JoAnn Early Macken - JoAnn's Blog

Day 18: Technological Glitches & a Book Giveaway!

April 18, 2018

Tags: Book Giveaway, National Poetry Month, Write a Poem Step by Step, technology

Technology ought to work for us,
but today, I’ve reached a dead end.
Reluctantly, I’m forced to admit
that technology isn’t my friend.

I’ve reached out to ask the experts.
I’ve Googled the night away.
Technology ought to improve our lives,
but not, alas, today.

Oh, somewhere, machinery’s whirring,
performing just as it should,
but here, today, in my little world,
technology’s not so good.

In the middle of my National Poetry Month Book Giveaway, it temporarily became impossible to post a comment on my blog. It seems to be working now! So if you’d like to win a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step, you can leave a comment here. Good luck!

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.

I'll choose one entry 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!

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Day 17: Our Bed-Hogging Dog & a Book Giveaway!

April 17, 2018

Tags: Book Giveaway, National Poetry Month, Write a Poem Step by Step, Rosy, bed hog

Sometimes, she stealthily sneaks aboard,
and we find her there in the morning.
More often, she clambers onto the bed
with a wheezy, whiny warning.

Somehow, she knows when we’re both too tired
to defend our meager space.
She’ll carelessly land on a leg or a hand
with her nose in somebody’s face.

She’ll burrow beneath the blankets.
She’ll wriggle, she’ll shove, and she’ll snore—
our seventy-two-pound Rosy,
the bed-hogging dog we adore!

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

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Day 16: Migration Advice & a Book Giveaway!

April 16, 2018

Tags: Book Giveaway, National Poetry Month, Write a Poem Step by Step, Migration

Note to Birds and Butterflies

If you’re migrating north
with a plan for a feast
of young bugs or fresh greenery,
turn around!
Circle back!
Stay as far as you can
from our winter white scenery!

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

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Day 15: Daily Inspiration & a Book Giveaway!

April 15, 2018

Tags: Book Giveaway, National Poetry Month, Write a Poem Step by Step, snow, April

November snow is a pleasant surprise.
Everyone wants to go play.
December snow adds a festive feel
to a winter holiday.
In January, shoveling
is part of our daily routine.
In February, everyone dreams of
a springy change of scene.
By March, we’re all growing weary
of blizzardy gusts of snow.
In April?
In April?
Oh,

no.

So far this month, I’ve written a new poem each morning for National Poetry Month. From the beginning, I’ve told myself that I could always post an old poem if I couldn’t find a good idea. Today’s inspiration was unavoidable. It swirled all around. And there’s no point in shoveling yet—it’s still coming down!

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

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Day 14: Last Night, This Morning, & a Book Giveaway

April 14, 2018

Tags: Book Giveaway, National Poetry Month, Write a Poem Step by Step

outside our window
house finches shelter
in bare Rose of Sharon
tree limbs block the driveway
pinecones litter the lawn
wind roared through my dreams

what happened last night

I went to bed worried last night and woke up feeling obligated to check the news even though part of me did not want to know what happened overnight. I stayed in bed as long as the dog let me, walked her in the rain, and started writing this before I looked.

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!
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Day 13: Poetic License & a Book Giveaway!

April 13, 2018

Tags: Book Giveaway, National Poetry Month, Write a Poem Step by Step, poetic license

I’m applying for my poetic license.
The paperwork’s due today.
I’m gathering poems and filling out forms
and figuring out what to say.

I’m applying for my poetic license.
I’m nervous about the test.
I have a feeling the judges won’t be
easily impressed.

I’m applying for my poetic license.
I’ve brainstormed and scribbled and scanned,
grateful to every poet who
has held out a helping hand!

Happy birthday to Lee Bennett Hopkins, whose helping hand has reached out to spread poetry joy around the world!

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!

Robyn Hood Black has today's Poetry Friday Roundup and a celebration for Lee Bennett Hopkins at Life on the Deckle Edge. Enjoy!

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Day 12: What Spring Brings & a Book Giveaway!

April 12, 2018

Tags: Book Giveaway, National Poetry Month, Write a Poem Step by Step, Spring, wheels

kids ride their own wheels—
skateboards, scooters, roller skates—
parents drive alone

spring brings warm winds, migrant birds,
budding trees, independence

Walking the dog this morning, I noticed an increase in kids making their own way to school. Warmer weather brings out the wheels!

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!

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Day 11: Sunshine! Book Giveaway!

April 11, 2018

Tags: Book Giveaway, National Poetry Month, Write a Poem Step by Step, sunshine

Sunshine! Oh, sunshine!
Good morning! Hello!
You wrap up the world
in your warm, soothing glow.
Shine on all creatures.
Make everything bright.
Sunshine! Oh, sunshine!
We all need your light.

Last night, I heard Jack Prelutsky's "Homework! Oh, Homework!" in a TV commercial. With that sound in my head, I thought it might be fun to use it as a model for a new poem. Mine ended up going in a different direction (as poems do), but the exercise was fun!

Jack Prelutsky's poem appears in The New Kid on the Block. Some of the poems in the book (but not "Homework! Oh, Homework!") are included in a sampler here.

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!

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Day 10: Following a Sound & a Book Giveaway!

April 10, 2018

Tags: Book Giveaway, National Poetry Month, Write a Poem Step by Step, woodpecker

snowflakes camouflage
demolition in progress
hammering echoes

See the woodpecker halfway up the utility pole? I had to follow the sound of its pounding to find it yesterday. It was almost invisible in the falling snow, but I could sure hear it!

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!

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Day 9: Tomorrow & a Book Giveaway!

April 9, 2018

Tags: Book Giveaway, National Poetry Month, Write a Poem Step by Step, tomorrow

Today, I started three new poems
but didn’t finish one.
I always wish I had more time,
but clearly, I have none.
Tomorrow is another day
to redo what I’ve done,
to take the time to try to finish
what I’ve just begun.

I often start the day at the playground with the dog. I gather up the gloves and hats that appear when snow melts, leave them in a conspicuous spot like this bench, and hope their owners find them. I like the message on the glove in the middle.

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. Be sure to include your email address with your comment—it won’t post, but I can see it. 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!

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Day 8: Do I Know You? & a Book Giveaway!

April 8, 2018

Tags: Book Giveaway, National Poetry Month, Write a Poem Step by Step, faces

You remind me of somebody.
I don’t know who.
Do I look like someone
familiar to you?

We might be related.
Do you think we might be
buds on the branches of
one family tree?

Or you could be someone
that I used to know
when I was younger
a long time ago.

Your face is a face that
I wouldn’t forget,
so it doesn’t seem possible
that we just met.
But the memory hasn’t come back to me
yet.

You remind me of somebody.
I don’t know who.
Do I look like someone
familiar to you?

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!

P.S. If you get this error message

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Day 7: The View from My Window & a Book Giveaway!

April 7, 2018

Tags: Book Giveaway, National Poetry Month, Write a Poem Step by Step, view from my window

sunlight spreads
across frosty rooftops
windows reflect hope

Will spring ever really arrive? I woke up way too early today, restless. Coffee and the view reminded me that the world is still turning. Everything looks better in the morning!

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!

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Day 6: Helping the Planet, Poetry Friday, & a Book Giveaway!

April 6, 2018

Tags: Book Giveaway, National Poetry Month, Write a Poem Step by Step, trash, helping the planet, Poetry Friday

If you walk along the river,
you’ll find trash among the bushes,
snagged in branches,
stuck in trees.
You will find a plastic bag.
Plastic bags are everywhere.

Pick one up. This is important.
Fill it with the trash you find.
Yes, I know you didn’t drop it.
Help the planet anyway.
Someone has to be a steward.
Someone has to care.

For the past year, a group I cofounded (Bring Your Bag Shorewood in Shorewood, Wisconsin) has been sewing reusable shopping bags from donated fabric and stocking them in a local grocery store. People who forget their bags can borrow one and bring it back for someone else to use. I wrote about it on the Authors for Earth Day blog. Tonight, we’ll be at the Shorewood Conservation Committee’s free screening of Bag It at 7 p.m. at the Shorewood Village Center. We'll talk about reusable shopping bags and our group’s efforts to reduce the use of unnecessary disposable plastic.

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!

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Amy Ludwig VanDerwater has today's Poetry Friday Roundup at The Poem Farm. Enjoy!

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Comments

Apr 06, 2018 10:09 AM EDT

Thanks for the giveaway. I hate seeing trash on the side of the road or in nature. I just want to stop my car and pick it up!

- Books4Learning

Apr 06, 2018 10:37 AM EDT

Good for you! I feel the same way!

- JoAnn Macken

Apr 06, 2018 12:56 PM EDT

Handsewn bags must be such a joy to use! My county passed a law that bags cost 5 cents each now (and you get 5 cents back if you use your own) so I think people are reusing bags quite a bit more. Good for you to be taking action like this!

- Tabatha

Apr 06, 2018 2:17 PM EDT

Yes, the bags are fun to use and to sew! Studies have shown that people are more likely to bring their own bags if they are charged extra for disposable bags than if they get a discount for bringing their own. I'm glad more communities are legislating change. In Wisconsin, a law was passed making it illegal to ban plastic bags in local communities. So we focus on education for now.

- JoAnn Macken

Apr 07, 2018 4:48 AM EDT

Tabatha is today's winner. Congratulations, Tabatha! I’ll email you for your mailing address.

- JoAnn Macken

Apr 07, 2018 5:16 AM EDT

It's quite wonderful that you founded this organization, JoAnn. I carry an old bag with me to pick up trash, wonder why others do not, and I wonder why they don't carry their own bags to the store? I see many still walking out with piles of plastic! Thanks for the poem, a good reminder!

- Linda Baie

Apr 07, 2018 5:21 AM EDT

New habits take so long to establish! We usually remember our reusable shopping bags, but it took us a long time to set up a system to get them back out to the car after we used them. Now we hang them on a kitchen chair & grab them on the way back out. Our group is hoping that people will find ways to remember to bring their borrowed bags back to the store for someone else to borrow. So far, they just keep disappearing, which is fine as long as they are being used!

- JoAnn Macken

Apr 07, 2018 7:58 AM EDT

Wow! What a wonderful endeavor you have begun....so important. And, it must feel good to be active in a positive way for our environment. Lately, I've been distraught at seen roll backs in so many areas. A simple thing of a resusable shopping bag. I wonder if I could find a group of kids at my school to get in on a project such as this. We could use old t-shirts. I think I've seen a youtube video on this. I'm going to have to find it again. The poem is such a good one to share with young and older than young alike. Thank you!

- Linda Mitchell

Apr 07, 2018 11:09 AM EDT

Really great to meet you at Bag It! I had no idea you were such a prolific writer. I will plan to bring my iron for the next sewing session. I am looking for some material to drop on your door step. More to come. India

- India McCanse

Apr 07, 2018 11:40 AM EDT

Linda, getting kids involved is a great idea! I just googled "t shirt tote bag" & found lots of patterns online. You can find out more about the Boomerang Bags project at http://boomerangbags.org/ Feel free to contact me if you have any questions!

India, good to meet you, too! I usually iron at Sewing Bees, so we can both set up our ironing boards next time!

- JoAnn Early Macken

Apr 08, 2018 3:23 AM EDT

Amen and Amen! Love the reusable bag project!

- Mary Lee Hahn

Apr 08, 2018 12:09 PM EDT

Yea for all those who take steps to help our planet! I'm part of a group in Indiana that spends time picking up trash from the river and creeks that run through our county. I'm also getting much better about remembering my reusable shopping bag. And a youth in our church has inspired quite a few of us to give up plastic straws and lids when we go out to eat. All these small steps add up.

- Kay Jernigan McGriff

Apr 08, 2018 2:36 PM EDT

Thanks, Mary Lee and Kay! I am cheered to hear from trash picker uppers & reusable bag users everywhere! Yes, small steps do add up!

- JoAnn Early Macken

Apr 08, 2018 4:45 PM EDT

Love the straightforward language of your poem--great message for kids and former kids!

- Buffy Silverman

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Day 5: Buckle Down Day & a Book Giveway!

April 5, 2018

Tags: Book Giveaway, National Poetry Month, Write a Poem Step by Step, To-Do List, Buckle Down Day

Do you ever bite off more than you
can chew?
Does your To-Do list flow beyond the page?
Mine, too.
Though all the old advice sounds trite,
I figure it’s most likely right.
There is no way around it—
only through.

I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed this morning. Can you tell? So I’m declaring this a Buckle Down Day. Wish me luck!

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!

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And one more National Poetry Month resource: 30 ways to celebrate national poetry month from The Academy of American Poets. Enjoy!
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Day 4: Lalalalala & the Daily Book Giveaway!

April 4, 2018

Tags: Lemon Tree, Tags: Book Giveaway, National Poetry Month, Write a Poem Step by Step, Earworms

A song is running through my head.
Been hearing it all day.
Unfortunately, it’s the only thing
my brain will play.

A song is running through my head.
It’s driving me insane.
I have to find a way to shut off
my annoying brain!

A song is running through my head.
There’s only one solution:
Replace it with a song that doesn’t
sound like ear pollution!

I almost always have a song playing in my head. One song might stick with me all day or be replaced by something better—or worse. Lately, many of the songs I’ve been singing to myself are songs I remember my mother singing. Today, I woke up with this one.

My brother-in-law swears by "Lemon Tree" as the best replacement for an earworm. I maintain that then I have to replace "Lemon Tree" with something else. Fortunately, I have lots of options!

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! Spread the word!

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For more poetry goodness, check out Jama Kim Rattigan's roundup of Poetry Month events. Enjoy!
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Day 3: Annual Duck Sighting & Daily Book Giveaway!

April 3, 2018

Tags: Book Giveaway, National Poetry Month, Write a Poem Step by Step, ducks

neighborhood ducks
flap into town—
snow on its way

Ah, spring! Here in Wisconsin, it’s unpredictable. As I gazed out the window watching for inspiration, it flew by. Lucky me!

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. Be sure to include your email address with your comment—it won’t post, but I can see it. 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!

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Day 2: What's That? Book Giveaway #2!

April 2, 2018

Tags: Book Giveaway, National Poetry Month, Write a Poem Step by Step, plastic bags

What’s that flying from the tree?
A kite? Balloon? A flag?
Take a closer look and see:
another plastic bag!

Especially since I wrote an educational book for kids about plastic, I’ve noticed it everywhere. There’s a bag flapping in a tree across the street that I can see from my window as I write this. Because it's such an important environmental issue, I'll come back to it again later this month. Stop by and see!

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 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!

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Day 1: What's with the Weather? & Book Giveaway #1

April 1, 2018

Tags: Book Giveaway, National Poetry Month, Write a Poem Step by Step, weather

I woke up this morning, grabbed a cup o' coffee, checked the weather forecast, and changed my plan for today’s post.

The weather here’s a little cool.
Is this a joke? If so, it’s cruel!
I’m wrapping up in layers, hoping
someone will say, “April Fool!”

I'm celebrating National Poetry Month by 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 winner at random 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!

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National Poetry Month & Book Giveaway Start Tomorrow!

March 31, 2018

Tags: Book Giveaway, National Poetry Month, Write a Poem Step by Step

Happy National Poetry Month!

Starting tomorrow, I'll celebrate by 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.

If you don't win right away, please check back later in the month--I'll have 31 copies to share!

And if you try to post and get this error message

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The View from Our Kitchen

December 21, 2017

Tags: Through the Window, woodpecker, Poetry Friday

              Through the Window

              Woodpecker tilts his head
flash of red
               banded cheek
               pointed beak
pecks at the suet
              peeks in the window
              watches me watching him
                cautiously motionless
                watching him watching me
                taking in that feathered scene
              both of us filling up

              JoAnn Early Macken

Buffy Silverman has today's Poetry Friday Roundup at Buffy's Blog. Enjoy!

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Comments

Dec 22, 2017 6:09 AM EST

I love this!

- Ruth (thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com)

Dec 22, 2017 6:09 AM EST

You often make me want to have a feeder, JoAnn. This is a winter scene we all imagine. Merry Christmas!

- Linda Baie

Dec 22, 2017 6:31 AM EST

Thank you, Ruth! Linda, I'm lucky that my husband takes care of the feeders & I get to take in the view! Merry Christmas to you, too!

- JoAnn Macken

Dec 22, 2017 8:21 AM EST

Love how you've captured your downy watching you watching him. This morning at yoga I watched two downy's perched on a trunk--made the down dogs much easier!

- Buffy Silverman

Dec 22, 2017 12:45 PM EST

Thanks, Buffy! Oh, but yoga. I tried to do 108 Sun Salutations yesterday for the Winter Solstice. Made it just over halfway. I'm blaming it on the video we watched, which was very slow & made the downward dogs last forever. We did 108 2 years ago, & I don't remember it being so hard! My arms ache today, but as soon as I can, I plan to finish the rest of those Sun Salutations. Wish me luck!

- JoAnn Macken

Dec 23, 2017 7:41 AM EST

Lovely poem, JoAnn. I love watching our birds, too. Your ending is perfect - we also fill up while watching these miraculous creatures. Something we learned this winter - bear may exit their dens even when it's been freezing cold and the ground is white. Two days ago a bear with paw prints the size of my husband's spread hand absconded with our hanging feeder, carried it into the woods and ate all the seed. I thought the bear were tucked up tight until March at least.

- Joyce Ray

Dec 23, 2017 10:37 AM EST

Wow, Joyce! My sister-in-law in Colorado brought her hummingbird feeders inside every night because a bear pulled one down, along with the post it was hanging on. Enjoy the view--from inside!

- JoAnn Macken

Dec 24, 2017 4:47 AM EST

Do they watch us with as much appreciation as we have for them?

- Mary Lee

Dec 24, 2017 7:42 AM EST

Thanks for your fun woodpecker poem Joann! I rarely see the woodpeckers at a feeder, though I do see and hear them in the trees. I like the peck-peck-pecking sound you've created through your rhythmic poem. Happy Holidays!

- Michelle Kogan

Dec 25, 2017 12:53 AM EST

Your final line says it all. I get such a deep pleasure from bird watching. Now I'm going to wonder if they're watching me as well!

- Molly Hogan

Dec 25, 2017 6:42 AM EST

Yes, we definitely benefit from watching the birds at the feeders. My husband just made a squirrel house & hung it in front of another window--more fun!

- JoAnn Macken

Dec 26, 2017 9:22 AM EST

What a lovely moment you've captured.

- Kay Jernigan McGriff

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Recipe for Morning

December 14, 2017

Tags: Recipe for Morning, recipe poem, Poetry Friday

              Recipe for Morning

              One dog
              One sunrise-red sky
              One wind-chilled field
              One ball—watch it fly!
              One scramble-sprint-leap
              One catch dropped at my feet

              Repeat

              JoAnn Early Macken

This poem was inspired by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater’s “Recipe for Joy." Check it out and try your own recipe poem.

Amy's new book Read! Read! Read! brought back memories of reading comics, road signs, and cereal boxes. Enjoy!

Today's Poetry Friday Roundup is at Random Noodling.

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13 Comments

Comments

Dec 15, 2017 5:15 AM EST

Wonderful poem! I adore these recipe poems!

- BJ Lee

Dec 15, 2017 5:46 AM EST

Love this happy, outdoorsy recipe, JoAnn! The sounds are wonderful when read aloud.

- Tabatha

Dec 15, 2017 8:00 AM EST

JoAnn--I never had a dog who would drop a ball at my feet. It always involved a tackle before the repeat!

- Diane Mayr

Dec 15, 2017 8:05 AM EST

Brava! Enjoyed your poem, JoAnn. So vivid!

- jama

Dec 15, 2017 8:29 AM EST

Thanks, everyone! The recipe form was simple & fun to work with.

Diane, our Rosy drops the ball & then grabs it again. We have to be quick to keep the game going!

- JoAnn Early Macken

Dec 15, 2017 5:21 PM EST

That is pure puppy perfection. I love it.

- Brenda

Dec 15, 2017 5:49 PM EST

Amy's and your poem are great, JoAnn. Those recipes bring up an image just right every time.
One poem
add words to fill
the bowl, then swirl
to mix it well
for those who love
poetic pics
who bake them in
their memories!

Happy Holidays, JoAnn

- Linda Baie

Dec 15, 2017 11:08 PM EST

What a great recipe poem! I'm definitely going to have to play around with this form. Such fun!

- Molly Hogan

Dec 16, 2017 9:33 AM EST

What a fun poem and a delicious recipe for morning!

- Kay McGriff

Dec 16, 2017 10:56 AM EST

Your recipe made me smile, JoAnn. Thanks!

- Buffy Silverman

Dec 17, 2017 2:31 AM EST

Love this. Brings back so many good memories of dogs long gone.

- Mary Lee Hahn

Dec 17, 2017 5:22 PM EST

Great poem. It put right there with my dog when she was younger. I wish e could play catch again.

- Linda Mitchell

Dec 18, 2017 4:46 AM EST

Thank you all!

Linda, what a fun way to think of poetry! I especially love "add words to fill / the bowl, then swirl / to mix it well."

Rosy just turned two, & I already miss the days when she could curl up in my lap. Not at 70 pounds! I'm glad we can enjoy the ball games!

Happy holidays to all!

- JoAnn Macken

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Evidence (A DMC Challenge Poem)

December 1, 2017

Tags: Ditty of the Month Club, Milkweed, monarchs

One way to find tiny monarch caterpillars on milkweed leaves is to look for their characteristic C-shaped chewprints.

I wrote this poem as a response to editor Carol Hinz's November 2017 Ditty of the Month Club challenge for Michelle Heidenrich Barnes's blog, Today's Little Ditty. The challenge was to write a poem that finds beauty in something not usually considered beautiful. Visit the padlet to read all the inspiring poems.

              Evidence

              Something is eating the milkweed plants,
              nibbling them naked,
              stripping the garden bare.
              Something is chomping this tattered leaf.
              It left its mark in the shape of a C—
              C for chewing
                and crawling
                and caterpillar
                and cheering!
              Hooray! The monarchs are here!

              JoAnn Early Macken

Mary Lee Hahn is hosting Poetry Friday at A Year of Reading. Enjoy!

Whoops, I forgot this at first: For more monarch info and photos, see my Monarch page.

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11 Comments

Comments

Dec 01, 2017 6:09 AM EST

So creative, Joanne. I love to see this turnaround in thought about the nasty nibble. Brava!

I tried to write an alligator one for this prompt at TLD
but it hasn't come together yet for the challenge.
Have revisions to do but maybe I can tease something out of it by midnight.

- Jan/Bookseedstudio

Dec 01, 2017 6:37 AM EST

Thanks, Jan! It bothers me when people complain about insects eating their garden plants. I'm glad to see them--most of them, anyway!

- JoAnn Macken

Dec 01, 2017 7:52 AM EST

I know that you are an expert on monarchs, JoAnn, and the poem shows that, and teaches me something I didn't know. I love your use of those "c" words, sometimes what we rue, but mostly I do understand they can be cause for "cheer".

- Linda Baie

Dec 01, 2017 9:24 AM EST

Thank you, Linda! I was just out in the yard picking up milkweed seeds & fluff because I didn't pick the seedpod before it burst open. Yes, I'm still learning!

- JoAnn Macken

Dec 01, 2017 12:18 PM EST

So much fun--I love all your C words, and the appealing way you've packed information into this poem.

- Buffy Silverman

Dec 01, 2017 3:28 PM EST

Thank you, Buffy! I had to resist the temptation to pile in a whole lot more information. Shorter is usually sweeter!

- JoAnn Macken

Dec 02, 2017 8:04 AM EST

I love it! We found monarchs on our milkweed this year, but I wasn't checking them closely enough and didn't find them until they had eaten all the leaves! No c-shape left to discover..

- Kay McGriff

Dec 02, 2017 8:46 AM EST

If the monarchs found your milkweed, maybe you'll see them next year! Good luck!

- JoAnn Macken

Dec 03, 2017 9:46 AM EST

I love when I learn something new from a poem. And who better to learn it from than the Monarch lady. :) Thanks for joining in this month, JoAnn!

- Michelle Heidenrich Barnes

Dec 04, 2017 1:51 PM EST

Someday I hope to find chewed Cs on my milkweed!!

- Mary Lee Hahn

Dec 05, 2017 4:23 AM EST

Michelle, I'm so glad I found your interview and the poem prompt. After finishing a long work-for-hire project, I needed the change of focus--and the fun!

Mary Lee, I hope so, too!

- JoAnn Macken

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Spring in Wisconsin

April 21, 2017

Tags: Robin, Spring, Poetry Friday, National Poetry Month

Cold, damp, dreary day.
Robin’s sunny reminder:
Cheeriup! Cheer up!

JoAnn Early Macken

Happy National Poetry Month! Happy Poetry Friday! Tabatha Yeatts is hosting the roundup at The Opposite of Indifference.

Next week, I'll host the Poetry Friday Roundup at the Teaching Authors blog. Enjoy!

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14 Comments

Comments

Apr 21, 2017 4:46 AM EDT

I'm sitting here on a dreary, rainy day in Massachusetts listening to the robin's daytime song. Eery that this should arrive just now. :-) Christie @ https://wonderingandwondering.wordpress.com/blog/

- Christie Wyman

Apr 21, 2017 5:21 AM EDT

Timing is everything, right? I hope your day brightens!

- JoAnn Early Macken

Apr 21, 2017 7:51 AM EDT

Amazingly we have a cold and damp day today too, JoAnn, am happy for the moisture. You've written it exactly right, the robins are still singing!

- Linda Baie

Apr 21, 2017 8:05 AM EDT

We are way over our average moisture for the year here, but I guess everyone's weather is weird these days! So happy for those robins & their cheery message!

- JoAnn Macken

Apr 21, 2017 11:57 AM EDT

I do hope spring finds her way to you soon, perhaps it is already there, just waiting in the wings!

- Whispers from the Ridge

Apr 21, 2017 12:16 PM EDT

I hope so, too! I'm heading outside now with the dog to find out!

- JoAnn Early Macken

Apr 21, 2017 12:52 PM EDT

Love the robin's song. Spring will arrive soon! All that rain will bring May flowers . . .

- jama

Apr 21, 2017 1:46 PM EDT

Yes, we are hopeful, aren't we? It's gorgeous outside right now, so I'm going out to check out the flower beds. Lots of green poking up!

- JoAnn Early Macken

Apr 21, 2017 3:27 PM EDT

This is a timely poem after much rain last night and clouds lingering through today, but the robins do remind me to cheeriup!

- Kay Jernigan McGriff

Apr 21, 2017 7:05 PM EDT

I could use that merry cheeriup, especially during this cold and rainy spring! :-)

- Jane @ Raincity Librarian

Apr 21, 2017 8:54 PM EDT

A lovely, timely poem and photo. Our trees are budding up, and it's a rebirth of joy in the soul.

- Brenda at friendlyfairytales.com

Apr 22, 2017 3:49 AM EDT

Thank you for the robin-y reminder!

- Mary Lee

Apr 22, 2017 6:10 PM EDT

Today feels like spring here at last. I even got a little gardening in! Hoping for sunshine for all tomorrow!

- JoAnn Early Macken

Apr 25, 2017 8:06 AM EDT

Robins make me smile. And so does your haiku. Love the last line.

- Penny Parker Klostermann

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Owls, After the Storm

April 14, 2017

Tags: owls, Poetry Friday, National Poetry Month

              Nightly Owl Check

              We heard their gentle hoots before we found
              the great horned silhouettes in their new tree,
              one doting parent tearing prey apart
              to feed their fluffy feather duster chick.

              Too young to fly, it must have fallen when
              the storm hit their dilapidated nest,
              now draped like curtains down the old tree’s trunk.

              The crows cried out their warnings all day long.
              They must have seen the flapping owlet climb.
              We missed it, but all’s well. We head back home.

              JoAnn Early Macken

Happy National Poetry Month! Happy Poetry Friday! The roundup is at Dori Reads. Enjoy!

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14 Comments

Comments

Apr 14, 2017 8:25 AM EDT

Wonderful poem and photos. Love spotting owls in our back yard and hearing their hoots :). "Feather duster chick" made me smile.

- jama

Apr 14, 2017 9:59 AM EDT

Thank you, Jama! My husband finds an owl nest almost every year. The photo is from last year's family.

- JoAnn Early Macken

Apr 14, 2017 12:08 PM EDT

Appreciations for creating & sharing this vivid life lesson in poem form about that fallen owlet who is like a "feather duster" * the storm-torn nest.
"draped like curtains down the old tree’s trunk." How hopeful to know the parents were not giving up. (Even if it is difficult to see another animal torn up for dinner.

(As a personal aside, our gal in Boston witnessed something similar on the campus of Northeastern just this week, with cries/screams of the animal the raptor caught, no less. . . .)

Your poems always move me, JoAnn. So good to visit on Poetry Friday.

- Jan/Bookseedstudio

Apr 14, 2017 1:18 PM EDT

Glad owls are safe and sound, JoAnn. I was nervous. Thank you for this lovely poem. I, too, loved "feather duster chick." Such a great image! -- Christie @ https://wonderingandwondering.wordpress.com/blog/

- Christie Wyman

Apr 14, 2017 2:26 PM EDT

This poem had me in its grip, JoAnn! What a fantastic story (and an incredible photo, too). I especially love the juxtaposition of tearing apart prey in one line and feather duster chick in the next. I was so excited to see an owl asleep in our back yard a few weeks ago. It was my first sighting!

- Michelle Heidenrich Barnes

Apr 14, 2017 3:04 PM EDT

Oh, thank you all! The nest is in a yard a few blocks away from our house. We walk over often to spy on the owls. We worried when we saw the nest in shreds, so we were happy to see the family reunited.

- JoAnn Early Macken

Apr 14, 2017 7:17 PM EDT

Great poem, and I'm so glad it has a happy ending!

- Linda Kulp Trout

Apr 15, 2017 4:11 AM EDT

Owls fascinate me and I was in the grips of your poem from start to finish. I'm so relieved it had a happy ending. I love the "feather duster chick" description and delighted in your fantastic photo.

- Molly Hogan

Apr 15, 2017 5:15 AM EDT

Great photo! Glad your poem had a happy ending!

- Mary Lee Hahn

Apr 15, 2017 8:04 AM EDT

Wonderful photo, and I like the drama in the poem.

- Brenda at friendlyfairytales.com

Apr 15, 2017 1:34 PM EDT

Beautiful capture of this moment, JoAnn. A favorite memory is walking with my husband's aunt on their farm, watching for the great horned owls in their woods. I've seen crows help others, love that you included that, too.

- Linda Baie

Apr 16, 2017 5:20 AM EDT

Thanks, everyone! Yes, I'm relieved about the happy ending, too! I looked for the family yesterday, but they were all hidden again. While writing the poem, I found several sources online that explained how an owlet can climb a trunk. At least now I know they can move around safely even though the owlet can't fly yet.

- JoAnn Macken

Apr 16, 2017 1:13 PM EDT

Wow, that must have been quite an experience. I love listening to the owls call to one another in our woods. Nice work.

- Doraine BEnnett

Apr 16, 2017 3:17 PM EDT

I'm glad to learn of the happy ending for the little owl and the bigger ones. I frequently hear owls around our place, but I haven't looked for them. I'm tempted to go on an owl hunt to see what I might spy!

- Kay Jernigan McGriff

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Daffodils!

April 6, 2017

Tags: National Poetry Month, Poetry Friday, daffodils

              Gravitational Pull

              A constellation of daffodils
              brightens our dining room table,
              stems aligned in a spiral ascending
              to petal stars.

              We cluster around,
              planets in orbit,
              drawn to the light.

              JoAnn Early Macken

Happy National Poetry Month! Today's Poetry Friday Roundup is at Live Your Poem. Enjoy!

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13 Comments

Comments

Apr 07, 2017 4:35 AM EDT

Your picture made me pause and click on your link because I love daffodils! Beautiful poem, love the lines:
"stems aligned in a spiral ascending
to petal stars."

- Ramona

Apr 07, 2017 7:17 AM EDT

Our daffodils have come and gone, so it's especially nice to see your pic and read your poem. Yes, drawn to the light :). Happy Spring and Happy Poetry Month!

- jama

Apr 07, 2017 7:39 AM EDT

Thank you, Ramona and Jama! Here in Wisconsin, only the bravest (and most sheltered) daffodils are blooming outside. We're happy to find them in stores so early in spring!

- JoAnn Macken

Apr 07, 2017 8:57 AM EDT

I never thought much about daffodils before, but they represent the local Cancer Foundation, and ever since my dad was diagnosed with cancer last month, I've found an extra level of joy in their bright yellow sunshine. When faced with the unpredictable reality of life, you really realise the importance of slowing down and enjoying all the everyday wonders that nature provides, like a cheery, sunshine yellow bunch of daffodils on a bright spring morning.

- Jane @ Raincity Librarian

Apr 07, 2017 10:09 AM EDT

I especially love the second stanza!

- Liz

Apr 07, 2017 10:16 AM EDT

Jane, yes, especially in difficult times, we must remember to slow down and pay attention to nurturing nature. Best of luck to you and your dad!

Liz, thank you! I started the poem when I woke up yesterday--the flowers were the first thing I saw, at least once I had coffee in my hand. The second stanza came to me much later as I walked the dog. Funny how that works sometimes!

- JoAnn Macken

Apr 07, 2017 1:46 PM EDT

Oh, I love that constellation! How could we NOT orbit that light? Gorgeous!

- Irene Latham

Apr 07, 2017 3:01 PM EDT

It's wonderful to think of us circling those beautiful daffodils, in orbit, unable to move on they are so gorgeous. You've caught us exactly!

- Linda Baie

Apr 07, 2017 7:53 PM EDT

Thank you, Irene! Thank you, Linda! I'm happy to hear you agree!

- JoAnn Macken

Apr 08, 2017 12:37 PM EDT

Lovely daffodils and lovely poem to brighten my day.

- Kay Jernigan McGriff

Apr 09, 2017 6:59 PM EDT

Such a gorgeous poem, JoAnn! I'm drawn to its own gravitational pull.

- Michelle Heidenrich Barnes

Apr 13, 2017 3:02 PM EDT

LOVE daffodils. Sad to see them go for another year...but here come the trillium under the oak tree!

- Mary Lee Hahn

Apr 13, 2017 7:11 PM EDT

Thank you, Kay & Michelle! Mary Lee, trillium already? Wow! I can't wait!

- JoAnn Macken

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Pre-Poetry Month Poem

March 31, 2017

Tags: 2017 Poetry Month, scilla, soccer field

trampled soccer field—
scilla defends muddy turf
along slim sidelines

I'll be posting new poems here for National Poetry Month from time to time throughout April. I saw these early spring flowers and couldn't wait to start!

Be sure to check out all the Poetry Friday posts! Today's Roundup is at The Poem Farm.

You can see all the 2017 Roundups here.

On April 28, I'll host the Poetry Friday Roundup on the Teaching Authors blog. Stop in and visit!

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16 Comments

Comments

Mar 31, 2017 7:37 AM EDT

Wonderful sounds in the poem, Joann. Your scilla reminds me of the creeping phlox in our yard, which is about to bloom in a blanket of purple.

- Laura Shovan

Mar 31, 2017 7:46 AM EDT

Yay! Hooray! Poetry sometimes follows strict forms, as you do so well with this haiku (love it), but should NEVER be bound by the calendar. Keep 'em coming, JoAnn!

- Sandy Brehl

Mar 31, 2017 7:50 AM EDT

Thank you both! Laura, I love creeping phlox, which shows up in tiny clusters on our front hill but never expands much. I keep hoping! Sandy, I'm constantly flummoxed by the calendar, so I'm posting when inspiration strikes!

- JoAnn Macken

Mar 31, 2017 10:32 AM EDT

The sight of early spring flowers that pop up in an unexpected place is the perfect seed for a NPM bouquet.

- Bridget Magee

Mar 31, 2017 10:43 AM EDT

Nice, JoAnn! :) I am always flummoxed by the calendar as well.

- B.J. Lee

Mar 31, 2017 12:36 PM EDT

Oh, I do love this idea of these wee beauties defending their turf. As a ma of a soccer player, I can just hear those flowers talking as the players roll in! Happy Haiku and Happy Poetry Month! Peace...xo

- Amy Ludwig VanDerwater

Mar 31, 2017 1:41 PM EDT

I love the "scilla defends muddy turf", such a great image. I look forward to reading your poems during April!

- Linda Kulp Trout

Mar 31, 2017 1:47 PM EDT

Bridget, I love the idea of a NPM bouquet! B.J., I'm glad I'm not alone! Amy, I was a soccer mom for many years. Now I throw a ball for the dog on the soccer field early in the morning before school starts. Linda, thank you! That image just popped into my mind--must have been the setting!

- JoAnn Macken

Apr 01, 2017 3:04 AM EDT

Loved your haiku featuring scilla, one of my favorite spring flowers. Sadly we awoke to inches of snow here...our hillside river of scilla will slumber a bit longer...

- Molly Hogan

Apr 01, 2017 8:15 AM EDT

How beautiful! I love the idea of those delicate little flowers holding their own against the soccer field, and players!

- Jane @ Raincity Librarian

Apr 01, 2017 12:18 PM EDT

Oh, Molly, I hope your snowfall is lovely to look at & doesn't last too long! Jane, yes, I pictured the scilla as sturdy defenders in the mud. Happy weekend, all!

- JoAnn Early Macken

Apr 01, 2017 1:10 PM EDT

I like how you've used the words from soccer in your poem, JoAnn. Wonderful that they did survive!

- Linda Baie

Apr 02, 2017 9:42 AM EDT

Spring flowers defending their muddy turf just makes me laugh!

- Mary Lee Hahn

Apr 02, 2017 10:21 AM EDT

Thank you, Linda & Mary Lee! Yes, I chuckled at the thought of those dainty little flowers playing defense, too.

- JoAnn Macken

Apr 04, 2017 8:36 PM EDT

Aren't they wonderful JoAnn, how the early spring flowers reach up in the most unexpected places. Thanks for your lovely poem!

- Michelle Kogan

Apr 06, 2017 7:00 AM EDT

Oh, yes, wonderful, Michelle! Spring is my favorite season, even though it's so unpredictable around here. I'm inspired by those intrepid blossoms, along with the migrating birds that make their way north despite the snow.

- JoAnn Macken

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SCBWI-Wisconsin 2016 Fall Conference Links

October 17, 2016

Tags: SCBWI, links, Three Routes to Publishing, SCBWI-WI Fall Conference, Book Giveaway

I'm speaking on Sunday afternoon at the 2016 SCBWI-Wisconsin Fall Conference in Green Lake, Wisconsin. Instead of creating a handout, I'm posting the links from my talk, "Three Routes to Publishing and a Few Side Trips."

Trade Books

2016 SCBWI Market Surveys:
- Publishers of Books for Young Readers
- International Market Survey
- Edited By
- Small Press Market Survey
- Religious Press Market Survey
The Book: The Essential Guide to Publishing for Children
(SCBWI members only; log in first.)

Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market (CWIM), Writer’s Digest Books

Who's Moving Where? News and Staff Changes at Children's Book Publishers by Harold Underdown (The Purple Crayon)

Educational Books

SCBWI Educational Press Market Survey
The Book: The Essential Guide to Publishing for Children
(SCBWI members only; log in first.)

Evelyn B. Christensen’s Education Market Resources:
Tips for Writing for the Education Market
and
Educational Markets for Children's Writers

Self-Published Books

“Self-Publish or Not?”
by Harold Underdown (The Purple Crayon)

Self-Publishing Company Web Sites:
Lulu
Blurb
CreateSpace (Amazon)
Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing
Fast Pencil
Smashwords
Barnes & Noble's Pub-It! (NOOK Press)
Lightning Source (now Ingram’s)

“Start Here: How to Self-Publish Your Book” by Jane Friedman

“Self-Publishing Preview: 2016” by Jennifer McCartney, Publishers Weekly

“Self-Publishing: Best Practices” by Deborah Halverson and Randal Morrison
The Book: The Essential Guide to Publishing for Children
(SCBWI members only; log in first.)

Magazines

SCBWI Magazine Market Guide
The Book: The Essential Guide to Publishing for Children
(SCBWI members only; log in first.)

“Writing for Children's Magazines” by Evelyn B. Christensen

Test Passages

ACT
Scroll down to “Freelance and Item Writing Positions”

Center for Educational Testing and Evaluation (CETE)

Educational Testing Service (ETS):
AP, CLEP, GRE, NAEP, PSAT, SAT, and more

Pearson

Good luck!

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Orchid Spray

September 15, 2016

Tags: orchid, Poetry Friday

              Star-shaped, dawn-colored,
              freckle-faced flowers
              perch on their branch
              like a flock of finches
              peering over each other's shoulders.

This week's Poetry Friday Roundup is at Today's Little Ditty. Enjoy!

10 Comments

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Open the Door!

September 9, 2016

Tags: Poetry Friday, Mary Oliver, poetry camp, 15 Words or Less

In a few weeks, I'll be heading to a part of the country I've never visited before to take part in Western Washington University's Poetry Camp. I'm excited about the trip and the people I'll meet there--fellow poet/presenters whose poems are included in the Poetry Friday Anthology series compiled by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong and the audience of teachers, librarians, and writers.

This summer has been loaded with distractions, so on a recent trip to the library, I grabbed an armload of poetry books to study so I could focus on poetry again. I started with Ted Kooser, whose work feels so comfortable, comforting, and at the same time eye-opening. I read his sweet Valentines and then his brilliant Delights and Shadows. That one made me want to write a bit, so I contributed a quick draft to Laura Purdie Salas's 15 Words or Less Poems yesterday. I felt a little bit like a poet again.

Today, I started my morning with Mary Oliver's Owls and Other Fantasies. Here's what jumped out at me:

...Listen, everyone has a chance.
Is it spring, is it morning?

Are there trees near you,
and does your own soul need comforting?
Quick, then--open the door and fly on your heavy feet; the song
may already be drifting away.

--from "Such Singing in the Wild Branches"

and

...Ah, world, what lessons you prepare for us,

even in the leafless winter,
even in the ashy city.
I am thinking now of grief, and getting past it;

I feel my boots
trying to leave the ground,
I feel my heart
pumping hard. I want

to think again of dangerous and noble things.
I want to be light and frolicsome.
I want to be improbable beautiful and afraid of nothing,
as though I had wings.

--from "Starlings in Winter"

I'm always looking for something when I read; often, I don't know what. I found something today in the poems quoted here and also in "Yes! No!"

"To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work."

Always a good thing to remember, I think, both for writing and for life.

Today's Poetry Friday Roundup is at The Poem Farm. Enjoy!

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12 Comments

Comments

Sep 09, 2016 8:04 AM EDT

Always a treat to read Oliver's words. Have fun at Poetry Camp!

- jama

Sep 09, 2016 8:09 AM EDT

Thank you, Jama! I can't wait!

- JoAnn Macken

Sep 09, 2016 1:23 PM EDT

That Poetry Camp is sounding more and more delightful, JoAnn, like Oliver's poem. There is always something, isn't there? " Quick, then--open the door and fly on your heavy feet; the song
may already be drifting away." Wise words as so many of hers are. Glad you're moving into poetry again, and have fun in the NW!

- Linda Baie

Sep 09, 2016 7:22 PM EDT

Thanks, Linda! Yes, I'm really enjoying poetry again. So thankful for libraries!

- JoAnn Macken

Sep 10, 2016 3:06 AM EDT

Enticing little snippets of poetry you've shared, JoAnn. Thus far I count three of us in the PoetryFriday crew who have doors opening this week. Wondering who else I'll find as I continue my wanders. Enjoy your poetry camp!

- katswhiskers

Sep 10, 2016 5:05 AM EDT

I SO wish I could have made the Poetry Camp happen! Have fun and post lots!!

- Mary Lee Hahn

Sep 10, 2016 12:01 PM EDT

Thanks for sharing this Mary Oliver book! I must add it to my collection. Have fun at your poetry camp!

- Kiesha-Whispers from the Ridge

Sep 11, 2016 7:33 AM EDT

Thanks, everyone, for the comments and good wishes. I'm always happy to hear about doors opening--maybe it's the time of year? Good luck to all!

- JoAnn Macken

Sep 11, 2016 7:44 AM EDT

Have a wonderful time at the camp. Your snippets make my heavy feet feel lighter and the beginnings of a chirping in my heart. Wish I could go to poetry camp one day.

- Brenda at friendlyfairytales.com

Sep 11, 2016 7:53 AM EDT

Hooray for lighter hearts and fresh beginnings! I'm so glad to hear about yours!

- JoAnn Macken

Sep 15, 2016 8:57 AM EDT

"I felt a little bit like a poet again." Wise you to find the words that give this part of you back to you. I understand. Thank you for this buffet of beauties...and oh, have a marvelous time in Seattle! I will be with you in spirit! xx

- Amy Ludwig VanDerwater

Sep 15, 2016 9:17 AM EDT

Thank you, Amy--nice to find that understanding! You will be with us in spirit & also in our group presentation (with Greg Pincus & Jone Rush MacCulloch) on blogging.

- JoAnn Macken

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Happy National Poetry Month!

April 8, 2016

Tags: National Poetry Month, National Poem in Your Pocket Day, Rosy

our new puppy Rosy

It's April again--hooray! Last year, I wrote a haiku a day; you can read all thirty poems in the April 2015 Archive. This year, with deadlines and school visits claiming my attention, I decided to focus on reading more poetry. I've posted an old favorite dog poem on the Teaching Authors blog for National Poem in Your Pocket Day. Enjoy!
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Lake Michigan, Winter

January 11, 2016

air temperature: 10, water temperature: 39, wind chill: -5

Bundle up. Be bold.
Walk through winter's biting teeth.
Your reward: this view.

Click to enlarge the photo. You'll see why this park is my favorite walking destination, even in winter.
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Peace on Earth

December 24, 2015

silence falls from clouds
hush floats past frosty windows
quiet builds soft drifts

I love how snow muffles sound and makes everything still, at least for a while. Wishing everyone a moment of joyful stillness. Happy holidays!

This week's Poetry Friday Roundup is at
Live Your Poem with Irene Latham. Enjoy!

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8 Comments

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Echoing e. e. cummings

July 11, 2015

Tags: e. e. cummings, Poetry Sisters

I've loved the playful, joyful poetry of e.e. cummings since as far back as I can remember—high school? College? I know that my collections of his work are all worn and tattered. So when I read that the Poetry Sisters challenged themselves to write poems in his style, I decided to try it, too. They each chose a particular poem to echo; I just wrote. Here's mine:

earlier than
     bustle
(coffee, frontporch, spiderwebs shimmering)
dog stares at passersby
     (what is she thinking?)
i fill my
     heart
with chirps, tweets, & twitters
justforthismoment
     harmony reigns
only thing
     m i s s i n g
          is You

The Poetry Sisters are Liz Garton Scanlon, Laura Purdie Salas, Tricia Stohr-Hunt, Sara Lewis Holmes, Kelly Ramsdell Fineman, Andromeda Jazmon Sibley, and Tanita S. Davis.

You can hear them all reading their poems here . Enjoy!

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Baby Says "Moo!" Book Giveaway!

June 2, 2015

Tags: Baby Says "Moo!", Book Giveaway, book birthday

Ask baby what birds say, what horses say, or what dogs say, and Baby has only one answer: "Moo!" (Adorable illustrations by David Walker)

Today's the big day! Baby Says "Moo!" (Disney-Hyperion Books) is now a padded board book, so let's have a giveaway! To enter, leave a comment here by midnight on Wednesday, June 10. The Random Number Generator will choose a winner. Good luck!

20 Comments

Comments

Jun 02, 2015 5:30 AM EDT

'Yay! Congratulations, JoAnn!

- Jerrianne Hayslett

Jun 02, 2015 5:40 AM EDT

Me! Me! Pick me!

- ~Dori

Jun 02, 2015 5:41 AM EDT

I love this baby and this book!

- Ann Angel

Jun 02, 2015 5:44 AM EDT

This looks adorable!

- Amy Ward

Jun 02, 2015 5:49 AM EDT

I have board books in my school library for younger siblings...they'd love this!!

- Rita Painter

Jun 02, 2015 5:54 AM EDT

Congratulations! We love your books!

- deb

Jun 02, 2015 6:37 AM EDT

Congratulations, JoAnn, on another fabulous book!!

- Judy Bryan

Jun 02, 2015 9:56 AM EDT

Joanne, this is brilliant. My son called everything "the-the" but MOO will do, too! Congratulations!

- Kathryn Gahl

Jun 03, 2015 3:49 PM EDT

I'm a fan of all your books, JoAnn, but more importantly, the kids always are! Love that this is now a padded board book, and the early copy I got my hands on was absolutely adorable!

- Sandy Brehl

Jun 03, 2015 5:12 PM EDT

Love this book! It's another winner!

- Deb Jacobs

Jun 03, 2015 6:32 PM EDT

Fabulous!

- Marie K

Jun 04, 2015 3:11 AM EDT

Can't wait to get one for my granddaughter!

- Denise T

Jun 04, 2015 6:29 AM EDT

You rock. So does your book.

- Peggy

Jun 04, 2015 8:19 AM EDT

Wow--thanks, everyone! I should probably give away two books, right? If we reach 20 comments, I'll do that. Tell your friends!

- JoAnn Macken

Jun 06, 2015 8:19 AM EDT

Congratulations, Joann! When my daughter was a baby, she didn't speak, but she could make every animal noise known to man!

- Diane Mayr

Jun 06, 2015 8:42 AM EDT

This is my grandchildren's favorite book and it's so much fun for me to read to them. It's perfect for a board book!

- Maureen Ruzicka

Jun 06, 2015 12:58 PM EDT

I say, "Hooray!" Congrats, JoAnn--how exciting!

- Joan Bransfield Graham

Jun 07, 2015 7:39 PM EDT

Looks great!

- Jacek

Jun 10, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Not just a board book ... a PADDED board book! Wonderful!

- Deborah Rudell

Jun 14, 2015 7:51 AM EDT

Thanks to everyone who commented! The Random Number Generator has chosen Amy Ward and Rita Painter to receive autographed copies of the padded board book edition of Baby Says "Moo!" Congratulations, Amy and Rita! Please check your Inboxes for instructions.

Another book giveaway is going on at the Teaching Authors blog: http://www.teachingauthors.com/2015/06/baby-says-moo-book-giveaway.html Good luck!

- JoAnn Early Macken

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Haiku a Day: Day 30 (4/30/15)

April 30, 2015

Tags: National Poetry Month, Haiku a Day, Day 30

              thinking in haiku
              everything I say spills out
              5, 7, 5

Focusing on nature and the present to write haiku has really helped me appreciate spring this year. I've enjoyed every day of National Poetry Month. Hope you have, too!

Don't forget to enter to win an autographed copy of Write a Poem Step by Step--today's the last day!

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