Hope Anita Smith - Education/Application

Education/Application
by
Hope Anita Smith

Today
I learned that
Bessie Coleman was
the first African American woman
to fly
I could hardly stay in my seat
White folks had me believin’
black folks was chained to the earth
weighted down by the color of our skin
And now this
I was wearin’ my Sunday go to meetin; dress
and my black patent leather shoes
but I couldn’t resist
climbing up on the wall
at Benson Street Park on the way home
I spread my arms and walked to the edge
imagining Bessie sailing above
cutting through clouds
and when I could stand it no longer
I bent myself at the knees
and propelled myself into
possibility
why, I do believe
I flew

© Hope Anita Smith. All rights reserved.

---

Hope Anita Smith has a rather remarkable way with words. I mean, really now, "propelled myself into possibility" is one of those perfectly placed and formed phrases that will never leave my mind and will always be associated with this poem, its story, and the emotional rush I felt at the end. Emotions, in fact, are something that I associate with her poetry in general -from the powerful story of a family in crisis in The Way a Door Closes right through the sadness and healing in Mother Poems, her words pack a powerful punch.

A few years ago here in LA, I decided to go to an SCBWI schmooze where Hope was the featured guest. I didn't know anything about her or her poetry at the time, but I figured I should go and listen since I kinda like writing poetry, too. I was totally blown away not only by what she shared, but how she shared it... the openness, the humor, the honesty, the words. It was a casual evening, but the impact was, like her poetry, quite strong. It's a fond memory for me, and one of many reasons I'm so happy to be able to have Hope Anita Smith here today, sharing her poetry at 30 Poets/30 Days.

The Poetry Friday roundup is over at Random Noodling today. There's a ton of great stuff in the Kidlitosphere this month, so head on over and check it out for another jolt of poetry fun.

Yesterday here at GottaBook we had Something Sweet from Ed DeCaria. Tomorrow... Burning Hot Banana from JonArno Lawson! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.

The Late Bird vs. Shel Silverstein - a Giveaway and Launch Party!

My e-book, The Late Bird, is just over one week old, and I never gave it a real celebration. So, to fix that, I'm hosting a launch party giveaway!

Yup, I'm giving away a copy of The Late Bird to someone who comments on this post, and I might be giving away as many as 10 copies. It all depends on what happens when The Late Bird goes birdo-a-mano with Shel Silverstein.

Rumble!

By the way... I found where.

You see, I'm a geek. And I've noticed that Shel Silverstein dominates Amazon's best seller list of children's humorous poetry. No surprise there... other than the TOTAL domination. I mean, I once saw my book behind TWO different editions of Light in the Attic and THREE editions of Where the Sidewalk Ends! Wow! Heck, I haven't seen any book break into the top five other than Shel and his four big poetry collections.

Now, I love those books, but the geek in me got to wondering what it takes to move into the top five on that chart. And I figure if there's ever a time that it's likely for me to observe that, it's when I'm actively launching The Late Bird.

So, of Course... A GIVEAWAY!

Yup. You don't have to do ANYTHING other than leave a comment here for a chance to win The Late Bird. I'll count the comments at 11:59 PM on Monday, April 23 and give away a copy to a random commenter (number taken from Random.org).  

And, I'll give away another copy for each place the Late Bird moves up (if any) in the top 5.

If somehow the Bird gets to number one, I'll give away 10 copies. I'll hold to this through May 15th, even though the comments close Monday. Also, I will buy a copy of each Shel Silverstein book that gets passed for the library where I volunteer, if it isn't already on the shelves (which might be all 4).

I'll need your email address to get you the book, so I'll have to contact the winner(s) - make sure you don't comment anonymously!

Wow, Greg. Can I Do Anything Else Beside Comment?

Sure you can! You can tell your friends about The Late Bird and this giveaway. You can buy dozens of copies of the book to up your odds of winning here (then send the copy you win to someone else, cuz it can go to any email address). Or you can buy one, even. You can let folks know they don't need a Kindle to read the book.

You can leave reviews on Amazon or elsewhere if you've read it, or add tags on Amazon that fit the book. You can follow along the list to make it a spectator sport and share in geekery with me!

And most of all, you can realize that I really am just celebrating the release of the e-book and, despite my geeky desire to gather statistics, I truly am happy to have all of you here to share my excitement with, and I hope you'll join in the fun for that reason alone. You're all a huge part of why the book exists, and I truly didn't put out the e-book to rival one of my poetry heroes.

Let the Games Begin!

Thanks for sticking around these parts. I look forward to giving at least one of you a copy of The Late Bird. Will it be you? Only if you comment, I say! So let the fun begin....

(EDITED TO ADD: Mike Hays, commenter 38, is the big winner!)

Ed DeCaria - Something Sweet

Something Sweet
by
Ed DeCaria

My nostrils flare to greet
           a subtle drift of something sweet;

Like perfume of a princess,
           on my nose it takes a seat.

A savory sensation,
           a surprising nasal treat;

One tantalizing trace, I know
           my life is now complete.

An odor so omnipotent,
           an essence so elite;

A fragrance so phenomenal,
           it simply can't be beat.

Impossibly provocative
           for something so petite;

There's really nothing else quite like...

                                                 the smell
                                                 of my own feet.

© Ed DeCaria. All rights reserved.

---

Ed DeCaria is probably best known right now in the children's poetry world for launching the fantastic, poetic March Madness bash this year, but it won't be long, I don't think, before he's far better known for his poetry. He's a whiz at engaging the senses via wordplay and word choice, and for me at least, when Ed's poetry is around, there's laughter afoot, even when he treads in areas that could easily be booted to the scrap heap.

Ed's Home on the Web

I "met" Ed before Madness began, connected by our shared love of baseball and poetry (and baseball poetry). And what I've learned since is that he's got one of those creative genius minds I love being around - from launching and running an event at his site that must've exhausted himself to writing about baseball stats to creating incredibly clever, inventive poetry to uniting a community, he makes it all seem fun and effortless. I'm a fan, clearly, and I'm exceedingly excited to get a chance to shine a light on Ed DeCaria's poetry today here at 30 Poets/30 Days. 

Yesterday, Leslie Bulion gave us The Theory of Everything. Tomorrow, Education/Application from Hope Anita Smith! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.

Leslie Bulion - The Theory of Everything

The Theory of Everything
by
Leslie Bulion

Loopity, whippity,
Such supersymmetry,
Forces and matter are
Built from one thing.

Making our universe
Extra-dimensional,
Singing with grace notes from
Vibrating string.


Science Note:

According to string theory, also known as “the theory of everything,” every particle in the universe, and even forces like gravity, are made from infinitesimally small loops. These loops wiggle and vibrate in extra dimensions we can’t really imagine, but can only explain with physics and math. Strings are thought to be the building blocks of all matter and energy, and how they wiggle determines whether they’re a quark in a carbon atom or whether they’re a photon of light!

© Leslie Bulion. All rights reserved.

---

One of my favorite things about hosting 30 Poets/30 Days is that I never know what I'm going to see as poems start coming in. I love the surprises in form. I get excited by the subjects. And when Leslie Bulion sent me a poem about string theory (and a double dactyl, at that!), well, I did a big old happy dance. Wordplay and cool science in one poem makes my geeky heart skip a beat, I tell you. To make things better still, Leslie wrote this poem based on her upcoming middle grade novel, The Universe of Fair (coming in August from Peachtree). Can you guess who's looking forward to reading that? Can ya? Can ya? (All those who guessed "Greg" can stay after class and help clean up the comments.)

In Leslie's last poetry collection,  At the Sea Floor Cafe (Odd Ocean Critter Poems), there was a similarly excellent mix of facts, fun, and form. To me, this mix is always a winning one... and when I've read the book with kids, I've discovered that, in fact, it's not just me who sees it that way. I'm looking forward to her novel, more poems on string theory, and whatever else Leslie Bulion throws our way... and I'm thrilled to have her here at GottaBook today as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.

Yesterday, Ellen Hopkins brought us Small Surprises. Tomorrow... Ed DeCaria offers up Something Sweet! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.

Ellen Hopkins - Small Surprises

Small Surprises
by
Ellen Hopkins

                      I

Traversing the hardscrabble hillside,
scattered shale makes empty promises
beneath your feet, rock
over boulder, beige
over brown.
The day leans long toward the west
and monotony clings to you like dust,
spattered in your sweat.
Below, sage and bitterbrush smear
to the far horizon. You tire
of the sameness. And you wonder
if God has grown tired, too.
In answer, at your feet, a sudden spray
of scarlet—Indian paintbrush,
rooted in sandstone.


                       II

Surfing waves of high meadow
wasteland, your boots trample
the blackened grass, lift
a memory of smoke-strangled skies,
wind, coughing cinders,
and the cries of those who fled.
At the perimeters, scorched
cadavers—Jeffrey pine
and juniper—bear intimate testimony
to the arrogance of man, careless
keeper of the flame.
Humbled in the face of such destruction,
you stumble to find,
midst charcoal and ashes,
a solitary green seedling.
Nearby, a thrush begins to sing.


                      III

With a tweak of the faucet, steam rises
to transform the temperate space
behind your shower curtain.
You enter your porcelain rainforest,
step on a blue plastic tugboat.
A curse foams up
into your throat, but before it can bubble
out, you consider existence
minus blue plastic tugboats,
wooden trains and Hot Wheels cars.
This child, thrust into your ordered life,
has roiled it into chaos
and cluttered your neat, neutral
rooms with tissue paper
collages, lopsided dream catchers
and crayoned I love you’s—small surprises
of great magnitude.

© Ellen Hopkins. All rights reserved.

---

There is something magical in the way Ellen Hopkins puts words on a page. It's more than just her remarkable word choice and imagery, though that's a huge part of it. But for me, it's also in how she uses space and line breaks in a way that I study and study to try and understand how they make everything even more powerful than it already is. I must note, though, that what usually happens for me is that I plan to "study" Ellen's writing but simply end up reading, even though I've read it before.

Ellen's currently writing for both teens and adults (no, no... not just her books which have always been read by adults, too. I mean targeted for adults!). But did you know that she'd written 20 non-fiction books for kids before she published Crank? This fact has always made me happy, as it not only shows the power of hard work and perseverance, but it also shows all of us who create that we should keep doing so. I think Ellen has found her voice, indeed, and I love, love, love the way she has bonded with her readers and with people in the writing community, too. For me, it's truly a huge pleasure and privilege to have Ellen Hopkins here today at 30 Poets/30 Days.

Yesterday, we had Amy Ludwig VanDerwater and Secret. Tomorrow, Leslie Bulion with The Theory of Everything! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.

Me and Spaghetti!

Just a quick note to say that you can see me and hear me over at Renée LaTulippe's No Water River today... on video with my poem I Went to the Farm Where Spaghetti is Grown.

And there's an interview and everything. I hope you'll go check it out. And thanks, Renée,  for having me!

Amy Ludwig VanDerwater - Secret

Secret
by
Amy Ludwig VanDerwater

One hushdark night I saw an owl
silentswooping near my head.
I still could feel its eyes on me
as I tumbletossed in bed.

I had a sensefamiliar.
Had I met this owl before?
Timidly I tiptoed
in my slippers to the door.

High on a branch I found a face
all goldengaze and pointybeak.
My breathing disappeared.
I froze.
I listened to the creature speak --

You know me, Child. I am your cat.
This is my secret – moonlitflight.
I’ll see you when the sun wakes up.
Go back to sleep.
Meow.
Good night.

© Amy Ludwig VanDerwater. All rights reserved.

---

The Secret Inspiration

When I read an Amy Ludwig VanDerwater poem, I always feel like she wrote it just for me. I don't know if its her word choices, her phrasing, her subject matter (though that's so varied, I can't imagine it's that), or exactly what it is... but they get in my head and stay there. I think I first noticed this when Amy wrote a poem a day on her blog, The Poem Farm, back in April, 2010... and continued EVERY DAY until April, 2011. And never once did I feel like the poems didn't connect with me. Pretty amazing when you think of it. Heck, even with some of my own poems I look back on them and shrug!

Amy's had poems in anthologies for years now (most recently in the Lee Bennett Hopkins anthology, Nasty Bugs), but starting next year, she'll be having books of her own. First up, most likely, will be Forest Has a Song (from Clarion) with Reading Time (from Wordsong) coming soon, too. That's exciting for a fan like me. Until then, I'll be reading her poems at her blog... and being incredibly grateful that I was able to have Amy Ludwig VanDerwater here today as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.

Yesterday, we had Cattail from Eric Ode. Tomorrow... Small Surprises from Ellen Hopkins! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.

Eric Ode - Cattail

Cattail
by
Eric Ode

What a strange and silly cat
to make yourself at home like that
with no concern for rain or flood;
your tender paws in sticky mud.

What fussy pussy cat would dare
to stroll the marsh and settle there
and never hiss or spit or stir
while on your tail
a blackbird sits
and nips and nibbles at your fur?

© Eric Ode. All rights reserved.

---

Eric Ode is another one of those multi-talented poet folk I keep running across. Obviously, he can flat out write, as Cattail demonstrates with its imaginative view of what's happening in the marsh. His multiple books and his poems in anthologies (and on a Grammy winning CD!) give further proof (and lots of laughs, too). Yet beyond that, he's an award-winning, guitar-playing singer-songwriter. And, because it makes me happy, we're making a brief switch from verse to some verses to hear Eric sing his own composition, This Song Has No Elephants -



 (If the video is not showing up for you, you can find it here on YouTube)

I can only imagine the fun of an in-class experience with Eric's poetry and music combined. Personally, I'd settle for either one, but since I can't have that at the moment, I'm thrilled to have Eric Ode here for myself (and all of you!) today at 30 Poets/30 Days.

Yesterday, Michael Salinger put us through us through a workout with The Rock Climber. Tomorrow... Amy Ludwig VanDerwater with Secret! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.

Helping The Late Bird Fly....

Thanks for all your kind words this week here, on Twitter, on Facebook, in email, and in the ether about the launch of my first ever e-book (chock full of poetry galore!). Thanks, too, to all of you who helped spread the word. Y'all rock!

I haven't gotten a review yet, so I sit nervously wondering if it'll be a one-star slam - "imperfect words in an imperfect order!" - or something else. (Those who love the book and aren't related to me, by the way, feel free to review!) I am sure when reviews happen, I'll find something else to think about, too.

I plan to have the ebook available for Nook and iBooks soon, but I wanted to share some links here because the truth is, you do NOT need a specialized reading device to read the book. You can read it on your Mac, PC, iPhone, and iPad by downloading a free Kindle app:

Kindle for Mac
Kindle for PC
Kindle for iPod, iPhone, and iPad are all available through the App Store. 

(The truth, by the way, is that I don't have a Kindle or dedicated e-reader of my own. Go figure!)

These first few days of watching The Late Bird fly have been a blast for me, and that's mostly because of all of you and the support and cheering and encouragement all that good stuff. So, thank you again!  I look forward to sharing more news and such with you sooooon, but now, I'm gonna dive into some poetry. Hope to see you there!

Michael Salinger - The Rock Climber

The Rock Climber
by
Michael Salinger

Belay off
They tell you to never look down
The average climbing rope is 50 meters long
And rated by the number of falls
It can withstand
Because
It is expected that you are going to lose your grip
And these ropes are designed to stretch
Up to 6.5%
Absorbing your body’s weight
As it accelerates
Thirty two point one eight feet
Per second per second
Spring-backing you to a stop
Rather than snapping you in half
But with a carabineer click
You’ve unhooked yourself
Belay off
And up you scale
Chalk absorbs hand sweat
But not your fingertip pain
Trigger loaded cams
Sway at your waist
Like a cluster of colored pendulums
Picked one by one
Inserted into fissures and cracks
Then left behind
As if they were antique keys
Poking from an attic’s trunk
And you look up
Because you’ve been warned to never look down
Feeling for imperfections in the rock
Facilitating enough friction
That you may cling to its face
As you surmount this obstacle
One hand
One foot
At a time
Simply
           Because
                        It is there
And once you’ve reached the summit
Before you spy your next climb
Go ahead
Look down
See how far you’ve come
Belay off

© Michael Salinger. All rights reserved.

---

Yowza, I say! I love when a poet places me in a new world and teaches me about it without my even realizing, as Michael Salinger does in The Rock Climber. I mean, we go from the specifics of rope stretching 6.5% and being rated by the number of falls it'll help us survive to the totally cathartic release of looking down to see our success after we've climbed untethered. Maybe I'm alone in this, but I found that I had a truly physical reaction to the poem - quite an impressive bit of writing, indeed.

I'd love to hear Michael Salinger perform this poem. For that matter, I look forward to getting the chance to see him perform, period - he's a longtime Poetry Slam participant (and coach and board member of Poetry Slam, Inc, for that matter) and his reputation, as they say, precedes him. In the meantime, I'll have to be content reading his Pushcart Prize nominated poetry, his fantastic definitions in verse, and individual pieces like today's. Yes, it'll do for now... and that's just one reason I'm so happy to have Michael Salinger here today as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.

Yesterday, we were covered in Mud, thanks to Kate Coombs. Tomorrow... Cattail from Eric Ode! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.

Kate Coombs - Mud

Mud
by
Kate Coombs

chocolate fudge
face smudge

shoe suck
wheel stuck

seed sowed
worm road

kid slip
spring drip

Earth blood
mud

© Kate Coombs. All rights reserved.

---

Kate Coombs might be best known for her picture books... or maybe for her middle grade novels... but boy, oh, boy look what she can do with only 19 words! I mean, I don't think I'll ever look at mud again without thinking "earth blood," will you? Of course, if you look at her other work, you'll see the same skills on display... even if you won't see a worm road (be it a one laner or a superhighway).

Kate's been having a wonderfully busy year, with Hans my Hedgehog (a Brother Grimm retelling) out in January, and a wonderful book of poems, Water Sings Blue, out just in time for National Poetry Month. In the poems in Blue, you'll definitely see her great ability to create vivid images and memorable turns of phrases, this time dealing with the ocean and the creatures within it rather than mud. I love reading her poems, her reviews, and her books... all reasons I'm so glad to have Kate Coombs here today as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.

The Poetry Friday roundup is over at Anastasia Suen's Booktalking blog today. There's a TON going on this month, so be sure to check it out.

Yesterday we saw My Pencil from Robert Weinstock. Tomorrow... The Rock Climber by Michael Salinger. For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.

Robert Weinstock - My Pencil

My Pencil
by
Robert Weinstock

Is mostly just a hill of beans.
A ruthless stone. An asphalt pit.
A rusty tin of smoked sardines.
A satellite that won’t transmit.

Then suddenly a swirling dune.
A camel train. A rug bazaar.
Grilled lamb kebab. The desert moon.
Embers. It’s what most pencils are.

© Robert Weinstock. All rights reserved.

---

Robert Weinstock is one of those double-threat type o' writer-illustrator folks who just kinda awe me. I mean, really - they can do all that? That extra level of talent also leads to interesting situations. For example, I read the above poem as a writer, thinking of the places my pencil takes me, but he was thinking of the pencils he draws with. Even though it doesn't matter, I was left thinking that "Then suddenly a stick figure that almost resembles a person" would be my verse.  Really not so fun. However, for some fun, Robert sent along some sketches from his notebook so we can all see where his pencil takes him. Color me jealous!

Moving on from my petty issues... I am a particularly big fan of Food Hates You, Too (which he wrote and illustrated).  The poems in the book are incredibly clever, bringing all sorts of food to life in a way I instantly responded to. And just look at that cover! I love poets who help me see the world the way they see it. That's something that Robert Weinstock does so well in everything I've read of his to date, and that's one reason why I'm so happy to have him here today as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.

Yesterday gave us Margarita Engle and Chocho Seeds. Tomorrow... Kate Coombs and Mud! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.

My First E-book! 30 Poets/30 Days Updates! More!

In case you can't tell, I love April and 30 Poets/30 Days. I get so caught up in the poetry, though, that I often forget to blog anything else. So, to make up for lost time....

My first e-book is here! Check out that fabulous cover by Bonnie Adamson. I mean seriously. That's worth the $2.99 purchase price right there. But wait, there's more: The Late Bird has 54 poems in it, most of them drawn from the archives here at GottaBook but with a few brand spanking new ones thrown in, too. And it's the first time they're available all pretty-like and together and e-readable.

I hope you'll check it out, buy gazillions as gifts, leave 28 star reviews, and help spread the word. Of course, most of y'all have been with me here for so long that you've already done more than enough with your support: the e-book wouldn't exist without you, I suspect, so thank you. More about the e-book (Kindle only for now, but that'll change), my novel The 14 Fabulous Fibs of Gregory K., and more soooooon.

30 Poets/30 Days is proceeding full bore, and there, too, I thank you all for spreading the word and leaving comments and and and. We've got 30 poets signed up and raring to go, and I truly can't wait to share the rest of their work with you. Great stuff already with more to come!

And there's a lot more going on around the blogosphere this month, too. I'm taking part in Irene Latham's progressive poem (see the schedule on the right hand side of her blog), for instance, as well as Renee LaTulippe's video/poetry event. Susan Taylor Brown is helping folks kick the poetry can'ts. Lots of folks are writing and posting a poem a day (including Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, Mary Lee Hahn, Linda at TeacherDance, and more!).

And believe it or not, that's just a sampling of the fun out there this month. I'm gonna have to remember to pop back in here between poems as the days go on to tell more, but for now... back to the poetry, I say. And, as always, thanks for hanging out here at GottaBook.

Margarita Engle - Chocho Seeds

            Chocho Seeds
An Autobiographical Fairy Tale
                   by
           Margarita Engle

We gathered small red and black seeds,
stringing them into necklaces
of danger. They were poisonous,
but they looked like magical beads.
They made us dream of gallant deeds

by armored knights on massive steeds
in a world of evil spells and greed.
We dreamed that sisters, two of us,
could be magical princesses
in books that we would someday read.

© Margarita Engle. All rights reserved.

---

Can we talk about this poem by Margarita Engle for a minute here? When I first read it, I loved the sound of it, the feel of it, and the story within. Then I noticed a little note above the poem itself - poetic form: Cuban décima mirror. Now, I know some of you reading here will know the décima - a 10 line form created in Spain and found throughout Latin America with local variations - though I didn't recognize it myself. In Chocho Seeds, each of the 10 lines has eight syllables, a pattern that I am guessing is the Cuban form (plus lets me say "octosyllabic!" for the first time ever here). The "mirror" comes into play with the rhyme scheme mirrored stanza to stanza. That's a lot of form packed into a small poem, yet what amazes me is that none of that was apparent to me when I read it - a testament to the poet's craft and the power of the words themselves.

This is no surprise, though, if you've read any of Margarita Engle's novels or individual poems, for that matter. Her books always end up on year-end and award lists (from a Newbery Honor to Pura Belpré Awards and honors to a Sydney Taylor Award and much more), yet it's the sheer pleasure of reading... of being transported to Cuba and discovering new stories there... of devouring details and enjoying words that truly tell the tale. I can't wait to pick up The Wild Book, her newest novel (which she discusses in this interview), and I'm totally thrilled to have Margarita Engle here today as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.

Yesterday, we had Riddle me, Riddle me from Helen Frost. Tomorrow... My Pencil by Robert Weinstock! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.

Helen Frost - Riddle me, Riddle me

Riddle me, Riddle me
by
Helen Frost

Riddle me, riddle me, what am I?
If you twist my arm
I’ll start to cry.
If you twist too hard
I’ll spit in your eye!
Riddle me, riddle me, what am I?

© Helen Frost. All rights reserved.

---

What??? You want the answer? OK, fine - it's a water fountain! I love this riddle from Helen Frost (part of an unpublished (why???!!!) collection called The Sun is a Golden Peacock). I love the imagery here, the personification, the humor and, yes, the riddlishness of it all, too. Personally, I've always found riddles hard to do, but she makes it look so easy and fun that I'm inspired. And for the record, my answer of "my second cousin when we were 8!" was accurate but, apparently, not the proper response.

It's no surprise to me that I think Helen Frost's riddle is fabulous. Truth is, I've pretty much had that reaction every time I've run into one of her books or poems, whether stand alone or part of a novel or collection. Her 2012 Lee Bennett Hopkins Award honor book, Hidden, for instance, works on so many levels... including hidden ones... and simply blew me away. And if you haven't seen and read her newest book, Step Gently Out (with photos by Rick Lieder), you really need to go find it today. Seriously. We'll be here when you get back. I could go on with more books, too, but instead, I'm just gonna say how overwhelmingly happy I am to have Helen Frost here today as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.

Yesterday, Michael J. Rosen gave us Unsung Dog Song. Tomorrow... Chocho Seeds by Margarita Engle! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.

Michael J. Rosen - Unsung Dog Song

Unsung Dog Song
by
Michael J. Rosen

My Dog, you are Close when others are Distance,
you’re Welcome at every screen door.
You are Home when still we are far away,
and Ready, no matter what for.

Wherever there’s water you’re Splash, my dog,
you’re Fetch whatever is thrown.
You’re Chase if ever there’s room for a run.
You’re Stay when I stay here alone.

You are Warmth with never a thought to weather,
you’re Yes with never a word.
Yes is you, no matter the question,
no matter the no’s you’ve heard.

You are Ears for all that is quiet, my dog,
Listener to what’s underground.
You are Nose to all of the news that is smell,
though I never know what you’ve found.

You are Demon of Squirrels, Barker at Gates,
a Clown who invents his own tricks.
You are Keeper of Secrets, Thief of my Socks,
my Beggar, my Bringer of Sticks.

You are Praise whenever I lose or I win.
You are Watch, whatever I try.
You’re Again! when everyone else says enough!
Let’s go! is your always reply.

You’re all-over Soft (especially your ears),
except for the scratch of your toes.
You are filler of Vacuums, Shedder Supreme,
I wear some of you on my clothes.

You’re Grown-up as much as I want to be,
and Puppy no matter what stage.
No matter the number of years we are old,
you’re always my very own age.

Dog of All Dogs, you are my own Song:
the tune is a walk on a trail,
the lyrics are simply the lick of your tongue,
the beat is the wag of your tail.

© Michael J. Rosen. All rights reserved.

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If you've ever been to Michael J. Rosen's website, you might get the sense that he likes dogs a wee bit. In fact, there he describes himself not as a philosopher but as a self-proclaimed fidosopher. If you've never been to his site, you've probably gotten the same sense from today's poem. As a fellow dog lover, I read this poem and think "Yeah! What he said!" I can offer no higher praise... though I admit I'm also filled with the urge to go on a walk around the block.

Earlier this year, Chanukah Lights, a book Michael wrote and Robert Sabuda paper-engineered, won the Sydney Taylor Book Award in the Younger Readers category. If you haven't seen and read this book, you really must: it is history brought to life with words and art that are perfectly suited for each other.  Then changing gears from that and dogs... his upcoming book (upcoming as in Thursday!), Running With Trains, is a novel in poetry and two voices, something that sounds both challenging to write and intriguing to read. I know I'm looking forward to getting my hands on it, and I also know I'm thrilled to have Michael J. Rosen here today as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.

Yesterday Lorraine Marwood gave us Cockatoo: a Portrait. Tomorrow... Riddle me, Riddle me by Helen Frost! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.

Lorraine Marwood - Cockatoo: a Portrait

Cockatoo: a Portrait
by
Lorraine Marwood

Yellow
colour of yolk
colour of safety
but sulphur-crested
as if top-notch feathers
were brushed
with bee pollen,
a raucous joke
as you chatter, nibble
drop leaves
and screech
without softness
at sunset.

© Lorraine Marwood. All rights reserved.

---

Lorraine Marwood is the first Australian poet to join in the fun here at 30 Poets/30 Days, and I was extra-happy when she sent a poem with a bit of local color (or, if your prefer, colour). Of course, I'd've been extra-happy regardless, as I love the way her poem appeals to the senses as it paints its portrait. Geography, clearly, doesn't change what works.

Like many poets writing for children today, Lorraine Marwood writes novels in verse, as well as individual poems and collections. Unlike most, however, her novel Star Jumps won the 2010 Prime Minister's Literary Award in the children's fiction category! Star Jumps is the story of farm life in tough times told through the eyes of a young girl, and her newest collection of poetry, Notes on the Door, focuses on family and all that families do/experience together. Yes, the poetry's informed by a life in Australia, but just like with the Cockatoo above, the universality of the feelings, the emotions, the sights and sounds crosses borders, and we're all the better for it. I'm extra-happy, indeed, to have encountered Lorraine Marwood's work, and I'm thrilled to have her here today at 30 Poets/30 Days.

Yesterday we had a wonderful, wiggly concrete poem from Liz Brownlee, Sea Star. Tomorrow... Unsung Dog Song by Michael J. Rosen! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.

Liz Brownlee - Sea Star

Sea Star

by

Liz Brownlee

Sea stars used to be called starfish. Scientists changed their name as they are not fish, but echinoderms. They are hollow, with sensitive skin inside and outside - seawater flows into them as well as surrounding them. Their structures are higher in magnesium than other creatures. This makes them vulnerable to acidification of the seas, caused by carbon dioxide absorption.

(If you subscribe to the blog and do not see the poem above, please click here.)

© Liz Brownlee. All rights reserved.

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I first ran into Liz Brownlee on Facebook, though exactly where and why is now lost in the sands of cybertime. Yet soon, I'd journeyed to her website and... whoa! I love discovering new-to-me poets whose work, simply put, makes me happy.

Today's poem comes from Liz's upcoming book, Animal Magic (Poems on a disappearing world). As if the book is not enough, Liz is also blogging about endangered animals all month (26 times, in fact, going alphabetically). And yes, there are poems involved! I bet if you check them out and look at the poems on her website (including some animated ones), you'll be happy just like me. I'm looking forward to Animal Magic and more in the future, and I'm thrilled to have Liz Brownlee here as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.

Yesterday Bob Raczka gave us an answer to What Is Poetry? Tomorrow... Lorraine Marwood with Cockatoo - a Portrait! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.

Bob Raczka - What Is Poetry?

What Is Poetry?
by
Bob Raczka

poetry is about taking away the words that you don’t need
poetry is taking away words you don’t need
poetry is words you need
poetry is words
try

© Bob Raczka. All rights reserved.

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One of my absolutely favorite things about putting together 30 Poets/30 Days is when the poets involved send me multiple poems to let me chose what works best. I'm like a kid in a candy shop! The downside comes because I have to pick one, and that is REALLY hard when someone like Bob Raczka sends four pieces of brilliance. I truly could have run any one of them and gushed about how he must not only sees the world differently in order to come up with what he comes up with but how he also has the ability to help us see the world his way. That's a remarkable talent.

I first got to know Bob Raczka's work through his Art Adventure series of books. Those books are a kind of visual poetry, as far as I'm concerned, but they don't give insight into what he's capable of with words alone. Guyku (with Peter H. Reynolds supplying the art) was the book for me that made me stand up and take notice of his gift with poetry. And then last year's Lemonade and Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word simply blew me away in much the same way as Marilyn Singer's Mirror Mirror did - fantastic execution of an idea that seems impossible in concept yet, when you're reading the book, you no longer are even thinking of the constraints involved. Impressive stuff, indeed, and just one of the reasons I'm so happy to have Bob Raczka here today as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.

It's the first Poetry Friday roundup of National Poetry Month! Head on over to Robyn Hood Black's blog to see all the good stuff going on in the Kidlitosphere today, poetry-wise. 

Yesterday, Mary Quattlebaum brought us Earthworms. Tomorrow... Sea Star by Liz Brownlee! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.