PINK FLAMINGO

A pink flamingo sits at my desk
I think he is too picturesque.
He says he wants to write a poem
and that he'll use a pseudonym.

I ask, why not just use your name?
He say he wants to find more fame.
What is better than Pink Flamingo, my dear?
He say he wants to be William Shakespeare.

    Oh, I'm going silly today.  I've used a really big word in this poem, pseudonym, it is a nom de plum, or a pen name.  If you had a pen name what would it be?  Today's challenge is to write the poem you think Pink Flamingo would write.  Some people would call this a mask poem--a poem written in the voice of another.  I call it a persona poem.  Have fun writing. 

GRASSHOPPER

A grasshopper hopped

to the middle of the road.

He watched the cars zoom by.

He sat there patiently, before

he hopped away to fly.

I can't go in the middle of the road,

those cars are zooming by.

When I  hop,  I watch where I land

by the side of the road

and I hold my daddy's hand.


     Today's challenge is to write your own poem about a grasshopper, or another insect.  Start by making a list of all the things you know about the insect.  (You might want to observe your insect, or do a little research.)  Then think about how you are similar or different from the insect, and make another list.  Your welcome to leave your creations in the comments.  I'd love to read them.

WE DON'T EAT TUNA!

My pet Charlie

is a fish.

He swims around

in his dish.

When I feed him

he darts to the top.

He swims and swims

and does not stop.

         Do you know why fish keep swimming?  The water that flows over and through their gills helps them to breathe.  Do you have a pet?  Even a pet rock?  What is a pet?  Have you ever been called "teacher's pet"?  Today can you write a poem about your pet, real or imaginary?  Oops, my pet dragon is calling; he wants to be fed.

THE COLOR PINK

Pink

I think

is my

favorite color.

Pink 

looks better

on my sister

than on my brother.

Pink 

I think

looks the best

on these

baby birds

in their nest.

     What else can you think of that is pink?  What is your favorite color?  Can you write a poem today that includes a color?

MY WEEK

On MONDAY I jumped to the zoo

to see koala and kangaroo.

On TUESDAY I waltz to the opera

to hear the soprano sing her aria.

On WEDNESDAY I skipped to the art gallery

to see an exhibit of Dali and Klee.

On THURSDAY I ran to the movie theater

to watch Monsterman wrestle an alligator.

On FRIDAY I walked to the aquarium

to see sardines swim in a glass drum.

On SATURDAY I hopped to the library

to find a book on the Dover ferry.

But SUNDAY is the day I like the best

that is the day I get to rest.

      This poem can be used as a circle game with  a group of children by having them move the way you suggest when reading the poem.  On Sunday everyone can sit down. 
      If you were going to write this poem using the months of the year, can you think of 12 different ways to move (action verbs)?  Can you think of 12 different places you'd like to go?

I did think about using marching to Disneyland, where I heard a one-man-band, or Mickey Mouse gave me a hand (marching and Mickey Mouse are alliterative,)  but that I will save for my poem of the months.

  Happy Labor Day and have fun with your writing.              

BREAKFAST WITH MRS. LIZARD

Good morning, Mrs. Lizard, how are you?

It's great to see you take the morning air.

Hello, Grasshopper, fine to see you too.

Lizard ate Grasshopper, how could she dare?

Then after breakfast she ran off, adieu.

      I was trying something different today.  I wanted to work in a longer line because I tend to prefer very short lines.  These lines are 10 syllables long.  But the meter is different in each line which is why I don't think the poem is successful, even though I stayed with the rhyming pattern I set up for myself.  

Notice how the comas throw off the meter.  I'm going to have to try this poem again--removing the constraints I artificially put on this poem and concentrate on meter and see what I come up with.  I'm off to play with this poem some more.  I hope you have fun writing your own poem today.  

     I posted this poem failure so that you could see that not all first attempts are successful.

PIGEONS

What do pigeons do?
They billow
and they coo.

What do pigeons know
as they sit
in a row?

Not much,
I think that's fair
But pigeons can fly
in the air.

And when pigeons
want to rest
they billow and coo
on a nest.

Tucked in under
their pigeon legs,
they can hatch
more
pigeon eggs.

That is something
I can't do,
how about you?

     This poem is a companion poem to my poem FISH published in THE POETRY FRIDAY ANTHOLOGY.  In this poem I ask two questions.  What do pigeons do?  What do pigeons know?  I like asking questions in poems.  You can write your own poem that asks questions.  Make a list of animals.  Think about what the animal does, what it eats, where it lives and see if you can ask questions in your poem.

Let's see if I can do this too.

LIONS

What do lions do
as they laze in the sun
at the zoo?.

They rest and sleep
and swat at flies.
They shake their manes
and roar loud cries.

What kinds of foods
do lions eat?
they're carnivores
so they eat meat.

Yup, it can be done.  So now it is your turn.  If you'd like, please leave your creations in the comments.  Have a happy Saturday and enjoy your animals.  If you'd rather write a poem about anything else, please do.


  If you'd like to know more about THE POETRY FRIDAY ANTHOLOGY, you can  here .

Or, you can read reviews and purchase the book from Amazon here.