A poetry "re-issue"....

Again digging into the vault for a poem that seems quite fitting these days: an end of the school year poem!


Hello, Summer! -- (A Last Day of School Poem)
by
Gregory K.

Goodbye, classroom!
Goodbye, Teach!
You can find me at the beach...
Or in the park or at the pool
Or any place that isn’t school.

Goodbye, quizzes!
Bye, reports!
Hello days packed full of sports
And days when I’m just lazybones
While eating melty ice cream cones.

Goodbye, homework --
Lunchroom, too.
There’s so, so much I wanna do.
I know the school year flew on past…
But please, please summer -- last and last.


The Poetry Friday roundup is hosted by Clouds Come over at A Wrung Sponge. Do go on and check it out.

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Summer schedule...

I can feel it creeping in already... working its way in my pscyhe, my tempo, my drive. Yes, it's gonna be the summer blogging schedule before I know it. Sure, it's not much of a difference (4-5 posts a week vs. 5-6, more or less), but it's coming... it's coming.

My blog, interestingly to me if not to y'all, has a traffic pattern that's very influenced by the school year. I have a wonderful steady stream of readers all year round (subscribers, linkers, and google-arrivals), but I can tell when school is out and in. Seems healthy to me -- teachers and students looking for poetry and not just in National Poetry month. Still, there is a somewhat noticeable summer schedule in my readers, too. Seems like we're a good match!

Invigorated? Or...?

It was the last kid-book schmooze of the season for us tonight. Much as I love the online world and my friends here, it's still great to get out 'in the flesh' from time to time and talk with wonderful, enthusiastic, like-minded people. It's inspiring and invigorating... yet it's three months til the next scheduled gathering. Eeeps!

I will turn elsewhere, I know. And make extra coffee. But for tonight, anyway, I'll just rue the three month layoff....

Meeting the challenge!

Why not head on over to MotherReader's today and go tip your hat (cyberly or otherwise) to all those who participated in her 48 Hour Book Challenge. These are some dedicated folk!

A Gift for Dad -- a Father's Day poem/a poem for dad/a poem for fathers

A GIFT FOR DAD
by
Gregory K.

My family plays lots of games, and sometimes I feel bad –
No matter what, from sports to chess, I always beat my dad!
I know he’s trying really hard in every game we play.
I see the glimmer in his eye... but things just go my way.
Sure, he never moans or whines. I’ve never seen him crying.
But I’m afraid if this keeps up, then one day he’ll stop trying.
And so today, I have a plan (although he’ll never know it),
When we play games, I’ll let him win!
I hope he doesn’t blow it.


As you ponder whether this is a Father's Day poem, a father's birthday poem, a poem for Dad on any day, or all of the above, why not check out this week's Poetry Friday roundup over at just another day of Catholic pondering?

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Whoa. Flashback.

I'm staring at three boxes of books in my office -- three boxes bound for the new school library (mentioned below); three boxes that'll be with me for a month before they can move. Boy, does this bring back memories of the last three summers!

This also, of course, gives me an excuse not to clean my office. And really, what's wrong with that????

Books! Books! Again with books!

Longtime readers hereabouts know that one of the hats I wear is that of the volunteer librarian at a public elementary school library. Beyond the day to day librarianship, I'm also one of the folks who helped build our collection with a budget of (drum roll, please) zero dollars! See, it turns out you can actually open a public school WITHOUT a library, since money is so scarce. Didn't seem acceptable to me three years ago when I first started building the collection, and it still doesn't. And that "still" matters, as this coming year, we're forced to split our campus into two locations. Ahhh, the life of a charter school. Anyway, what this means to me is that...

We're starting up a second library!!!!!!!!

The focus of this library is early elementary -- think kindergarten and first grade (and, of course, books for the non-readers and advanced readers among them). Yes, we're still working to grow our existing collection (getting new books with no budget isn't so easy!), but I just can't imagine September coming and our second campus not having books, books, books. So....

As before, I'm open to any ideas y'all might have, be they grants, folks to beg from, buried treasure troves of books, whatever. And if you happen to be in Los Angeles, feel free drop off donations!

The Carnival's Back!

Yes, it's the May Carnival of Children's Literature hosted over at Here in the Bonny Glen (where the word kidlitosphere was coined, I do believe). Sure, I'm linking in June, but that's no reason not to go catch up on what May offered. Go on... be off!

Oooh, my feet.

My poor, poor feet! OK, maybe it's not that bad, but other than a fine, fun lunch with a big bunch of talented, funny, generous of spirit, dedicated, and local kidsbook friends (and please note that all those adjectives describe 'em all, so I just linked in totally random order... and encourage you to visit them in equally random order), I spent from about 8:30-5 yesterday walking. And walking. And looking. And carrying heavy books. And walking. And walking. And waiting in a 40 person deep line for caffeine. And walking. And carrying heavy books. And then walking some more.

Oh, yeah -- and chatting with great people and learning a ton about what's going on in the world of children's literature. Book Expo America is quite the scene, this first-timer would say, but once I got over the sheer size of it (and got over the idea that the goal was to find everything free!!!!), it was also quite the good time. I was wearing my author hat and my children's librarian hat (and occasionally my book promotion hat), and I can safely say it was informative in all ways.

Plus I don't have to exercise for weeks!

Off to BEA....

Gonna hit the floor at Book Expo America tomorrow (and thus forego a Poetry Friday post, unfortunately). If any of y'all are there, I hope you'll say hello! I'll be the guy who looks like my picture, but I'll probably have a glazed/overwhelmed look in my eye as I roam the floor....

The bloggers gather (again!)...

Last year it was Chicago that saw the first children's literature bloggers conference -- a sorta spontaneous seeming event that happened only due to the driving spirit and hard work of the funny and talented Robin Brande. This year it's gonna be Portland that sees us descend in mass.

So I'm thinking... hey, there are some bloggers of the kidlitosphere who read GottaBook. Maybe some of y'all wanna come?

Check it out here... and don't be shy.

Summer so soon???

How can it almost be June???? I need to work on a mathematical formula that determines how fast each year flies by based on a slew of variables....

So what's up ahead, you ask? Writing. Library (and look for more on this soon, lest you think I've forsaken this part of my life). Poetry. Sunshine. Heat. And yes... continued blogging, much (though not all) of it more substantial than this post!

All I wanna do is...

... sleep! And then sleep some more. Normally a cross country trip doesn't wipe me out, but normally I don't get up at 4:30 and fly to the west. Egad!

Anyway, it was a wonderful trip full of brain-fattening ideas AND friends and kidlitters a-plenty in NYC (thanks Fuse!). I couldn't have had a much better time in general. More on all of this, I'm sure, will appear in dribs and drabs AFTER a good night or two of sleeeeeeeeeeeep.

My brain hurts, I tell ya.

For the past couple days, I've been thinking a lot, all about issues not usually at the forefront of my brain. No poetry this week -- instead, it's a steady diet of issues related to computers, freedom, privacy, social networks, data mining, and technology policy among other things. Good stuff, but I not an iamb to be found!

You can tell I've been busy, I suspect, as this is my first post in days and days. And, in fact, it's brief, as there's much more to twist my brain around here for the next 24 hours. See you when my brain's not a pretzel....

And he's off....

Posting might be sporadic here as I journey to the east. Or it might not. I have very little idea what'll happen, other than I'll be at kidlit drink night on Monday and CFP after that. I hope to see some of you at one of the other. Heck, I hope to see all of you, but that'd make for one full bar/conference!

My Superhero Band-aid -- a band-aid poem/a bandaid poem/a boo-boo poem

MY SUPERHERO BAND-AID
By
Gregory K.

My superhero band-aid
Takes all my pain away --
I put it on a cut I got when I went out to play.

My superhero band-aid
Is barely hanging on….
I’ve worn it 18 days, but still, it’s why the pain is gone!


It's a Poetry Friday poem dedicated to all the parents who've tried to peel off a band-aid TOO EARLY! The Two Writing Teachers are on the poetry roundup today. Check it out here.

And if you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

And after NYC, you ask?

I'm not actually going to the East Coast just to be at a kidlit drink night. Nope. There's more to it than that. So why is this poet/writer guy heading to Connecticut after a brief day in NYC?

I'll be at CFP2008, of course!

I know some of you guess "Computers, Freedom, and Privacy" cuz really, why wouldn't you. But I'm serious that that's where I'll be -- learning about a slew of stuff, from freedom of speech to reputation management to how technology factors into the upcoming election, and the impact and issues of social networks. I'll even be leading a breakout session on how to promote a book via Facebook and other social networks. (Got tips or want tips? Check the in-progress wiki!)

Promises to be a blast, I have to say. And who knows... maybe I'll see you there?

Me... in NYC!

Yes, I'm taking the GottaBook show on the road and getting a whopping full day in NYC. And because she's the bee's knees, Fuse #8 is organizing a Kidlit Drinks Night so I can hang with the City's children's literature finest (or at least the ones who are free and able to make it to Sweet & Vicious on Monday, May 19th at around 6PM). Here's all the info per Fuse.

Will I see you there? I hope so!

The allure of bubble letters....

I'm not sure what the actual allure of bubble letters is, but I do know that many, many people out there are interested in making mother's day cards out of said letters... cuz they somehow end up finding me here at GottaBook (specifically going here).

Which of course leads to interesting questions about what knowledge, if any, we can gain about the world by seeing what people search for in general. I love seeing that type of information -- on More Words, I am fascinated by seeing the recently looked at words, for instance. I'm sure there's a bunch of great philosophical questions that could be discussed when it comes to all this, but I don't think that's where this blog is heading. In fact, what I really wanted to say when I sat down to type this (and please imagine this in a bubbly font) is...

Happy Mother's Day!

Another Poetry Friday repeat!

Seemed like an appropriate time to dust off my Mother's Day poem , since most of y'all weren't around two years ago when I posted it. And, after all, 'tis the season!


HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY
by
Gregory K.

I made my mom a giant card
With letters three feet tall
(I couldn’t find the paper
So I used the playroom wall).
Then I made her breakfast –
Trix and jam rolled up in bread!
I think she would’ve liked it,
But I spilled it on her bed.
Our neighbor grows great roses,
So I filled our biggest vase.
I wish you could’ve seen it –
What a look on Mommy’s face!
Our cuckoo clock chirped six A.M.
I said I’d go and play.
Then I told my mom I loved her…
And she said I’d made her day.


If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Plus, it's Poetry Friday, and writer2b has the roundup. Go on over and see how poetic the blogosphere can be....

It's been a long time...

... since I posted a Search Fib (that'd be a Fib made up of various search terms that have brought folks to GottaBook). I may have to dust off that oddball sub-genre soon, particularly since today's search highlight is eight syllables. But what does it mean?

"Don't want to give credit poems"

So... is this a search for poems about not wanting to give credit where it's due? Or is someone gonna use my poems without giving credit? Or...? Guess we'll never know!

The SCBWI 2008 Summer National!

Was just perusing the info for the 37th Annual SCBWI Summer Conference. As always, a stellar lineup (this year seeming to be extra heavy on editors). I love this conference, I must admit (as if it were some big secret?), and am already looking forward to August.

I know I'll see many familiar faces there, but maybe some of you lurkers/new readers will be showing up, too? Lemme know!

Changing gears....

I gotta say that it's been a bit tough switching back into a more traditional blogging mode rather than a poetically-posting mode. Oh, sure, you say... just post poems EVERY day ALL year!!!! Hmmm. I'll take it under advisement :-)

But in the meantime, I hope you'll forgive some fits and starts as I get back into linking, writing, and ruminating.

A Sixth Grader Sees the Future -- an original poem by J. Patrick Lewis

It's a huge Poetry Friday treat for me -- an original J. Patrick Lewis poem, posted here with his permission. You really should go to his website, and check out his fabulous books of poetry for children. Seriously. (And check out the Poetry Friday roundup at Big A little a, too)

A Sixth Grader Sees the Future
By
J. Patrick Lewis

In a billion years, A.D.,
Our sun will shine for none to see.
The sea will miss each passing ship;
The sky will hover over zip.
Those blazing stars will start to cool,
And I won’t have to go to school.

In a billion years from now—
Or maybe more—but anyhow,
The earth may shrivel up and die,
                   The universe? Pi in the sky.
                   The future, spinning, may have spun.
And I might have my homework done.


[Note: This poem will appear in J. Patrick Lewis’s COUNTDOWN
TO SUMMER: A POEM FOR EVERY DAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR,
Little, Brown, 2009. All rights belong to J. Patrick Lewis. Posted here by his express permission]

April poems bring May... uh... well...

I guess I'll have to see what happens in May before I can answer that, but I suspect it won't rhyme.

Posting poems here is a lot of fun, and it's also occasionally instructive. I love feedback, but it's not that I post here to workshop poems, per se. Still, it's always clear when a poem really connects, because it inspires more comments and emails than normal (though I've also learned that a paucity of comments or emails doesn't translate to a 'bad' or 'weak' poem).

Also, as always, I learn a lot about my own take on what I've written -- as when I paste a poem in but then hesitate too long before actually publishing the post. That long hesitation always leads to not putting the poem out in public. This month there are six poems sitting in a folder because for some reasons (some I know, but some I haven't yet discerned) they didn't make the cut at the last minute. For all I know, of course, those poems would've been somebody's favorites of the month... but they weren't mine, and it's my blog!

Again, thanks to all for hanging around and reading....

I Don't Like Words -- a homophone poem/homophone poetry

I DON’T LIKE WORDS
by
Gregory K.

I don’t like words.
They don’t make sense.
Words make me upset and tense.
How due eye no witch whirred two ewes
Ore how too right thee won aye chews?
Wile sum mite think words are a bawl,
Eye dew knot care fore words at awl!



This seemed like a good way to end my National Poetry Month poem-a-day run. Obviously, I do like words... most of the time. You can find links to all the April poems over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems". And remember, poetry happens here at GottaBook alllll year long, so it won't be long til I'm back at ya, for better or verse.

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

My Dog is Quite the Dancer -- a poem about dancing/a dance poem

MY DOG IS QUITE THE DANCER
By
Gregory K.

My dog is quite the dancer.
His salsa is a sight!
He does ballet
Throughout the day.
I hear him tap all night.

His rumba moves are perfect.
He’s learning to fandango.
His swim and twist
Should not be missed.
I love to watch him tango.

He jives and does the two step.
He’s king of modern dance.
He’d hit the town
To disco down
If I’d give him the chance.

His cha-cha is enchanting.
His waltz is mighty fine.
Sometimes he gets
The neighbors’ pets
Into a conga line.

People often ask me,
“How can he dance like that?”
His secret? Well…
I guess I’ll tell:
He learned it from my cat!


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Losing to My Lunch -- a poem about playing games/a food poem

LOSING TO MY LUNCH
by
Gregory K.

The carrot won at Yahtzee,
But I really think it cheated.
I played the toast in CandyLand:
It could not be defeated.
Blockhead with potato chips?
I lost one hundred times.
The peaches won at Rummikub.
I lost Kerplunk to limes.
The ice cream won at basketball,
Since every shot went “swish.”
The yams won Chutes and Ladders.
The tuna won Go Fish.
My mother always scolded me.
She said, “You know it’s rude.”
But I have different reasons why I never play with food.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Ballonstof. And you?

One of the great joys of the 'net is that you just never know what might happen. Yet here in National Poetry Month I received in the mail the March issue of Ballonstof magazine. I'm sure many of you subscribe to it... or at least all of you who want to read the hot air ballooning magazine of the Netherlands. Anyway, for subscribers, there on page 27 you'll find my poem My Balloon (in English) over a lovely image of a hot air balloon floating off at sunset. And yes, my poem was found via a web search.

Now, I'd written the poem thinking of a child with a balloon on a string, but I will say that it works quite nicely this way, too. It's a gorgeous magazine... and it makes me wish I could read Dutch!

1000 Word Essay -- a homework poem/an art poem

1000 WORD ESSAY
by
Gregory K.

A picture’s worth a thousand words,
And so I drew the sea.
I claimed it was my book report...
My grade was worse than D.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Constant Companions -- a vision poem/a poem about seeing

CONSTANT COMPANIONS
by
Gregory K.

Everywhere I’ve gone today
I’ve seen the same three things:
A greenish toad, a yellow bee,
A kite with seven strings.

I saw them as I walked downstairs
Then at my breakfast table.
My Mom and Dad ignored them all.
I tried but wasn’t able.

Then I saw them in my school.
They came to all my classes.
Wait a second! Check this out!
They’re painted on my glasses.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

The Talking Cake Blues -- an excuse poem/an apology poem/a cake poem

THE TALKING CAKE BLUES
by
Gregory K.

I walked in the kitchen and there was your cake.
I know, Mom, it took you the whole day to make.
Its beautiful frosting was something to see.
If you said “it’s perfect!”, I’d have to agree.
But then something happened, though I’m not to blame --
‘Cause Mom, it’s the truth, the cake called me by name!
I said “please stop talking,” but still it called out.
I heard that cake plead. Heard it beg. Heard it shout.
So I did what it wanted. I sure won’t deny it –
I tasted its frosting in hopes of some quiet.
I started out slowly -- one finger, that’s all.
The line that I made in the frosting was small.
Then it begged and it whimpered and asked me for more….
So I pulled out a spoon from the silverware drawer.
I shouted “One mouthful. That’s it! Not another.”
But then the cake said “I’ll just call for your brother.”
Well, you know he’s so young he’d come in on the double.
He’d mess up that cake, and he’d be in such trouble.
That seemed so unfair, and because I respect him,
I kept right on eating. I had to protect him!
I ate and I ate ‘til my mouth was exhausted,
But now that cake’s quiet! (And also unfrosted).
I think you can see how there wasn’t a choice:
I had to do something to silence that voice.
I should stay right here to say “sorry,” I know…
But the TV is calling, so I gotta go!


The (last National Poetry Month) Poetry Friday roundup is here at the always faboo Miss Rumphius Effect. And I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

A Laundry Tip -- a laundry poem/a poem about laundry

A LAUNDRY TIP
By
Gregory K.

My underwear is now part blue
With blobs of pink and green.
Crayons in the wash are cool!!!
But they don’t get clothes clean.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Sounds Like the End of a Friendship -- an onomatopoeia poem/a poem about sounds

SOUNDS LIKE THE END OF A FRIENDSHIP
by
Gregory K.

Onomatopoeia...
I wouldn’t want to be ya.

You bonk and bang.
You clack and clang.
You thwack and thunk.
You clop and clunk.
You burp and boom.
You zip and zoom.
You splat and splash.
You crack and crash.

It’s hard to have you hang around
When silence is my favorite sound.

Onomatopoeia...
So long now. I’ll see ya.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

The Poet Talks Back -- a poem about writing/a poem about poetry

THE POET TALKS BACK
by
Gregory K.

You tire of my puns and jokes?
My meter makes you groan?
You think my rhymes are over-ripe?
My wordplay makes you moan?
There’s little I can say except it really could be worse…
I could become a backwards bard and only write inverse.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

You Can't Keep the News from the Gnus -- a very silly poem/a gnu poem

YOU CAN'T KEEP THE NEWS FROM THE GNUS
by
Gregory K.

The new zookeeper called the zoo’s gnu keeper
And asked, “Have the gnus heard the news?
We’re getting new gnus
From a slew of new zoos
In a deal we just couldn’t refuse.”

The zoo’s gnu keeper told the new zookeeper,
“We needed new gnus at the zoo!
But I’m telling you
When I told each zoo gnu
The new gnu news the gnus said they knew!”


(This has been dubbed "the silliest poem" I've written by someone who has read most everything I've written. I take that as high praise!)

I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Poetry Break

Actually, in this case not a Poetry Break! but instead a break from poetry posts. Not that I have much to say other than to thank y'all for your comments and emails and links and for signing up for the poetry list and, of course, for reading here in any form or fashion. I must say that April is a lot of fun here for me, and the 'excuse' to spend writing time every day on poetry is also quite nice.

Other than that, I'm finding April a month like most others. But there's still time for that to change... and more poetry to come, too. And with that, I gotta book!

I Do Not Like My Haircut -- a poem about a bad haircut/a haircut poem

I DO NOT LIKE MY HAIRCUT
by
Gregory K.

I do not like my haircut.
I’ll never get another.
Or if I do, next time, for sure, it won’t be from my brother.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Testing My Nerves -- a poem about nerves/a math test poem

TESTING MY NERVES
By
Gregory K.

Shake.
Quake.
Dry mouth.
Sweaty hands.
Can’t relax, can’t rest --
It must be time for my math test.

Yep, that's another Fib (this one fitting in for both National Poetry Month and Math Awareness Month).

I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

There's a Closet in my Nightmare -- a poem about nightmares/a nightmare poem

THERE’S A CLOSET IN MY NIGHTMARE
By
Gregory K.

There’s a closet in my nightmare
With a door that’s open wide.
It gives a perfect view of all the scary things inside.

My hangs-up hang on hangers.
Anxious thoughts dart left and right.
A case of nerves up on a shelf grows bigger every night.

My worries clump in giant groups.
Each fear sits all alone.
Lurking in dark corners is the scary, great unknown.

I used to try to stay awake –
I’d play or read a book.
I didn’t want to fall asleep and have to take a look.

Still, every night my eyes would shut.
I’d drift to sleep and then…
My mind would soon be staring in that closet once again.

But then one night I realized
I could choose to close the door….
Now that closet in my nightmare just can’t scare me anymore.


The Poetry Friday roundup is over at the Well-Read Child this week. Meanwhile, I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

My Toe -- a poem about a body part/a toe poem

MY TOE
By
Gregory K.

Does anyone know what I did with my toe?
I can’t seem to find it myself.
I’d taken it off to clean under the nail
Then put it up here on this shelf.

I put some clothes on and came back -- it was gone.
Now I’ve checked every room in the house.
I’m starting to think it was taken away
By our cat or our dog or a mouse.

I went to my dad and although he was sad,
He said, “Sorry, go check with your brothers.”
But no one has seen that poor little, lost toe....
Oh well. I still have nine others.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

My Friend Michelle -- a friendship poem/a cartoon poem/a poem about a friend

MY FRIEND MICHELLE
by
Gregory K.

My friend Michelle is made of ink.
Her skin is green. Her teeth are pink.
Her right eye’s blue, her left’s maroon.
Yes, she’s a real, live girl cartoon.
When we go walking down the street,
I think we shock the folks we meet.
She always gets so much attention
Since she’s missing one dimension.
“I’m not so flat,” she likes to say,
“Although I know I’m drawn that way.”
Her friendship could not be replaced.
I hope she’ll never be erased.
While some folks keep their joy sedated,
Not Michelle, she’s animated.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Halfway....

April's flying by, at least for me in the blogosphere. I've been having a grand old time reading, writing, and thinking poetry. Thanks to all y'all posting poetically (especially during Young People's Poetry Week, which this is), and particular thanks to all who've left comments or e-mailed me about my posted poems. It's appreciated!

A Doubleheader Sweep -- a doubleheader poem/a math poem/a concrete poem

It's another concrete poem, but this time I think layout won't be an issue....


A DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP
by
Gregory K.

won + won = too much fun.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

My Brother Plays Accordion -- an accordion poem/a musical instrument poem

MY BROTHER PLAYS ACCORDION
By
Gregory K.

My life was really good, but then…
My brother “learned” accordion.
Some folks play it well, but sadly…
Not my bro – he plays it badly.
He puts his fingers on the keys
Then gives that beast a mighty squeeze.
Sounds emerge… but they’re not notes.
Instead, it sounds like angry goats
Plus honking horns and fighting cats
With just a pinch of screeching bats.
My parents don’t know what to say,
And both of them have gone quite gray.
We all so miss those days back when
Before there was accordion
When life was good without a care…
And my sister’s bagpipes filled the air.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Tennis Doubles Trouble -- a tennis poem

TENNIS DOUBLES TROUBLE
by
Gregory K.


My doubles partner’s really bad.
We never win. It makes me mad.
I’d trade him but he’d get so sad.
I really I wish I never had
Teamed for doubles with my dad.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Read the Ending First -- a poem about reading/a poem about writing

READ THE ENDING FIRST
by
Gregory K.

Because you’ll read the ending first,
I wrote all this and then reversed.
I wrote all this and then reversed
Because you’ll read the ending first.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

The Answer is a Waffle -- a breakfast poem

THE ANSWER IS A WAFFLE
by
Gregory K.

What’s my favorite breakfast food?
That’s easy to decide.
It’s eggs cooked over easy with some bacon on the side.

Although, it might be cereal.
Or maybe jam and toast.
Actually, it’s cream of wheat that I enjoy most.

Or maybe, come to think of it,
It’s bagels with some lox.
Or maybe pancakes. No, it’s fruit, cut up in bite size blocks.

Or wait a second. Let me think:
A restaurant buffet!
Or maybe it’s, well, I don’t know...
I guess I just can’t say.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems". And it's Poetry Friday today, so head on over to A Wrung Sponge for all this week's offerings (including sonnets!).

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

A Boy's First Crush -- a first crush poem/a poem about a crush

A BOY’S FIRST CRUSH
by
Gregory K.

Oh, my. Oh, my. It’s rocked my world.
My heart skips beats. My toes are curled.
I think my cerebellum’s twirled!
And all because I’ve just been girled.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

If a Freight Train Carries Freight... -- a poem about words/a question poem

IF A FREIGHT TRAIN CARRIES FREIGHT…
By
Gregory K.

If a freight train carries freight,
Why can’t a school bus carry schools?
Does a seat belt carry seats just like a tool belt carries tools?

If garbage bags hold garbage,
Why don’t handbags all hold hands?
If newsstands sell the news to you, do bandstands sell you bands?

If house pets live right in your house,
Do carpets live in cars?
If Earthlings are us folks on Earth, do starlings live on stars?

It really isn’t clear to me
How words are formed and used.
I’m sure I’ll learn it all some day… but now I’m just confused.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

My New Trampoline -- a trampoline poem/ a concrete poem

I believe this is my first attempt at posting original concrete poetry here on the blog (though I've posted a Douglas Florian concrete poem before), so if any of you have huge trouble reading this, I'd appreciate a heads up about browser/net related issues. It looks good on my computer, at least!

MY NEW TRAMPOLINE
by
Gregory K.



Hey,        Look at           I finally           hang of



       Mom!           me now!         got the


                                                                                 OW!


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Head thataway!

Why not head on over to The Edge of the Forest for the jam-packed March/April edition? A whole bonus section of YA reviews along with the normal full complement of reviews (from picture books on up) AND so much more.

S'mores -- a camping poem/a s'mores poem

S’MORES
By
Gregory K.

The campfire burns. It’s 9:08.
I feel so good cuz I just ate
Two graham crackers, and chocolate, too,
With marshmallow turned to warm, white goo.
A treat indeed, a dripping mess.
A touch of melty joy -- oh yes!
It’s bedtime soon, but I’m not done.
I simply cannot stop at one.
Because, you see, it takes three s’mores
To make a night of happy s’nores.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

And he speaks, too.

You thought you'd get through a month with JUST poetry? Nah. Though today I just had a few more poetry notes to yak about. You know... like where to go if you want more to celebrate this month.

Like check out Squash Blossom and look over on the right hand side for all the people writing and posting a poem a day this month for NaPoWriMo (National Poetry WRITING Month). Note that this (and the next two links) aren't children's poetry specific!

Need ideas or prompts? Check out Robert Lee Brewer's Poetic Asides or Read Write Poem and get some inspiration.

And in April (or any time of the year, really) visit the Wild Rose Reader and be immersed in the world of children's poetry... and maybe even win a book like I did!

I'm Not a Superstitious Guy -- a poem about superstitions

I’M NOT A SUPERSTITIOUS GUY
By
Gregory K.

I’m not a superstitious guy.
I never knock on wood.
A 13 doesn’t frighten me, although some say it should.

I let cats cross in front of me
No matter if they’re black.
Sometimes I walk on sidewalks, and I step on every crack.

No, I’m not superstitious...
Though, there’s one thing, I suppose –
If things go well for me all day, I do not change my clothes.

So now I’ve got a problem:
What I’m wearing clearly reeks,
But things have gone fantastically for twenty-one straight weeks!



I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Cat-- a cat poem/a cat Fib

It's my first Fib of April (a few days after the second anniversary of Fibbery!)....

CAT
by
Gregory K.

Purr.
Purr.
I’m Cat.
Stretch and groom.
Sleep deep… and then zooooom!
Chasing something only I know.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Bubble Wrap -- a bubble wrap poem

BUBBLE WRAP
By
Gregory K.

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Snap! Snap! Snap!
We just got some bubble wrap!

Snap! Snap! Pop! Pop! Joy! Joy! Joy!
It’s not wrapping. It’s a toy!

Pop! Snap! Pop! Snap! Pop! Pop! Pop!
Never, ever gonna stop!

Pop! Pop! Snap! Snap! Fun! Fun! Fun!
Squish. Oh. Squish. No!
Sigh.
All done.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

And... it's Poetry Friday, and Becky has the roundup. Poetry Friday in National Poetry Month! You know it's gotta be good....

Allergic to Homework -- a homework poem/a poem about allergies

ALLERGIC TO HOMEWORK
by
Gregory K.

I said “I’m allergic to homework.
It makes me cough and wheeze.
You send me home with mounds to do,
And I just snuff and sneeze.”

My teachers would never believe me.
“Allergic? We think not.
Maybe see a doc,” they’d laugh,
“And you can get a shot.”

Today my teachers aren’t laughing,
And I don’t mean to gloat,
But they can’t give me homework now:
I’ve got a doctor’s note!


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

My Dad's A Hippopotamus -- an animal poem/a zoo poem/a point of view poem

MY DAD’S A HIPPOPOTAMUS
by
Gregory K.


My dad’s a hippopotamus.
He’s dad to quite a lot of us.
You think that’s strange? I don’t know why,
Since we’re all hippopotami.

We’re friends with a rhinoceros,
Who I think looks preposterous.
I’m glad that I don’t spend time bein’
Something so rhinocerian.

We live next to a crocodile.
He’s over there on his own isle.
He’s got big bumps on each short limb.
I’m glad that I don’t look like him.

We also know a chimpanzee,
The strangest creature that you’ll see.
Those gangly arms look out of place,
And I would never want his face.

Right nearby’s an ocelot.
He likes to mew and roar a lot.
With spots and splotches hard to miss,
I think he looks ridiculous.

But there’s one creature that we see
That’s most absurd. We all agree.
It comes to visit at our zoo.
And...oh... how sad! It looks like you.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round, because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

More... and elsewhere at that.

Ya know, it's not just a National Poetry Month here at GottaBook. It's everywhere, I tell ya. But more specifically, if you go over to this post at A Wrung Sponge, you'll see who's doing what and where. For example, fellow Cybils judge Jone is blogging a poem a day at Deo Writer and the poetry club she runs at school is writing poems and mailing 'em out on postcards! (Want one? Check it out!)

Anyway, if you hadn't noticed, I love the whole community aspect of this month, too, so I hope you click off and see what else is going on.

Books From Where? -- a poem about books/a library poem

BOOKS FROM WHERE?
by
Gregory K.

This book says the world is flat.
That book says a wolf’s a cat.
That book says a peach is bread.
This book says that green is red.
This book says we drink the air.
That book says a baseball’s square.
That book says the ocean’s dry.
This book says that boys don’t cry.

These books are great, don’t you agree?
I got them from the Liebrary.


I'm posting an original poem each day in April in celebration of National Poetry Month, and I thought this one had a nice April Fools kinda touch to it to get things started. Links to this and other poems here on GottaBook (and I post all year round because poetry is NOT just for April!) are collected over on the right of the blog under the headline "The Poems".

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Poetry. Yes, poetry.

I post a lot of my poetry here at GottaBook, and not just in April (although EVERY day in April!). It's a lot of fun writing and posting, and I want to make it as easy as possible for folks to read it. So, I started a mailing list (specifically a Google Group) to send out each poem I post as it hits the blog. You don't get the other blog posts... just poetry. And, of course, it's freeeeeee. There are two easy ways to get on the list:

Enter your email address in the box below and click subscribe.

Or...

Click here and e-mail me.

If you need a more complicated way, I'm sure I can find one. But for now, I hope these do the trick!

Carnival time is here once more....

Yes, it's time for the March Carnival of Children's Literature hosted over at the Reading Tub (where you should dive in and read any old time). I'd like to tell you I was too focused on poetry to participate this month, but it was probably more that March was a blur. Regardless, that's some mighty fine collected reading over there....

The Final Four

Yes, the NCAA tourney is down to the final four teams (all number one seeds, in fact), but I'm sorry to report that Little Big League didn't make it to the big show in the Major League Baseball movie madness event. Field of Dreams was in the same bracket, and, while the results of anything other than the final four are not available, I like to think LBL lost out in a squeaker to what was clearly the number one seed.

I'd also like to know what the heck the percentage numbers after each movie title means. But, then again, I'd also like to know the secret to folding fitted sheets all by oneself. I think my odds are better on the latter....

A Poetry Friday blast from the past!

I figured today was the right Friday to repost the poem that lead of last year's April extravaganza. Cuz really, April 1st is right around the corner, and you gotta get ready. So... as originally posted here...

APRIL FOOLS
by
Gregory K.

Someone took my toothpaste tube and filled it up with jam.
Someone changed my sandwich into fluffernut-and-ham.
Someone laced my sneakers so they tie down by my toes.
Someone changed the vacuum so it doesn't suck, it blows.
Someone poured the sugar out and filled the bowl with salt.
Someone messed up all the clocks and made it seem my fault.
For me today, I have to say, it's nervousness that rules....
Since all that happened yesterday and now it's April Fools'!


Go on and check out the poetry Friday roundup hosted over at Cuentesitos. You'll be glad you did! (And oh yeah... you can sign up to have all my poems, and really just the poems, e-mailed to you as they hit my blog. Look over on the sidebar for a SUBSCRIBE button or shoot me an e-mail, and I'll sign you up).

Out of left field....

A friend alerted me to a bit of my past today -- you can actually vote for Little Big League (which I wrote, ya see), in a Major League Baseball movie madness... uh... mashup with the NCAA bracket system? Yeah. Like that.

Click here to see what I mean.

Voting ends today (and note that you actually have to vote in every bracket to make your votes count). This is, indeed, a bit of an odd looking event, but I have to say it amused me no end to see LBL listed in the "Left Field" category....

One week....

That's all that's left until National Poetry Month (and Mathematics Awareness Month), and I'm busy scribing and poet-ing and all that good stuff. I've got the email list (subscribe over on my sidebar and get every poem (and only the poems) of mine as I post it to the blog). I've got a pile of discarded poems already. What's missing?

Only April! Bring it on, I say. Bring it on.

The floor is open....

Once again I'm asking for suggestions for future Oddaptations. I've got a few more raring to go, but I'm always trying to get the names of classics folks think should be... uh... abridged so sweetly :-)

Feel free to email or leave in comments or just say "YES!" when I post the book you were thinking....

No way....

You know how there's all those "100th day of school" books and the like? Well, I realized we're only a couple weeks away from the 100th day of 2008. ALREADY????

I find that startling. Oh, sure, I know... 16 more to go and that's a lot of time. But still... 84 days? Even that's gotta be a mistake.

Pizazz.

It's about to be time for the Sweet Sixteen and the Elite Eight and Final Four over in NCAA basketball land, so I started thinking that maybe other big prizes need that same time of buildup to the final prize. Like maybe the Newbery Award should have seeds and public elimination rounds and cool nicknames for different brackets.

And then I realized that we'd need our own TV network and slogans, too ("The Road to the Fictional Four!"), and it starts to get kinda expensive and unwieldy. So maybe we should just hire cheerleaders and marching bands? A little pizazz could be could, don'tcha think?

Poetry. Did I mention poetry?

Elaine has this week's Poetry Friday roundup (which includes a link to her own faboo post of resources for National Poetry Month).

In case y'all haven't gathered this, I'm excited about the upcoming month (hence my talking about it and setting up a subscription list for my original poems. But the key thing to remember is that poetry happens all year long, and you don't need a month or a Friday to enjoy it. Right? Right!

Another way to skin the poetry cat.

Thanks for the interest in having my poetry mailed out to you. In response to a couple questions asked today... no, you don't have to go through the Subcribe feature if you'd rather click here and e-mail me and ask your way in. If you e and ask, I'll add you.

Options, I tell ya! Options.

Poetry in your inbox?

So, I know there are many folks who subscribe to various feeds of GottaBook. And I know there's many of you out there popping in on a regular basis. (And thanks!). But now I'm offering something new: you can subscribe to my new Google Group and get every poem I post on the blog emailed to you. Yup, just the poetry (including Oddaptations and also, I suppose, any hugely important announcements) but not the other blog posts. Hey, I still want you reading every day, but since I'm doing 30 original poems starting April 1st, I'd love to spread the poetic joy. So, I hope you'll sign up and tell your friends and enemies to sign up, too. And most of all... ENJOY!



Subscribe to Gregory K's GottaBook Poetry Group and get all his new poems mailed to you as they hit the blog.

Email:

The Blogging of the Green

Do you like what I did to my blog? Turning it all green for St. Patrick's day was a nice trick here at O'Gotta, and.... What? OK, sure, fine -- it's always been green.

Whatever. I was just trying to get into the spirit of things....

Speaking of which, does anyone have any great St. Patrick's Day picture books they're recommend? I drew a total blank when asked earlier this weekend....

Like a rolling cat in the hat?

This week's Poetry Friday roundup is over at jama rattigan's alphabet soup... and it's got a Bob Dylan slant to it. Lotta folks post and discuss their favorite Dylan songs and it's pretty fun to see. Now, I'm a big old Dylan fan myself, but I think my Dylan tribute, instead, will once again be "Dylan" singing... but the lyrics of Seuss. (Scroll down on the link, if needed)

Rocking!

Gearing up!

Yes, though you can't see behind the scenes (behind the screen?) at GottaBook, there's work being done on this end as National Poetry Month draws near. What 30 poems of the day will be on the blog? Will there even be 30 or will I fall short? And what other (if any) surprises should happen hereabouts in April?

It's busy, I tell ya! Bizzzzzeeeee. But that's good....

Parts of speech

Apparently, I didn't get the memo, but for reasons unknown to me, folks keep ending up at my blog today, searching for various parts of speech. Was today National Noun Day or something?

It'd be kinda fun to have Parts of Speech Days, I think. Past Participle Day would probably end up like Arbor Day -- unappreciated and rarely celebrated. But think of the fun with greeting cards on Interjection Day!

Those with a hotline to Hallmark, please get in touch.

Oddaptation: Horton Hears a Who

Seemed like a fine time for another Oddaptation to me, and since it is my blog... you get one! For those not familiar with my Oddaptations, you can see them all collected over on the right (cleverly under the headline "The Oddaptations"). Or if you don't want to read others, just think of them as kinda Cliff's Notes/Spark notes of picture books... but with some attitude (and rhyme) thrown in. So with no further ado...


HORTON HEARS A WHO
by Dr. Seuss
Oddaptation by Gregory K.

Every Who down in Who-ville liked Horton a lot,
But a sour kangaroo and some monkeys did NOT!
They all hated Horton, who claimed there were houses
And Whos on some dust that was too small for mouses.

So they hatched an idea.
An awful idea.
Those beasts hatched a wonderful, awful idea.

They stole the Who dust speck! They stole Horton’s clover!
When Horton re-found it, his troubles weren’t over.
Before Horton knew it, the beasts had him bound!
The Whos knew that soon they would surely be drowned!
They had to be noticed. They HAD to make noise.
‘Twas no time for shirking or playing with toys.

Then when every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small,
Was ruckusing (without any presents at all),
The beasts heard a sound rising out of the speck --
A final, clear “yopp” had saved every Who neck!

And what happened then? Well, in Who-ville they say
They gained a whole lot of protectors that day
And learned that if every last person unites
You’re probably gonna win most of your fights.
But otherwise know as you bellow and bawl...
You’re only one person, no matter how small.



It's also Poetry Friday and the links are up over at The Simple and the Ordinary. Go on and check it all out.

Another birthday come and gone...

But not mine! It was once again Dr. Seuss' birthday and celebrations seemed to be going on in many different places. It should come as no surprise to anyone who reads this blog that I'm a pretty sizable Seuss fan, so I've used his b-day as an excuse to read, read-aloud, and study Seuss, trying to continue figuring out just what makes so many of his stories so faboo. Good times. Good times, indeed.

Journey to the Edge...

The Edge of the Forest, that is -- the February issue is up, and even though it's March now, it's mighty fine reading. Go on... check it out.

Tagged. And lazy???

King of Pond Scum Alan Silberberg tagged me with a "5 Things about Me" meme. I told him I'd do it since I couldn't remember if I'd ever done it... and it seemhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifed doable. I woke up this morning and thought "hey, wait! I shouldn't have eaten that last piece of pie. AND I'm sure I did this meme." So, Alan -- I up you by 60% and replay my reply to the EIGHT things about me meme (with three changes to the eight for the alert/obsessed/daily readers among you)....

1) There's an X-Files character who shares my name.

2) I have held an Oscar. It was heavy!

3) If they were healthier, I'd eat ribs a lot more. Even still, I'm always on the hunt for great rib shacks (and LA has a lot!).

4) I have a copy of Winnie the Pooh in Esperanto. At one point in time I was convinced I'd learn Esperanto. Then... uh... I don't remember what happened, but I can safely say it's never been a problem that I'm not fluent.

5) I'm allergic to cats, and they, of course, love me. There are certain people that enjoy placing me with cats, anyway, because when I'm around felines too long, I lose my voice!

6) Every year, I attempt to decaffeinate for two weeks. Please note the word "attempt."

7) At one point in my life, I could do the Rubik's cube in under 15 seconds. Now, I could probably do it in under 15 days, but I make no promises.

8) I have never met a Game Seven of a best of seven sporting event that I didn't like. Team Handball, Albania vs. Malta, Game Seven??? Let's make popcorn!


Now, as is tradition around here, every single one of you is tagged. Go on. Tell us things.

End your weekend at a carnival....

Leap Day was also the coming out of the latest Carnival of Children's Literature. Sure, it's been up for two days, but you should still run on over to Anasatasia's blog and check it out (even though I failed, again, to get my act in gear and get a post in there!).

Leap Day Baby -- a Leap Day poem/a birthday poem

LEAP DAY BABY
by
Gregory K.

My father never acts his age.
My mother says that's great.
See, Dad's a leap day baby and today he's turning eight!


Now go leap on over to the Poetry Friday roundup hosted by the uber-wonderful Kelly Fineman and get a bonus helping of poetry in February. You'll be glad you did... and it's probably the only time I'll ask you to leap. So c'mon already. LEAP!

If you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Pre-Leaping

I was gonna just skip today on the blog, but somehow it seems so wrong not to just note that tomorrow is leap day. I mean it's my first leap day blogging but my third February 28th. I was figuring that that had to be good for something. And then I realize... huh, the only thing it might be good for is a blog post.

And even there, I'm just not sure!

Talking Math

As in Scholastic's MATH magazine.

As in here's this month's contents. Or to quote from it, "You want more math in literature? You've got it! We look at the Internet phenomenon known as “Fibs”--poems based on the Fibonacci sequence."

I haven't seen the magazine yet, but maybe some of you middle school teachers (or students) out there have. Regardless, "phenomenon" alone makes me a happy fellow!

More later, but now I gotta book.....

Putting a focus on Fibs

At some point, I'll have my own big ol' website, not just my blog. In the interim, I'd been trying to come up with a way to keep a focus on Fibs and Fibonacci poetry while not changing the mix around here (which, if you've been here other than today, you'll know includes way more). But how? Enter Squidoo.

And more specifically... my Squidoo lens on Fibonacci poetry.

For those saying "huh" about now, Squidoo is a site that lets you create your own page on a subject, sharing your passion or knowledge or anything else, I suppose. From my point of view, it looks like a place to collect some Fib information without it getting lost here even while Fibs will continue to be part and parcel of what I do here (including those handy links along the right hand side).

So, feel free to go check it out and tell me what's missing (or not), what's clear (or not), and, as always, any winning lottery numbers you have (in advance, natch). Thanks!

Sunday fun....

OK, it's not really children's literature related, but it's Lego and that's always good, right? Right.

So check out Block Death -- A Museum of Horrors if you want to see creativity in full bloom. I'm a big fan of the Torture Classics and the Troubles Abroad. And remember... it's Lego so it's not as gruesome as it sounds!

Mom's Meatloaf -- a food poem/a meatloaf poem

Mom’s Meatloaf
By
Gregory K.

What “meat” this is, I cannot say,
Upon my plate, a slab of gray.
The texture doesn’t give a clue,
But makes it not much fun to chew.
I wonder, did it cluck or moo?
Or oink or baa? Or bark or mew?
What meat this is, I’ll never know.
It sure is mighty tasty, though!



Hungry for more? Kelly is hosting the Poetry Friday roundup today, so be sure to go on and check it out.

GottaBook 2.0!

Well, not exactly -- but today is the 2nd anniversary of life here at GottaBook. True, I kinda sputtered into it on a weak week of posting, but in general, there's been more life than not, and it remains a lot of fun.

Thanks to all who stop by and make it worth blogging. And... hold on... yup! It's confirmed. The official gift for a 2nd blogoversary is chocolate! Feel free to be official (and note that you have a couple month window. Longer if it's really good stuff. I'm just saying....).

Lonnnnng weekend

I think every writer should get a long weekend once a month just to write.

Anyone know any senators or congresspeople who might pass that law?

No?

Oh well... guess I'll just make use of the short week instead....

Just a giggle...

... but I've gotten hundreds of visits here at Gottabook this week because of the opening of the movie of The Spiderwick Chronicles. And why, you ask, are folks coming here? Because of this post... and the fact that so many people think that that is actually the name of the book/movie and search the web for info. Go figure... but it's definitely good to see children's literature with that many fans, even if it takes 'em two tries to find what they're really looking for.

Keep the poetry coming....

One of the great bonuses of judging the Cybils is that it made me (or gave me an excuse) to think seriously about poetry -- what I like, what works, what kids respond to, and even what's possible in a collection. As I noted, I found Joyce Sidman's Cybil winning This is Just to Say absolutely fantastic... and I learned a ton as I tried to express exactly why... and why I put it ahead of the other impressive finalists. Good times and a great exercise.

For more things poetic, go on and check out this week's Poetry Friday roundup hosted over at Hip Writer Mama's place. And keep the poetry coming!

I "heart" the Cybils

Break out the box of candy and the red hearts -- it's Cybils Day! Yes, the winners have been announced this morning and the list is right here. Unsurprisingly, it looks like a great list of books.

In the Poetry category, in which I was a judge, we chose Joyce Sidman's remarkable This Is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness. A fuller blurb is over on the Cybils site, but I'd just say that it was a fantastic, funny, inspiring, and emotionally powerful collection of poetry for children (and their adults!). You'd do well, I'm sure, checking out all the winners, but if you're a poetry fan, you really must go find This Is Just to Say.

It was a real privilege (and challenge) judging for the Cybils this year. And now that it's done, it's time to start reading this year's books so I can think of nominees for next year.

A little followup

So yesterday I linked to me yakking, including the best advice I'd heard about writing in rhyme. And it turns out that yesterday, fellow Californian/blogger/joke lover Terry Pierce posted a nice little interview with editor Kristin Daly that also talks about writing in rhyme. Goooood stuff!

Hey... I know that guy!

Over on The Write Marbles site, they've got an interview with some guy talking about rhyme, Fibs, and a school library. Hey, wait a second... that's me! By all means go check it out, and here's hoping I made sense!

Ticking and Tocking

There are now two countdowns on my horizon. The first is the ticking of the clock until the announcements of the Cybil awards on the 14th. The second is the new countdown to the possible lifting of the Writers Guild of America strike. That should be decided by Tuesday evening (Pacific time). The buzz makes it look likely, and many friends of mine are gearing up to head back to work soon.

Lots to look forward to this week, that's for certain. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock!

Friday, Friday, Friday!

Wouldn't it be great if there were commercials for Poetry Friday that were like those classic TV commercials for big old auto events. And hey... what about Poetry Demolition Derby!

But in lieu of that, why not head over to where Gina's blogging and check out this week's Poetry Friday roundup? Good. And I'll see ya later....

Then again...

... now having had the Net back, I'm starting to wonder if things weren't better when I was disconnected! Sitting with a yellow pad and a pen (you remember those, I hope) knowing that there was no escape to the web probably made me less distracted than I'd been in... I dunno... 15 years? Well, maybe not, but I can definitely see spending a week or two without access when I'm in the midst of a project.

Ya, I know. That's crazy talk! But try it for a day and let me know what you think....

Technical difficulties

Whew. A full day without online access has come and gone, and I've lived to tell about it. It is remarkable (and perhaps a tad scary) how attached to the Net I've become. To wit: I wasn't around this weekend to post here, but when I was able to Monday, my online connection was gone. Yes, I coulda gone elsewhere, no doubt, but I had much to do at home. And I kept checking, but noooo. And I felt frustrated that I couldn't post. Then I felt bad. Then I felt sad. Then I had chocolate and it was all fine. But I will admit that I was quite happy to wake up this morning and know that I could once again answer email, blog, and follow the news of Super Tuesday all without ever having to get dressed!

Hey, it's the simple things in life, ya know?

Mulling on Poetry Friday

Yes, I'm in a thinking mode today. See, it's two months to the day until National Poetry Month begins. The past two years, I've posted a poem a day during April (all of which are still on the blog, by the way, with links collected over on the right hand side). And now I'm mulling... this year, too? Yes, I enjoy it, but it's 30 poems, and I don't want them to stink, ya know? So... to post or not, that is the question. Thoughts and ideas always welcome.

And while you mull, too, why not head over to Karen Edmisten's blog and check out today's Poetry Friday roundup. It's like National Poetry Month in one post... or something like that.