Left Handed

When I was little

and sucked my thumb

it always was

with my left one.

When I got older

and drank from a cup

I'd use my left hand

to pick it up.

And then when I

learned to use my fork

with my left hand

I'd stab the pork.

Then at school

it was my plight

to use my left hand

to learn to write.

Mom said, "Oh dear."

Dad said, "Oh my."

Grandpa just winked at me

and gave me a piece of pie--

 with his left hand.

So many people look at me

and raise their eyebrows high.

I just smile and tell them all

I am a left handed kind of guy.

     I want to thank Sharon Landeen from my critique group for the inspiration for this poem.  She showed me pictures of her new little granddaughter. Everyone is hoping she will be left handed because so many people in her family are left handed.  I understood exactly what Sharon meant because I'm left handed.  My husband is left handed.  Both of my sons are left handed.  Sharon also shared  with me a great poem she had written listing all the famous people who are left handed. 
    No matter which hand you use, your hands are useful tools.  Can you write a poem today about something you do with your hands?  Have fun with this one.

GONE FISHING

Let's go fishing

in the brook.

I'll grab the poles

you get the hooks.

I'll bring the reels

you bring the bait

to catch some fish,

I can't wait.

    My daddy used to say, there's no such thing as a bad day for fishing.  Do you like fishing? Your challenge for today is to write a poem about something you like to do.  And as always, you're welcome to leave your poem in the comments.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Dancing Frog

There was a frog

who wanted to dance.

He begged his mom

to have a chance

to take lessons

and learn the samba.

He also wanted

to cha cha and mamba.

He tried to be graceful

when he danced the waltz

but his teacher pointed

to his big feet faults.

He did lack rhythm

couldn't hear the beat

in fact he had

two left feet.

There was one dance

he liked a heap.

It was the dance

where he could leap.

So while other frogs

went out to play,

this young frog

practiced ballet.

   

       Oh I had fun with this one thinking about what a dancing frog would look like.  I wonder who would want to be a frog's partner, would you?  For today's challenge, put a frog some place unexpected and write about it.  Do you know a frog that would like a birthday cake?  What do you think the flavor would be?  Have fun

Wrestle Mania

The Masked Marvel

can't meet me

for our wrestling match.

He has the measles and

his spots I might catch.

We'll get together
when he's feeling fine
then I can tell you
The Mask will be mine!

     What do you know about wrestling and boxing?  Can you write a poem about wrestling today? 

Rin Tin Tin

I want a dog

like Rin Tin Tin.

Who'll put himself out

and let himself in.

He'll scare away robbers

and cause them fright.

He'll sleep by my bed

all through the night.

     Today is the birthday of the first Rin Tin Tin.  When I was a child, my family had a German Shepherd we named Skip. Skip had a dark coat and his parents came from Japan.   In Europe the dogs are called Alsatians and in the US we call the breed Police dogs.  My parents worked at night, so I always felt safer with Skip around. 
     Your challenge for today is to write a poem about a dog.

Technology

It is awfully confusing,

all these programs

and buttons.

Trying to download

and then

make it work.

I promise I read

all the instructions,

then why does this program

make me a jerk?

I try and I try

I can't make it work.

I guess what I need

is someone to help.

Where is that kid

I want to find

the one whose 

computer skills

outdistance mine?

      Sorry this is so lame today.  I'm terribly frustrated with my inability.  At least I have the idea down and come back later when I'm not ready to throw my laptop across the room.  I know you'll do better at writing a poem today than I did.
     I'd much rather write poems than keep trying to get this Skype program to work.  My adult poetry critique group wanted to have our meeting today by Skype and I thought I had it all down, but now I can't move from contacting one person to a group.  More later.

ROBIN FEAST DAY

1 worm

2 worms

3 worms

4, there's

lots of worms

maybe a score.

The robins are tugging

yanking up more.

What do you say?

It's Robin Feast Day

     I've been having fun today thinking about all the different kinds birds I know.  I'm sure someone has already written a bird abcdarius .   In my mind I started with albatross, then bluebird, bunting and barn owl, cardinal, Carolina wren.  There are just too many.  I tried to remember the first bird I learned about.  Probably a blue bird.  In the house I grew up in was a picture on the wall of a little girl with long curls looking at a bluebird nest.  And I remember seeing a robin tugging a worm on my walk to kindergarten.  Do you remember the first bird that you noticed ?  Did you learn about bluebirds from the song "Some Where Over the Rainbow" or robins from "When the Red, Red, Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin Along"?  How about "Yellow Bird"? 
    Your challenge for today is to write a poem about a bird. 

    I'm also thinking about what would happen if I wrote this poem all on one long loopy line like a worm.  Hum, wonder if I can do that and what it will look like.  I wonder if it would be too difficult to read that way.  Oh, I do love playing with poetry.  I hope you have fun too.