of my sweaters

look ugly to me

and I'm ready for 

daffodils.

     Do you know that drizzly, cold, wet time of winter when your eyes crave color?  Think of each of the seasons of the year.  What colors would you call fall?  What are the colors of summer?  Which season do you like the best?  Can you write a color poem today?