Summer Fun

What is your favorite thing to do during the summer?  Can you write a poem about it?

Photographs

Snap my picture
Don't I look cute,
Standing here
in my swimming suit.

The Man from Down Under

Here is a crazy character.

THE MAN FROM DOWN UNDER

The man from Down Under wears underwear
of silky, stripey red.
He thinks the world is upside-down
so wears them on his head.

His socks he wears for mittens.
His glasses ride his shoes.
And anyone who sees him knows
he is totally confused.

This is a totally, silly nonsense poem.  Can you write a silly poem about a character you make up?  Perhaps it is the substitute teacher, a crazy musician or how about an artist?  What crazy things can they do?  Have fun writing.  I'd love to see your creation.

Slippery Sunday

Sorry this is late.  I'm on my way home after spending the weekend in Honesdale, PA at a Highlights Educational Foundation Workshop titled SOMEBODY OUGHT TO WRITE A POEM led by superb children's poet David Harrison.  I had a wonderful time writing poetry with 7 other great children's poets: Susan Carmichael from OH, Cory Corrado and Carol-Ann Hoyt from Canada, Rebecca Menshen from PA .Heidi Mordhorst from MD, Jeanne Poland from NY and Ken Slesarik from AZ.  These are all terrific poets and I learned so much just by writing poetry with them.  It was a great workshop and it has been a long time since I've laughed so long and hard.  I want to thank each one of them for all the help they gave me .

So here is a very short little poem.


SHHHHHH


Shhhh
Don't tell my sister,
she's sure to squirm,
eating her salad
is a little green worm.


What bugs or insects did you see today?  Can you write a poem about it? 
While I was at Honesdale, I saw fireflies at night.  They were the first ones I've seen this summer. 
It was exciting to watch them flash.

Food Poem

MY WISH

I wish I was a muffin

all plump in pleated cup,

I'd wear sweet sugar crumbles

on my brown domed muffin top.

I'd give you muffin hugs and kisses

as you eat me up.

If you could be a food,any food, what would you be?

Would you be yummy like a peanut butter sandwich or exotic as escargot? Write a poem about it and you're sure to include a metaphor or simile. Try to use all your senses.

This poem came after reading Madeleine L'Engle's Newbery Medal Acceptance Speech for A Wrinkle in Time.. She included the words, “making muffins of us,” and maybe it was the alliteration of those m's or the consonance of the double f in muffins followed so closely by the f in of but all of the sudden I wanted to say muffin, muffin, muffin and feel those words in my mouth.

Have fun writing your poem and experiencing words in your mouth. Have a yummy time.

Poem for Baby

This one is for the very young set.

BABY'S POEM

Wiggle me. Tickle me.

Wrinkle my nose.

Hear me giggle

when you count my toes--

1 2 3 4 5

5 4 3 2 1.

Have you ever written a poem with counting in it?  It might be fun to try.

Happy Dreams

This is a poem that should probably sit and percolate some more, but I like the way it is shaping up and I like the way it sounds in my mouth.  So I thought I'd share it with you.  This is a story poem about dreams.  Very different from the ice cream dream poem of last week.

FEATHER DREAMS

An eagle soared high in the sky

he watched below with his eagle eye.

He saw a boy playing, it looked like fun

sledding a hill in the winter sun.

Eagle circled, floated and started to drift.

He looped and knew of a gift

he would send to the young boy.

The boy's mother gathered fluffy goose down

to put in her rough sack

She picked up the eagle feather gleaming white

added it to the sack on her back.

Took home her treasures,

made a little blue bag

then put the feathers in

to make a pillow for her son.

When he lays his head down

he has great dreams

of birds flying in the blue sky

wind drifting and clouds floating by

of castles and dragons

and princes in wagons

fast speeding racing cars

and thousands of glistening stars

shining in the sky at night

and of one little feather snowy white.

He thinks the perfect place to lay his head

is in his own little room on his own little bed

so he cuddles his pillow

and has feather dreams

remembering today

is a wonderful day.

Good night to the boy.

Good night to you.

And may you have

feather dreams too.

Can you write a poem about one of your dreams?  What do you like to dream about?

Our New Puppy

OUR NEW PUPPY

I have a new puppy, she’s started to teethe;

the things she chews, you wouldn’t believe!

She bit a hole in my running shoe,

munched lions and tigers from Junior’s toy zoo.

She chewed the leg on the kitchen chair,

the family sofa and the Frigidaire.

Destroyed my backpack and basketball,

she even chewed a hole through the wall.

She ripped up carpet in the hall,

tore up Dad’s tools, and Mom’s red shawl.

She gnawed off bark from our neighbor’s tree,

punctured the tire on our SUV.

If she went to Alaska, I know what she do—

She’d chew huge holes in an icy igloo.

The President called on his secret phone

said our dog had chewed holes in the ozone.

Before this K-9 ruins my home

will someone please give

our puppy a bone?