just a little bit
out of my way this fine view
neighbor's hellebores
Tabatha Yeatts is hosting today's Poetry Friday Roundup at The Opposite of Indifference. Enjoy!
And remember to enter the Book Giveaway of my new picture book Grow, illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman and published by Boyds Mills & Kane, at the Teaching Authors blog. Good luck!
oof I'd forgotten that
raking takes muscles my
arms not as strong as they
once were I fear
but
oh what a joy to be
working outside this is
truly my favorite
time of the year
Nothing overhead but blue.
Nothing urgent I must do.
Dog asleep in sunny spot—
better than the plan I've got.
Time for me to take her cue.
Nothing urgent I must do.
Let the list go in the breeze,
listen to the chickadees,
lie back, gaze up at the blue.
Nothing urgent I must do.
last riverside walk
farewell beavers, turkeys, coyotes
golf course reopens
Earth Day river cleanup
many small contributions
add up to big change
what to do with these
clenched fists--write poetry,
sew face masks, plant seeds
new morning routine
coffee, muffin, riverbank
before crowds arrive
half my steps today
up and down this hill--maybe
this year I'll keep up
somber morning walk
bones amid the greenery
o, this deadly spring
quiet park lagoon
grebe, merganser, muskrat, geese
distant siren wails
big mistake last night
reading the news at bedtime
nightmares all night long
picking up dog food
newfangled shopping adventure
topsy-turvy world
brave Wisconsin voters
stood in line for hours--
six feet apart for hours--
stood outside in the rain
brave Wisconsin voters
stood up to voter suppression
stood up to gerrymandering
to show the world that this is what
democracy looks like now
may they all be safe
busy morning--I'm
rarin' to go until (thud)
oh, yeah--I remember
this morning's service
white-throated sparrow chorus
sings Alleluia!
My groceries are quarantined
beneath the kitchen table.
I washed off bottles, cans, and fruit
as well as I was able.
Soapy water, kitchen sink.
Dunked the broccoli in the drink.
The rest of it
can sit a bit.
Won't it be fun to open up
each can that has no label?
Our Wisconsin governor has issued a "Safer at Home" order for the state. I'll try to post a new poem each day based on my experiences and perceptions. You can read more below. Stay safe, everyone! Wash your hands!
How to Help: Stay Home!
Everybody on the street,
stay at home. Please stay at home!
It's not safe for friends to meet.
Stay at home. Please stay at home!
Be a hero. Don't go out.
Don't go frolicking about.
Seriously, must I shout?
STAY AT HOME! STAY HOME!
I've been posting a #SaferAtHomePoem each day on Facebook and Twitter since our governor issued the alert for Wisconsin. This one has been rattling around in my head all week as I walk through our busy neighborhood. I've also gathered the others on this blog. (Please keep reading!)
Today's Poetry Friday Roundup is at My Juicy Little Universe. Enjoy!
xox,
JoAnn
pin in the carpet
needle in a haystack
virus in a community
mask production starts
at the dining room table
like normal things do
Today is the first day of National Poetry Month! Celebrate with me by reading and writing poetry!
Today is the day that spring flies north.
That’s what the forecasters say.
I think I will lie right down in the grass
and watch the sky all day.
Our feeders are filled. We’ve put oranges out
for the favorites we see every year.
Orioles, grosbeaks, indigo buntings,
and warblers are on their way here!
Hummingbirds, tanagers, kinglets and wrens—
I’ve got nothing better to do
than to lie outside in the grass and watch.
Come out and join me, won’t you?
Poetry has sustained me through this wintry National Poetry Month, but I’m always happy to welcome May with its migrating birds and bursting blooms. This year’s poem-a-day exercise has taught me good lessons about my voice and writing habits. I’m really glad I was able to stick to my plan and write something new every day. I hope to continue that practice, although I don’t expect to post every day.
I'm giving away a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step every day in April. Today is the last giveaway of the month! The book is based on my school visit presentations and includes a simple plan you can follow to create your own poems. I wrote it for students, teachers, and writers of all ages.
Post a comment here to enter. I'll choose one at random tomorrow and drop a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step in the mail—U.S. addresses only, please. I’ll email you for your mailing address if you win. Good luck!
Yesterday, we walked around a lagoon in the park, and I posted a silly haiku about my photography skills. (Yes, that's my thumb again in the photo above.) What I wanted to say was something about the flashes of red in the not-yet-spring landscape. Alas, it still eludes me. Here's what came out instead:
too much to say
in three short lines
make it a tanka
making words fit
I lose the logic
try another draft
haiku on haiku
no nature in these lines
look out the window
which matters more
the form or the meaning
neither
both
let go
I'm giving away a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step every day in April. The book is based on my school visit presentations and includes a simple plan you can follow to create your own poems. I wrote it for students, teachers, and writers of all ages.
Post a comment here to enter. I'll choose one at random tomorrow and drop a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step in the mail—U.S. addresses only, please. I’ll email you for your mailing address if you win. And if you don't win right away, please try again. I'll have 31 copies to share!
birds, flowers, landscapes
all my photos look alike
thumb in a corner
I got a star for my birthday.
My grandparents bought it online.
It came with complete care instructions.
I think we will get along fine.
Its name is all letters and numbers
of the most scientific sort.
I thought my star might like a nickname,
so I call it Seven for short.
Whenever I’m out in the evening,
I look for my star in the sky.
I don’t know if I’ll ever find it,
but it’s surely worth a good try.
Sometimes, late at night, I imagine
my star’s up there thinking of me.
I wonder, from up in the atmosphere,
What on Earth can it see?
I got a star for my birthday
with all the proof I’ll ever need
on this official print-it-yourself
frameable title and deed!
I'm sorry to say that according to NASA, it's not actually possible to buy a star and name it. Phooey!
I'm giving away a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step every day in April. The book is based on my school visit presentations and includes a simple plan you can follow to create your own poems. I wrote it for students, teachers, and writers of all ages.
Post a comment here to enter. I'll choose one at random tomorrow and drop a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step in the mail—U.S. addresses only, please. I’ll email you for your mailing address if you win. And if you don't win right away, please try again. I'll have 31 copies to share!
Irene has today's Poetry Friday Roundup at Live Your Poem. Enjoy! Read More
I have something in my pocket.
It’s a poem I can say.
I know all the lines by heart.
I like to read it anyway.
Do you have a poem to show me?
We can share our poems. Okay?
You read mine, and I’ll read yours
on Poem in Your Pocket Day!
I'm giving away a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step every day in April. The book is based on my school visit presentations and includes a simple plan you can follow to create your own poems. I wrote it for students, teachers, and writers of all ages.
Post a comment here to enter. I'll choose one at random tomorrow and drop a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step in the mail—U.S. addresses only, please. I’ll email you for your mailing address if you win. And if you don't win right away, please try again. I'll have 31 copies to share! Read More
I had so much fun yesterday with my dog-training limerick that I decided to work on getting sillier today. In that early-morning daze that’s my most creative writing time, I thought about other animals and more goofy stunts:
I’m teaching my camel to wink.
It’s trickier than you might think.
She is painfully shy—
won’t look me in the eye—
but sooner or later, she’ll blink.
I’m teaching my penguin to sing.
He keeps hiding his head in his wing.
He hasn’t sung yet.
When he does, you can bet
it will be a remarkable thing.
I’m teaching my zebra to sneeze.
He’s very determined to please.
He is such a good sport
that he’ll shiver and snort,
and he’ll sputter and sniffle and wheeze.
I’m teaching my turtle to fly,
and here is the main reason why:
It’s not easily done,
but I think she’d have fun,
so I wish she would give it a try.
Why don’t you give it a try? An animal with a two-syllable name and the stress on the first syllable fits into the rhythm well. Here are some more options:
• muskrat
• eagle
• wombat
• walrus
• beaver
• groundhog
• peacock
• lizard
• bison
Remember that lines 1, 2, and 5 have three beats and rhyme, and lines 3 and 4 have two beats and rhyme. Maybe you can come up with a silly animal trick to teach, too!
I'm giving away a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step every day in April. The book is based on my school visit presentations and includes a simple plan you can follow to create your own poems. I wrote it for students, teachers, and writers of all ages.
Post a comment here to enter. I'll choose one at random tomorrow and drop a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step in the mail—U.S. addresses only, please. I’ll email you for your mailing address if you win. And if you don't win right away, please try again. I'll have 31 copies to share.
I’m teaching my dog to do tricks.
She was born knowing how to fetch sticks.
She learned how to shake
when she jumped in the lake,
so we just have some details to fix.
“Roll over,” I say. She holds still.
Sooner or later, she will
follow my lead
to get up to speed,
but I’m dizzy from rolling downhill.
She knows what I’m saying, it’s clear.
She sits when I tell her, “Come here.”
When I tell her to stay,
she runs right away,
but we’ve only been training a year.
So far this month, I’ve written a new poem each morning and posted it that day. I’m not always completely satisfied with the results. This one needs more attention, but I’m out of time for today, so I’ll have to get back to it later.
I'm giving away a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step every day in April. The book is based on my school visit presentations and includes a simple plan you can follow to create your own poems. I wrote it for students, teachers, and writers of all ages.
Post a comment here to enter. I'll choose one at random tomorrow and drop a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step in the mail—U.S. addresses only, please. I’ll email you for your mailing address if you win. And if you don't win right away, please check back again. I'll have 31 copies to share!
Read More
For hours, I’ve been tossing and turning,
trying to sleep for so long.
I followed my usual bedtime routine.
I don’t know what went wrong.
I wrestled a bit with my brother,
found some Halloween candy to eat.
checked my status online to see if anyone
noticed my latest Tweet.
I watched a new horror movie,
poured a big glass of water to drink,
and played all my favorite video games,
but I still haven’t slept a wink!
I'm giving away a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step every day in April. The book is based on my school visit presentations and includes a simple plan you can follow to create your own poems. I wrote it for students, teachers, and writers of all ages.
Post a comment here to enter. I'll choose one at random tomorrow and drop a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step in the mail—U.S. addresses only, please. I’ll email you for your mailing address if you win. And if you don't win right away, please check back again. I'll have 31 copies to share!
Read More
Welcome to Earth Day!
Hello to spring,
to tulips and daffodils,
robins a-wing,
to earthworms below us,
to buds on the trees,
to migrating monarchs,
and all kinds of bees.
On Earth Day and every day,
we must take care
of prairies and forests
and all who live there.
From rivers and oceans
to mountains above,
Earth is our planet.
Let’s treat it with love.
I'm giving away a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step every day in April. The book is based on my school visit presentations and includes a simple plan you can follow to create your own poems. I wrote it for students, teachers, and writers of all ages.
Post a comment here to enter. I'll choose one at random tomorrow and drop a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step in the mail—U.S. addresses only, please. I’ll email you for your mailing address if you win. And if you don't win right away, please check back again. I'll have 31 copies to share!
Read More
beaver dam on the Milwaukee River
Slap your tail, Beaver!
Smack a warning on the water for herons, turtles, frogs,
and all the creatures on the pond beyond
the dam you built.
Slap your tail, Beaver!
The fiercest predator on Earth is on its way
with plans for a development
and tools more powerful than teeth.
Slap your tail, Beaver!
Gather up your kits and swim away.
Stake out a stretch of wilderness where you’ll be safe
till people find a way to live in peace.
I've been researching beavers because we see signs of their activity--and once in a great while a glimpse of them--when we walk along the Milwaukee River. I keep finding articles about people who can't figure out how to get along with the beavers they are so lucky to see and insist that their only option is to relocate or destroy them.
I despair.
I hope someday we can all understand the benefits beavers provide. If you're interested, you can read more about these fascinating creatures at The Beaver Believers.
I'm giving away a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step every day in April. The book is based on my school visit presentations and includes a simple plan you can follow to create your own poems. I wrote it for students, teachers, and writers of all ages.
Post a comment here to enter. I'll choose one at random tomorrow and drop a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step in the mail—U.S. addresses only, please. I’ll email you for your mailing address if you win. And if you don't win right away, please check back again. I'll have 31 copies to share!
Read More
