The Poet of the World
by
J. Patrick Lewis
"How ho-ho-hum has the planet become!"
Cried the Poet of the World.
"I must sonnet the wind, sestina the sea."
Then he dipped his pen and he swirled
Out a poem where braves become braver, and knaves
Wander under a vinegar sky,
And a Duchess receives purely innocent thieves
Who are normally camera-shy.
"The heroes are villains, the geniuses mad!"
So he spun them a roundelay.
"All the people who live in the Ivory Land
Would be happier villanelle gray."
Then he thought, "I must metaphor girls in gold
And simile boys in blue."
He looked up from his Book, and he said, "I forgot,
Which character are you?"
©2009 J. Patrick Lewis. All rights reserved.
From A Countdown to Summer: A Poem for Every Day of the School Year – Little, Brown, Ethan Long, illustrator
J. Patrick Lewis, I humbly submit, would do a fantastic job as poet of the world. He's got a mastery of words, possesses an incredible ability to write poems about most any topic (like an underwear salesman!!!!), taught economics yet made the choice to switch to writing children's poetry thus is possessed with both knowledge and judgment that I trust, and he's an incredibly supportive and encouraging fellow, to boot.
It truly is astonishing to pick up a pile of J. Patrick Lewis's books and see the depth and breadth of forms he plays with and topics he tackles so successfully. He's also well published for adults in a variety of journals (in fact, I realize now that the first J. Patrick Lewis poetry I read was probably in Light Quarterly not in a children's book). Pat was the first person to send poems to me for 30 Poets/30 Days. I kept stalling in picking one because he kept sending more, and I was having the time of my life getting to read them before anyone else! The truth is they were all fantastic, and it's a treat and a pleasure to be able to have any one of them here at GottaBook.
Hey, hey, hey! It's Poetry Friday once again -- the last one this National Poetry Month, in fact. This week, you can find the roundup of posts over at Lisa Chellman's blog. Go on over and check it out!
Yesterday gave us Nikki Giovanni's My Sister and Me. Tomorrow... No Strings Attached by Julie Larios!
Friday, April 24, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Nikki Giovanni - My Sister and Me
My Sister and Me
by
Nikki Giovanni
Chocolate cookies
Chocolate cakes
Chocolate fudge
Chocolate lakes
Chocolate kisses
Chocolate hugs
Two little chocolate girls
In a chocolate rug
No one can find us
We're all alone
Two little chocolate girls
Running from home
Chocolate chickies
Chocolate bunnies
Chocolate smiles
From chocolate mommies
Chocolate rabbits
Chocolate snakes
Two little chocolate girls
Wide awake
What an adventure
My, what fun
My sister and me
Still on the run
Still on the run
My sister and me
Still
On the run
©2009 Nikki Giovanni. All rights reserved.
Nikki Giovanni (or to approximate what I said when I heard that she'd be sending a poem this way, "Nikki Giovanni!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!") writes fabulous poetry for children and adults, is well known as an activist and educator, and, among her large number of awards and accolades, has a Grammy nomination for a spoken word collection of her poetry. Oh... and she's also had a species of bat named after her (Micronycteris giovanniae, for the record). I believe, though can't be certain, that she is the only poet on the list of 30 this year who can make that claim.
I find that Nikki Giovanni can take something personal and specific and run with it in a poem, creating an impact that's ultimately far more powerful to me than the individual observations and details within the piece. Beyond that, I just happen to think her poetry for children is incredibly engaging, and that the 2008 anthology she edited, Hip Hop Speaks to Children, is a "must have" poetry book for kids. I could easily fill pages here today, but I will stop right now and simply say that I'm incredibly honored and happy to have a poem by Nikki Giovanni here as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday gave us Janet Wong's My Green Grandfather. Tomorrow... The Poet of the World by J. Patrick Lewis!
by
Nikki Giovanni
Chocolate cookies
Chocolate cakes
Chocolate fudge
Chocolate lakes
Chocolate kisses
Chocolate hugs
Two little chocolate girls
In a chocolate rug
No one can find us
We're all alone
Two little chocolate girls
Running from home
Chocolate chickies
Chocolate bunnies
Chocolate smiles
From chocolate mommies
Chocolate rabbits
Chocolate snakes
Two little chocolate girls
Wide awake
What an adventure
My, what fun
My sister and me
Still on the run
Still on the run
My sister and me
Still
On the run
©2009 Nikki Giovanni. All rights reserved.
Nikki Giovanni (or to approximate what I said when I heard that she'd be sending a poem this way, "Nikki Giovanni!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!") writes fabulous poetry for children and adults, is well known as an activist and educator, and, among her large number of awards and accolades, has a Grammy nomination for a spoken word collection of her poetry. Oh... and she's also had a species of bat named after her (Micronycteris giovanniae, for the record). I believe, though can't be certain, that she is the only poet on the list of 30 this year who can make that claim.
I find that Nikki Giovanni can take something personal and specific and run with it in a poem, creating an impact that's ultimately far more powerful to me than the individual observations and details within the piece. Beyond that, I just happen to think her poetry for children is incredibly engaging, and that the 2008 anthology she edited, Hip Hop Speaks to Children, is a "must have" poetry book for kids. I could easily fill pages here today, but I will stop right now and simply say that I'm incredibly honored and happy to have a poem by Nikki Giovanni here as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday gave us Janet Wong's My Green Grandfather. Tomorrow... The Poet of the World by J. Patrick Lewis!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Janet Wong - My Green Grandfather
My Green Grandfather
by
Janet Wong
If you praised my grandfather
for being green,
he would check his favorite flannel shirt
and say, "You see paint?"
But he is as green
as the snow peas he grows in his garden.
Green as the old glass jars in his garage
that hold pins and nails and hinges.
Green as the avocados he buys
from the little store on the corner.
If I praised my grandfather
for his small carbon footprint,
he would check the bottom of his shoes for dirt,
then say, "Size 10 EEE."
I walk on my tiptoes beside him.
©2009 Janet Wong. All rights reserved.
Janet Wong has been an invited author at the Easter Egg Roll at the White House and has been on Oprah. I mention those things not because they have anything to do with poetry in specific, but, well, they're really cool anyway! Of course, she has also won fans and awards for her poetry, and I actually first came to be a big fan while judging on a Cybils poetry panel where her book Twist was under consideration. If you know any kids (or adults) who take yoga, you really should read Twist with or two them. The look of recognition on kids' faces, in particular, when they hear a poem about one of the poses they know is priceless.
While it's a great poem for Earth Day, I also love My Green Grandfather, in part because I read it and I firmly believe that this MUST be Janet Wong's grandfather she's talking about. Is it? I have no idea, nor does it ultimately matter. But, to me, that ability to suck me in to the poem's world... to make it seem so personal even if it's only been something personal that's a jumping off point (if that!)... is one of the many remarkable things about her writing. I'm very happy to have a day-appropriate poem today, but more than that, I'm really thrilled to have a poem from Janet Wong as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday was my contribution to the month, I Went to the Farm Where Spaghetti Is Grown. Tomorrow... My Sister and Me by Nikki Giovanni!
by
Janet Wong
If you praised my grandfather
for being green,
he would check his favorite flannel shirt
and say, "You see paint?"
But he is as green
as the snow peas he grows in his garden.
Green as the old glass jars in his garage
that hold pins and nails and hinges.
Green as the avocados he buys
from the little store on the corner.
If I praised my grandfather
for his small carbon footprint,
he would check the bottom of his shoes for dirt,
then say, "Size 10 EEE."
I walk on my tiptoes beside him.
©2009 Janet Wong. All rights reserved.
Janet Wong has been an invited author at the Easter Egg Roll at the White House and has been on Oprah. I mention those things not because they have anything to do with poetry in specific, but, well, they're really cool anyway! Of course, she has also won fans and awards for her poetry, and I actually first came to be a big fan while judging on a Cybils poetry panel where her book Twist was under consideration. If you know any kids (or adults) who take yoga, you really should read Twist with or two them. The look of recognition on kids' faces, in particular, when they hear a poem about one of the poses they know is priceless.
While it's a great poem for Earth Day, I also love My Green Grandfather, in part because I read it and I firmly believe that this MUST be Janet Wong's grandfather she's talking about. Is it? I have no idea, nor does it ultimately matter. But, to me, that ability to suck me in to the poem's world... to make it seem so personal even if it's only been something personal that's a jumping off point (if that!)... is one of the many remarkable things about her writing. I'm very happy to have a day-appropriate poem today, but more than that, I'm really thrilled to have a poem from Janet Wong as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday was my contribution to the month, I Went to the Farm Where Spaghetti Is Grown. Tomorrow... My Sister and Me by Nikki Giovanni!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Gregory K. - I Went to the Farm Where Spaghetti Is Grown
I Went to the Farm Where Spaghetti Is Grown
by
Gregory K.
I went to the farm where spaghetti is grown
In rows of long vines in a field of its own.
It grows in the shade of the great ziti trees,
Right next to the bushes that grow mac-and-cheese.
Lasagna plants bloom alongside manicotti,
And orchards of angel hair grow long and knotty.
I watched as a tractor plowed rows of linguini,
And cheered at the harvest of fresh tortellini.
I helped as the farmer cleared fields full of weeds
Then planted a crop using orzo as seeds.
We watered his land that was miles across
Then fertilized amply with meatballs and sauce.
When I left that farm where spaghetti is grown
In rows of long vines in a field of its own,
I thought it the greatest place under the sky...
'Til I saw the farm where they only grow pie!
©2009 Gregory K. Pincus. All rights reserved.
Gregory K. is the nom de blog of me, Greg Pincus (or Gregory K. Pincus, Dad, or Library Guy depending on where you run into me or who you are). It's also the name on the poems of mine you'll find here and many other places, too. I've been writing poetry since I can remember and while I won't try, as I've done with other poets this month, to explain what I like about the posted poem or a body of work (because, well, that'd be odd!), I will note that I've found that I have common subject areas that I've been playing with a long, long time: sports, food, school, and friends and family among them. I'm fascinated by words and images and love pushing and twisting them around to try them out in different settings, so to speak. And like Lee Bennett Hopkins, I love chocolate!
I can truly say that it's an honor for me to share the page here with 29 poets whose work I admire so much. It's been a wonderfully fun month for me so far, I'm happy to have my contribution up today, and I look forward to bringing you the rest of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday gave us My Teacher by Jane Yolen. Tomorrow on Earth Day... My Green Grandfather by Janet Wong!
by
Gregory K.
I went to the farm where spaghetti is grown
In rows of long vines in a field of its own.
It grows in the shade of the great ziti trees,
Right next to the bushes that grow mac-and-cheese.
Lasagna plants bloom alongside manicotti,
And orchards of angel hair grow long and knotty.
I watched as a tractor plowed rows of linguini,
And cheered at the harvest of fresh tortellini.
I helped as the farmer cleared fields full of weeds
Then planted a crop using orzo as seeds.
We watered his land that was miles across
Then fertilized amply with meatballs and sauce.
When I left that farm where spaghetti is grown
In rows of long vines in a field of its own,
I thought it the greatest place under the sky...
'Til I saw the farm where they only grow pie!
©2009 Gregory K. Pincus. All rights reserved.
Gregory K. is the nom de blog of me, Greg Pincus (or Gregory K. Pincus, Dad, or Library Guy depending on where you run into me or who you are). It's also the name on the poems of mine you'll find here and many other places, too. I've been writing poetry since I can remember and while I won't try, as I've done with other poets this month, to explain what I like about the posted poem or a body of work (because, well, that'd be odd!), I will note that I've found that I have common subject areas that I've been playing with a long, long time: sports, food, school, and friends and family among them. I'm fascinated by words and images and love pushing and twisting them around to try them out in different settings, so to speak. And like Lee Bennett Hopkins, I love chocolate!
I can truly say that it's an honor for me to share the page here with 29 poets whose work I admire so much. It's been a wonderfully fun month for me so far, I'm happy to have my contribution up today, and I look forward to bringing you the rest of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday gave us My Teacher by Jane Yolen. Tomorrow on Earth Day... My Green Grandfather by Janet Wong!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Hither and thither....
April just keeps on tick, tick, ticking by. There's poetry galore here (scroll down, in fact, and you'll likely see some or just click here to see a bunch), and all sorts of great stuff flying around the web. For example...
I wanted to take a moment to celebrate another book release: Thalia Chaltas' Because I am Furniture - a novel in poems. The book just came out last week to rave reviews, and as if that wasn't enough for one month, Thalia started blogging, too. I hope you go on off and check out the blog, site, and book....
Once you've done that, a trip to Elaine's Wild Rose Reader will get you tons of poetry resources, great poetry, reviews, and even a chance to win some poetry books. Good times, indeed. And finally, from the it's not poetry, but it's really funny category: Saints and Spinners is announcing the winners of the Unnecessary Children's Book Sequels Contest this week. So far, we know that Where the Wild Things Aren't didn't win (but made me laugh anyway).
There's not enough time to read or link to all the great stuff in the Kidlitosphere, and I really gotta book, so I'll just point to my blogroll over on the right (and down) and suggest a trip to 'em all. Enjoy!
I wanted to take a moment to celebrate another book release: Thalia Chaltas' Because I am Furniture - a novel in poems. The book just came out last week to rave reviews, and as if that wasn't enough for one month, Thalia started blogging, too. I hope you go on off and check out the blog, site, and book....
Once you've done that, a trip to Elaine's Wild Rose Reader will get you tons of poetry resources, great poetry, reviews, and even a chance to win some poetry books. Good times, indeed. And finally, from the it's not poetry, but it's really funny category: Saints and Spinners is announcing the winners of the Unnecessary Children's Book Sequels Contest this week. So far, we know that Where the Wild Things Aren't didn't win (but made me laugh anyway).
There's not enough time to read or link to all the great stuff in the Kidlitosphere, and I really gotta book, so I'll just point to my blogroll over on the right (and down) and suggest a trip to 'em all. Enjoy!
Jane Yolen - My Teacher
My Teacher
by
Jane Yolen
My teacher's tall,
My teacher's small,
My teacher's white,
Black, tan.
My teacher is a woman,
My teacher is a man.
My teacher's thin,
My teacher's fat,
My teacher's in-between.
My teacher's always very nice.
Sometimes my teacher's mean.
My teacher has a quiet voice,
My teacher's voice is loud
And you can hear her speaking out
Above the wildest crowd.
My teacher is a riot.
My teacher never smiles.
My teacher lives right near the school.
My teacher travels miles.
My teacher's younger than my mom.
My teacher's very old.
My teacher's hands are nice and warm.
My teacher's hands are cold.
But when I'm feeling lonely, scared,
Or having a bad day
I take my teacher's hand and then
Those feelings go away.
©2009 Jane Yolen. All rights reserved.
Jane Yolen has written poetry, picture books, short stories and novels and has written for young children, teens, and adults. She's won awards and fans no matter what genre or age group she writes for... and, yes, she has around 300 books to her name. That. Is. A. Lot! Her secret, besides remarkable talent, is one all writers should heed - butt in chair. Truer words never were spoken, as if you don't write the book, you surely won't publish it.
Credits and awards aside, I just love Jane Yolen's poetry. Her poems are honest and clear and can be funny and touching and insightful and whimsical and a list far longer than this post has space to contain. She's never afraid to say what she wants to say and knows so well how to say it in a way that kids (and adults!) can relate to. I think My Teacher is a wonderful example of how she takes a simple idea and makes a poem that's so rich and full of things to think about... or just there to enjoy. Beyond all the writing skill, Jane Yolen is also mentor to so many and a strong advocate for children's writers everywhere, so it's truly and honor and pleasure for me to have a poem of hers here on 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday we had Arnold Adoff's n o justice n o p e a c e. Tomorrow... I Went to the Farm Where Spaghetti Is Grown by Greg Pincus.
by
Jane Yolen
My teacher's tall,
My teacher's small,
My teacher's white,
Black, tan.
My teacher is a woman,
My teacher is a man.
My teacher's thin,
My teacher's fat,
My teacher's in-between.
My teacher's always very nice.
Sometimes my teacher's mean.
My teacher has a quiet voice,
My teacher's voice is loud
And you can hear her speaking out
Above the wildest crowd.
My teacher is a riot.
My teacher never smiles.
My teacher lives right near the school.
My teacher travels miles.
My teacher's younger than my mom.
My teacher's very old.
My teacher's hands are nice and warm.
My teacher's hands are cold.
But when I'm feeling lonely, scared,
Or having a bad day
I take my teacher's hand and then
Those feelings go away.
©2009 Jane Yolen. All rights reserved.
Jane Yolen has written poetry, picture books, short stories and novels and has written for young children, teens, and adults. She's won awards and fans no matter what genre or age group she writes for... and, yes, she has around 300 books to her name. That. Is. A. Lot! Her secret, besides remarkable talent, is one all writers should heed - butt in chair. Truer words never were spoken, as if you don't write the book, you surely won't publish it.
Credits and awards aside, I just love Jane Yolen's poetry. Her poems are honest and clear and can be funny and touching and insightful and whimsical and a list far longer than this post has space to contain. She's never afraid to say what she wants to say and knows so well how to say it in a way that kids (and adults!) can relate to. I think My Teacher is a wonderful example of how she takes a simple idea and makes a poem that's so rich and full of things to think about... or just there to enjoy. Beyond all the writing skill, Jane Yolen is also mentor to so many and a strong advocate for children's writers everywhere, so it's truly and honor and pleasure for me to have a poem of hers here on 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday we had Arnold Adoff's n o justice n o p e a c e. Tomorrow... I Went to the Farm Where Spaghetti Is Grown by Greg Pincus.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Arnold Adoff - n o justice n o p e a c e
n o justice n o p e a c e
o f course:
t r u e change is always too slow
and o u r b e s t hopes rest with
s t e a d y
on
beyond our own times
the t r u e revolutions h a p p e n
within the covers of our best books
inside the noises of words with words
inside the movements of reading eyes
so:
the writers are the engines
the artists are the engines
and the women and men
and the girls and the boys
read ing those noisy books
all are engines of true change
the words contain the power
and the books must have that
power and the noise of that
story and the shout of that song
must always be louder than the
silence of the bullets and the
silent deaths of grim despair
we m o v e forward with love
the s t r u g g l e c o n t I n u e s
©2009 arnold adoff. all rights reserved.
Arnold Adoff is a recipient of the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children, recognizing his work both as poet and anthologist. I became a fan upon discovering his book Chocolate Dreams - a whole book of poems on chocolate! That, by itself, makes him a hero in these parts. But no matter what his subject matter, I love the way he works with rhythm and his ability to find the perfect word for the perfect place... to make his reader see something familiar in a new light.
On his web site Arnold Adoff says "... I can open a child's imagination, develop his appetite for poetry, and more importantly, show him that poetry is a natural part of everyday life. We all need someone to point out that the emperor is wearing no clothes. That's the poet's job." If so, I believe Arnold Adoff has fulfilled the poet's job quite well, indeed, and I'm thrilled to have him be a part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday we had Skeleton at Dinner by Kristine O'Connell George. Tomorrow... My Teacher by Jane Yolen!
o f course:
t r u e change is always too slow
and o u r b e s t hopes rest with
s t e a d y
on
beyond our own times
the t r u e revolutions h a p p e n
within the covers of our best books
inside the noises of words with words
inside the movements of reading eyes
so:
the writers are the engines
the artists are the engines
and the women and men
and the girls and the boys
read ing those noisy books
all are engines of true change
the words contain the power
and the books must have that
power and the noise of that
story and the shout of that song
must always be louder than the
silence of the bullets and the
silent deaths of grim despair
we m o v e forward with love
the s t r u g g l e c o n t I n u e s
©2009 arnold adoff. all rights reserved.
Arnold Adoff is a recipient of the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children, recognizing his work both as poet and anthologist. I became a fan upon discovering his book Chocolate Dreams - a whole book of poems on chocolate! That, by itself, makes him a hero in these parts. But no matter what his subject matter, I love the way he works with rhythm and his ability to find the perfect word for the perfect place... to make his reader see something familiar in a new light.
On his web site Arnold Adoff says "... I can open a child's imagination, develop his appetite for poetry, and more importantly, show him that poetry is a natural part of everyday life. We all need someone to point out that the emperor is wearing no clothes. That's the poet's job." If so, I believe Arnold Adoff has fulfilled the poet's job quite well, indeed, and I'm thrilled to have him be a part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday we had Skeleton at Dinner by Kristine O'Connell George. Tomorrow... My Teacher by Jane Yolen!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Kristine O'Connell George - Skeleton at Dinner
Skeleton at Dinner
by
Kristine O'Connell George
I heard you shout
Soup's on!
I rattled in,
sat, slurped.
Soup's in—
soup's out.
© 2009 Kristine O'Connell George. All rights reserved.
It seems to me that Kristine O'Connell George can capture any moment and turn it into a poem that makes me see that moment in a way I never would have on my own. It could be her observational skills and her ability to pick just the right detail to share that make the poems shine. But I think even more than that, it's how she uses language so well and keys into so many of the senses (including, above, the sense of humor). Her poems are so alive... even when she's writing about a skeleton!
As she showed in her books Little Dog Poems and Little Dog and Duncan, Kristine O'Connell George is a dog lover. Now at her website, she and Little Dog are welcoming the Obama's new dog Bo to the White House with a writing prompt AND an opportunity for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade students to send in the poems they create in response and see them up on her site. I hope you go check it out... and I'm very glad you all came on by to see the incredibly talented Kristine O'Connell George here on 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday gave us Jon Scieszka and Emily Dickinson's first collaboration, 200 Typing Monkeys Almost Make It. Tomorrow... Arnold Adoff with n o justice n o p e a c e
by
Kristine O'Connell George
I heard you shout
Soup's on!
I rattled in,
sat, slurped.
Soup's in—
soup's out.
© 2009 Kristine O'Connell George. All rights reserved.
It seems to me that Kristine O'Connell George can capture any moment and turn it into a poem that makes me see that moment in a way I never would have on my own. It could be her observational skills and her ability to pick just the right detail to share that make the poems shine. But I think even more than that, it's how she uses language so well and keys into so many of the senses (including, above, the sense of humor). Her poems are so alive... even when she's writing about a skeleton!
As she showed in her books Little Dog Poems and Little Dog and Duncan, Kristine O'Connell George is a dog lover. Now at her website, she and Little Dog are welcoming the Obama's new dog Bo to the White House with a writing prompt AND an opportunity for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade students to send in the poems they create in response and see them up on her site. I hope you go check it out... and I'm very glad you all came on by to see the incredibly talented Kristine O'Connell George here on 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday gave us Jon Scieszka and Emily Dickinson's first collaboration, 200 Typing Monkeys Almost Make It. Tomorrow... Arnold Adoff with n o justice n o p e a c e
Friday, April 17, 2009
Jon Scieszka - 200 Typing Monkeys Almost Make It
200 Typing Monkeys
Almost Make It
by
Emily Dickinson and Jon Scieszka
I never saw a moor,
I never saw the sea;
Yet know I how the heather looks,
And what a wave must be.
I never spoke with God,
Nor visited in heaven;
Yet certain am I of the spot
As if the chart were a whole bunch of giant deliciously ripe bananas.
© 2009 National Simian Scribe Project. Some rights reversed.
While 200 typing monkeys might one day recreate the work of Shakespeare or Dickinson, one has to wonder if they'd ever, ever, ever type out the work of the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, Jon Scieszka. I've always loved the odd angles and approaches he takes to material... and obviously, so do kids. On a more personal note, I also love the fact that I was not drinking anything when I first read 200 Typing Monkeys Almost Make It because I surely would've covered my monitor by doing a spit-take.
By the way, Jon Scieszka's mission as Ambassador is "to get kids excited about reading." Bravo, I say! Now, in my experience, his own books do that quite well, but beyond that, he's also the founder of GUYS READ, a remarkable resource that you really must check out (or use again!). And hey, you can follow him on Twitter as @GuysRead, too. I know how busy the Ambassador is jetting about and being so Ambassadorial, so I'm extra grateful to him for taking the time to commune with his good friend Emily D. and send a poem in to 30 Poets/30 Days.
And hey, hey, hey, it's Poetry Friday! Go on over to Becky's Book Reviews and check out the roundup of posts to see what else is rippling poetically through the Kidlitosphere today.
Yesterday we had Betsy Franco's Me and Joe Lining Up After Recess. Tomorrow... Skeleton at Dinner by Kristine O'Connell George!
Almost Make It
by
Emily Dickinson and Jon Scieszka
I never saw a moor,
I never saw the sea;
Yet know I how the heather looks,
And what a wave must be.
I never spoke with God,
Nor visited in heaven;
Yet certain am I of the spot
As if the chart were a whole bunch of giant deliciously ripe bananas.
© 2009 National Simian Scribe Project. Some rights reversed.
While 200 typing monkeys might one day recreate the work of Shakespeare or Dickinson, one has to wonder if they'd ever, ever, ever type out the work of the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, Jon Scieszka. I've always loved the odd angles and approaches he takes to material... and obviously, so do kids. On a more personal note, I also love the fact that I was not drinking anything when I first read 200 Typing Monkeys Almost Make It because I surely would've covered my monitor by doing a spit-take.
By the way, Jon Scieszka's mission as Ambassador is "to get kids excited about reading." Bravo, I say! Now, in my experience, his own books do that quite well, but beyond that, he's also the founder of GUYS READ, a remarkable resource that you really must check out (or use again!). And hey, you can follow him on Twitter as @GuysRead, too. I know how busy the Ambassador is jetting about and being so Ambassadorial, so I'm extra grateful to him for taking the time to commune with his good friend Emily D. and send a poem in to 30 Poets/30 Days.
And hey, hey, hey, it's Poetry Friday! Go on over to Becky's Book Reviews and check out the roundup of posts to see what else is rippling poetically through the Kidlitosphere today.
Yesterday we had Betsy Franco's Me and Joe Lining Up After Recess. Tomorrow... Skeleton at Dinner by Kristine O'Connell George!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Betsy Franco - Me and Joe Lining Up After Recess
Me and Joe Lining Up After Recess
by
Betsy Franco
We race
for the front
bunch up
and bump,
wiggle,
giggle,
push,
pull,
trip,
tease,
jab,
grab,
poke,
pinch,
squish,
squeeze.
Then teacher gives the quiet sign.
Says,
"You two go to the end of the line!"
© 2009 Betsy Franco. All rights reserved.
from the upcoming Messing Around on the Monkey Bars, and other school poems for two voices
Betsy Franco writes poetry and picture books, has her first young adult novel coming out this fall, and has also edited collections of teenagers' poems (the most recent of which, Falling Hard: 100 Love Poems by Teenagers just got a great writeup in the New York Times). She shares my love of math and does amazing work combining it with poetry in books like Mathematickles.
And somehow while doing all that she had the time to come hang out and observe the same class I did one recent morning, as she captured perfectly exactly what I saw as the kids lined up! OK, Betsy Franco wasn't really there, but when I read this poem, I couldn't imagine an elementary school student (or teacher!) who wouldn't also smile with recognition... and maybe, without even realizing it, "get" that poetry is pretty darn good stuff, indeed. I'm very much looking forward to the entire Messing Around on the Monkey Bars collection, and I'm incredibly happy to have a sneak peak of it here as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday brought us I Dreamt I Saw a Dinosaur by Mary Ann Hoberman. Tomorrow...
200 Typing Monkeys
Almost Make It
by Emily Dickinson and Jon Scieszka.
Would I make that up? Of course not!
by
Betsy Franco
We race
for the front
bunch up
and bump,
wiggle,
giggle,
push,
pull,
trip,
tease,
jab,
grab,
poke,
pinch,
squish,
squeeze.
Then teacher gives the quiet sign.
Says,
"You two go to the end of the line!"
© 2009 Betsy Franco. All rights reserved.
from the upcoming Messing Around on the Monkey Bars, and other school poems for two voices
Betsy Franco writes poetry and picture books, has her first young adult novel coming out this fall, and has also edited collections of teenagers' poems (the most recent of which, Falling Hard: 100 Love Poems by Teenagers just got a great writeup in the New York Times). She shares my love of math and does amazing work combining it with poetry in books like Mathematickles.
And somehow while doing all that she had the time to come hang out and observe the same class I did one recent morning, as she captured perfectly exactly what I saw as the kids lined up! OK, Betsy Franco wasn't really there, but when I read this poem, I couldn't imagine an elementary school student (or teacher!) who wouldn't also smile with recognition... and maybe, without even realizing it, "get" that poetry is pretty darn good stuff, indeed. I'm very much looking forward to the entire Messing Around on the Monkey Bars collection, and I'm incredibly happy to have a sneak peak of it here as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday brought us I Dreamt I Saw a Dinosaur by Mary Ann Hoberman. Tomorrow...
200 Typing Monkeys
Almost Make It
by Emily Dickinson and Jon Scieszka.
Would I make that up? Of course not!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Halfway! (or 15 Poets/15 Days)
Today is not only income tax day here in the U.S. It's not only the ides of April. It's also the halfway point in 30 Poets/30 Days. Shall we review what we've seen so far? Yes!
Jack Prelutsky - A Little Poem For Poetry Month
Rebecca Kai Dotlich - Midnight Stray
Charles Ghigna - A Poem Is...
X. J. Kennedy - Ladder to the Moon
Ann Whitford Paul - Owl
Jaime Adoff - Rock n Roll Dad
Marilyn Singer - In the Museum
Adam Rex - The Flight Before Christmas
Joyce Sidman - Spring is the Time
Bruce Lansky - Rules for Spot
Avis Harley - Perfect Pitch
Nikki Grimes - All Eyes
Lee Bennett Hopkins - SPRING
Linda Sue Park - Villanelle: Why I Love Libraries
Mary Ann Hoberman - I Dreamt I Saw a Dinosaur
I'm probably biased, but can I just say "Wow!"? What's just as amazing to me... we still have 15 more poems and poets to go, and I'm excited about each and every one of them. I thank you all for coming along on the ride and encourage you to keep on coming back, keep spreading the word, and keep letting us know what you think.
More soon, but now I gotta book.
Jack Prelutsky - A Little Poem For Poetry Month
Rebecca Kai Dotlich - Midnight Stray
Charles Ghigna - A Poem Is...
X. J. Kennedy - Ladder to the Moon
Ann Whitford Paul - Owl
Jaime Adoff - Rock n Roll Dad
Marilyn Singer - In the Museum
Adam Rex - The Flight Before Christmas
Joyce Sidman - Spring is the Time
Bruce Lansky - Rules for Spot
Avis Harley - Perfect Pitch
Nikki Grimes - All Eyes
Lee Bennett Hopkins - SPRING
Linda Sue Park - Villanelle: Why I Love Libraries
Mary Ann Hoberman - I Dreamt I Saw a Dinosaur
I'm probably biased, but can I just say "Wow!"? What's just as amazing to me... we still have 15 more poems and poets to go, and I'm excited about each and every one of them. I thank you all for coming along on the ride and encourage you to keep on coming back, keep spreading the word, and keep letting us know what you think.
More soon, but now I gotta book.
Mary Ann Hoberman - I Dreamt I Saw a Dinosaur
I Dreamt I Saw a Dinosaur
by
Mary Ann Hoberman
I dreamt I saw a dinosaur
Who stretched up very high.
I dreamt I saw a dinosaur
Who towered to the sky.
I dreamt I saw a dinosaur
Who told me with a sigh,
"I dreamt I saw a dinosaur
Who dreamt he saw a dinosaur
Who dreamt he saw a dinosaur
Who dreamt he saw a fly."
©2009 Mary Ann Hoberman. All rights reserved.
Mary Ann Hoberman is the Poetry Foundation's current Children's Poet Laureate and a recipient of the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. So I'm clearly not the first to recognize that she does wonders with words... but, well, she does! I can lose myself in her wordplay and often find my brain filling in more details of the pictures her poems create. And I've watched it happen to kids -- I've seen their eyes sparkle that certain sparkle when I'm reading one of her poems aloud to them.
I've actually been lucky enough to see Mary Ann Hoberman during a classroom visit. I knew the class she was going into... knew how fun they could be but how hard it would be for her to reach them. I think it took her 33 seconds. It was truly remarkable to watch -- they performed with her, laughed with her, listened intently, and were transported to a place we clearly all need to go more often. Luckily for all of us, she continues to spread that same poetic joy, and I'm thrilled to have her do some of that here as part of 30 Poets/30 Days!
Yesterday (during National Library Week!), we had Linda Sue Park's Villanelle: Why I Love Libraries. Tomorrow... "Me and Joe Lining Up After Recess" by Betsy Franco.
by
Mary Ann Hoberman
I dreamt I saw a dinosaur
Who stretched up very high.
I dreamt I saw a dinosaur
Who towered to the sky.
I dreamt I saw a dinosaur
Who told me with a sigh,
"I dreamt I saw a dinosaur
Who dreamt he saw a dinosaur
Who dreamt he saw a dinosaur
Who dreamt he saw a fly."
©2009 Mary Ann Hoberman. All rights reserved.
Mary Ann Hoberman is the Poetry Foundation's current Children's Poet Laureate and a recipient of the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. So I'm clearly not the first to recognize that she does wonders with words... but, well, she does! I can lose myself in her wordplay and often find my brain filling in more details of the pictures her poems create. And I've watched it happen to kids -- I've seen their eyes sparkle that certain sparkle when I'm reading one of her poems aloud to them.
I've actually been lucky enough to see Mary Ann Hoberman during a classroom visit. I knew the class she was going into... knew how fun they could be but how hard it would be for her to reach them. I think it took her 33 seconds. It was truly remarkable to watch -- they performed with her, laughed with her, listened intently, and were transported to a place we clearly all need to go more often. Luckily for all of us, she continues to spread that same poetic joy, and I'm thrilled to have her do some of that here as part of 30 Poets/30 Days!
Yesterday (during National Library Week!), we had Linda Sue Park's Villanelle: Why I Love Libraries. Tomorrow... "Me and Joe Lining Up After Recess" by Betsy Franco.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The second Twitter #poetry chat!
The first Twitter #poetry chat was great, and we're going for "round two" so to speak. This chat will take place at 9 PM Eastern/6 PM Pacific on Thursday evening, April 16th. I hope you can all join us! (If you want more info on the #poetry chat, just click here.)
Linda Sue Park - Villanelle: Why I Love Libraries
Villanelle: Why I Love Libraries
by
Linda Sue Park
I lose myself within the book-walled maze,
with no end to the promises in sight,
through passages to many worlds and ways.
The aisles meander pleasantly. A craze
of unread pages beckons, tempts, invites;
I lose myself. Within the book-walled maze
a googolplex of lexical arrays
for exploration flanks me left and right.
True passages to many; worlds and ways
that lead to corners sharp with turns of phrase,
and tales both commonplace and recondite
to lose myself within. The book-walled maze
reveals its pleasures slowly, but repays
the debt of time in thousandfold delight—
through passages to many worlds, in ways
mapped out by words. A sudden blink of light:
It's checkout time—they’re closing for the night.
I'd lost myself within the book-walled maze,
through passages to many worlds and ways.
©2009 Linda Sue Park. All rights reserved.
Linda Sue Park writes poems, picture books and novels, and won the Newbery Medal in 2002 for A Single Shard. She's also written wonderful stuff on her blog, and I've referred countless people there just to read her thoughts on "voice." And she doesn't know this, but it was a big day for me a couple years back when she visited GottaBook and let me know that she liked and was writing Fibs! Yes, I'm writer star-struck (and it's been a big month for that, lemme tell you!), and that was indeed a good day.
To me, her villanelle above simply falls in the category of "holy smokes!" Like Joyce Sidman's pantoum and Marilyn Singer's triolet and Avis Harley's acrostic, this is an example of taking a form and using it rather than being constrained by it. My official poetry tester here at home read this poem and said simply, "that's amazing." I concur, and I'm exceedingly happy to have it here as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday, we celebrated SPRING with Lee Bennett Hopkins. Tomorrow, Children's Poet Laureate Mary Ann Hoberman's I Dreamt I Saw a Dinosaur!
by
Linda Sue Park
I lose myself within the book-walled maze,
with no end to the promises in sight,
through passages to many worlds and ways.
The aisles meander pleasantly. A craze
of unread pages beckons, tempts, invites;
I lose myself. Within the book-walled maze
a googolplex of lexical arrays
for exploration flanks me left and right.
True passages to many; worlds and ways
that lead to corners sharp with turns of phrase,
and tales both commonplace and recondite
to lose myself within. The book-walled maze
reveals its pleasures slowly, but repays
the debt of time in thousandfold delight—
through passages to many worlds, in ways
mapped out by words. A sudden blink of light:
It's checkout time—they’re closing for the night.
I'd lost myself within the book-walled maze,
through passages to many worlds and ways.
©2009 Linda Sue Park. All rights reserved.
Linda Sue Park writes poems, picture books and novels, and won the Newbery Medal in 2002 for A Single Shard. She's also written wonderful stuff on her blog, and I've referred countless people there just to read her thoughts on "voice." And she doesn't know this, but it was a big day for me a couple years back when she visited GottaBook and let me know that she liked and was writing Fibs! Yes, I'm writer star-struck (and it's been a big month for that, lemme tell you!), and that was indeed a good day.
To me, her villanelle above simply falls in the category of "holy smokes!" Like Joyce Sidman's pantoum and Marilyn Singer's triolet and Avis Harley's acrostic, this is an example of taking a form and using it rather than being constrained by it. My official poetry tester here at home read this poem and said simply, "that's amazing." I concur, and I'm exceedingly happy to have it here as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday, we celebrated SPRING with Lee Bennett Hopkins. Tomorrow, Children's Poet Laureate Mary Ann Hoberman's I Dreamt I Saw a Dinosaur!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Go, Bo!
That is my two word/two syllable contribution to poetry about the new White House dog, Bo. But luckily, Kristine O'Connell George, whose poem you'll read here later this month as part of 30 Poets/30 Days, has not only written a better poem and placed it on her website (and links to White House dog poems by Rebecca Kai Dotlich and J. Patrick Lewis) but also has given a poetry writing prompt for kids to use to help celebrate the arrival of a new First Pooch. AND she'll be posting poems kids send in, too.
So head on over and check out Welcome to the White House, Bo!
Woof!
So head on over and check out Welcome to the White House, Bo!
Woof!
Lee Bennett Hopkins - SPRING
SPRING
by
Lee Bennett Hopkins
Roots
sprouts
buds
flowers
always--
always--
cloud-bursting showers
rhymes
April fools
fledglings on wing
no thing
is
newer
or
fresher
than
spring.
From the forthcoming, SHARING THE SEASONS (McElderry Books).
©2009 Lee Bennett Hopkins. All rights reserved.
Used by permission of Curtis Brown, Ltd.
Lee Bennett Hopkins is this year's recipient of the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. He's a dynamic speaker, an incredible poet, a remarkable anthologist, and a tireless champion for children's poetry and poets. And he loves chocolate!
Like he has been to countless others, Lee has been generous to me with his knowledge and time and has been an inspiration with his enthusiasm and passion for what he does. 30 Poets/30 Days would not likely exist had I never met him and been so caught up in his love of "passing the poetry," so to speak. I'm incredibly happy to be able to publicly say "Thanks, Lee!" like I know many have before. And now that I'm done with my selfish part... I'm also incredibly happy to give you a sneak peak at a poem from his upcoming SHARING THE SEASONS (illustrated by David Diaz).
Oh, yeah... one more thing. I hope you'll all join me in wishing Lee a happy birthday!
Yesterday brought us All Eyes by Nikki Grimes. Tomorrow... Villanelle: Why I Love Libraries by Linda Sue Park (just in time for National Library Week!).
by
Lee Bennett Hopkins
Roots
sprouts
buds
flowers
always--
always--
cloud-bursting showers
rhymes
April fools
fledglings on wing
no thing
is
newer
or
fresher
than
spring.
From the forthcoming, SHARING THE SEASONS (McElderry Books).
©2009 Lee Bennett Hopkins. All rights reserved.
Used by permission of Curtis Brown, Ltd.
Lee Bennett Hopkins is this year's recipient of the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. He's a dynamic speaker, an incredible poet, a remarkable anthologist, and a tireless champion for children's poetry and poets. And he loves chocolate!
Like he has been to countless others, Lee has been generous to me with his knowledge and time and has been an inspiration with his enthusiasm and passion for what he does. 30 Poets/30 Days would not likely exist had I never met him and been so caught up in his love of "passing the poetry," so to speak. I'm incredibly happy to be able to publicly say "Thanks, Lee!" like I know many have before. And now that I'm done with my selfish part... I'm also incredibly happy to give you a sneak peak at a poem from his upcoming SHARING THE SEASONS (illustrated by David Diaz).
Oh, yeah... one more thing. I hope you'll all join me in wishing Lee a happy birthday!
Yesterday brought us All Eyes by Nikki Grimes. Tomorrow... Villanelle: Why I Love Libraries by Linda Sue Park (just in time for National Library Week!).
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Chatting, blogging, tweeting... it's all good!
One of the highlights for me this month has been in getting to know so many new folks via email, Twitter, and here at the blog. I want to especially thank everybody who's left a comment or sent feedback and encourage you all to keep on doing the same.
I also want to give big hat tip to everyone who showed up at the Twitter poetry chat on Friday (which included J. Patrick Lewis's first tweet ever!). It was a great hour of poetry talk, and we'll be doing it again this week (time to be determined, but it won't be Friday during the day this time around!).
There's much more, but I gotta book so I can get Lee Bennett Hopkins' poem up and running!
I also want to give big hat tip to everyone who showed up at the Twitter poetry chat on Friday (which included J. Patrick Lewis's first tweet ever!). It was a great hour of poetry talk, and we'll be doing it again this week (time to be determined, but it won't be Friday during the day this time around!).
There's much more, but I gotta book so I can get Lee Bennett Hopkins' poem up and running!
Nikki Grimes - All Eyes
All Eyes
by
Nikki Grimes
I stood at the altar
twitching in God's shadow
dizzy with
the scent of lilies,
fear a broom
that swept away
the Easter poem
I'd memorized.
I blinked back
at twenty rows
of eyes, wondered
How does it go, again?
Then, always reckless,
opened my mouth.
But all that came out
half sung,
half whispered was
"Christ the Lord
has risen today.
Haaaaa-leee-luuuu-jah!"
©2009 Nikki Grimes. All rights reserved.
Nikki Grimes is the recipient of the 2006 NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children, a Coretta Scott King Award winner, an NAACP Image Award winner, and a novelist, poet, and picture book author who writes wonderfully for children, teens, and adults. And really, that just starts the list, but I do try to keep this part short!
I have been a huge fan of Nikki Grimes' poetry from the moment I first read it, and All Eyes is a great example of why (and, of course, there are many reasons why, but I'll try to keep this part short, too!). Now honestly, I've never stood at an altar with a memorized Easter poem swept out of my mind... but while the poem captures a very specific moment in time, it speaks to a universal experience and emotion. So, yeah, I read this, and I'm at that altar, transported there by poetry. This happens to me a lot with Nikki Grimes' poems, and that's one reason I'm thrilled having her be a part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday we had Avis Hartley's Perfect Pitch (an acrostic). Tomorrow... Lee Bennett Hopkins with SPRING.
by
Nikki Grimes
I stood at the altar
twitching in God's shadow
dizzy with
the scent of lilies,
fear a broom
that swept away
the Easter poem
I'd memorized.
I blinked back
at twenty rows
of eyes, wondered
How does it go, again?
Then, always reckless,
opened my mouth.
But all that came out
half sung,
half whispered was
"Christ the Lord
has risen today.
Haaaaa-leee-luuuu-jah!"
©2009 Nikki Grimes. All rights reserved.
Nikki Grimes is the recipient of the 2006 NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children, a Coretta Scott King Award winner, an NAACP Image Award winner, and a novelist, poet, and picture book author who writes wonderfully for children, teens, and adults. And really, that just starts the list, but I do try to keep this part short!
I have been a huge fan of Nikki Grimes' poetry from the moment I first read it, and All Eyes is a great example of why (and, of course, there are many reasons why, but I'll try to keep this part short, too!). Now honestly, I've never stood at an altar with a memorized Easter poem swept out of my mind... but while the poem captures a very specific moment in time, it speaks to a universal experience and emotion. So, yeah, I read this, and I'm at that altar, transported there by poetry. This happens to me a lot with Nikki Grimes' poems, and that's one reason I'm thrilled having her be a part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday we had Avis Hartley's Perfect Pitch (an acrostic). Tomorrow... Lee Bennett Hopkins with SPRING.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Avis Harley - Perfect Pitch
Perfect Pitch
by
Avis Harley
When you
Ache to make some music
Though you’re feeling all forlorn; you don’t
Even own a piano or
Recorder or a horn…why not
Measure out some water to eight glasses in a row
Until you hear a Do-Re-Mi, and a Fa-
So-La-Ti-Do. Then you take a tiny teaspoon—
It’s to tap a tinkly tune—and you practise for a
Concert you’ll perform at
Sunday noon. When your
Upbeat music’s over, don’t discard
It down the sink. Look around for
Thirsty flowers and then pitch
Each one a drink.
©2009 Avis Harley. All rights reserved.
Avis Harley plays with words... places them in all sorts of forms and styles... and makes them sing. Perfect Pitch is an acrostic, yes, but it's also so much more than just that - the rhythms, the rhymes, the imagery, the story, the title, and the acrostic itself work together to create something much different than any part alone. Also, I sense the fun she has writing whenever I read or hear her work... and I know kids do, too.
If you haven't read Tricia's Poetry Makers profile of Avis Harley, you really should go read it now. Not only will you get to know more about Avis, but you'll see other wonderful samples of her work (including LATER, a poem that truly hits me dead on). I'm truly looking forward to her new book, African Acrostics (with photographs by Deborah Noyes), and I'm incredibly happy to have a new poem (and an acrostic, to boot!) from Avis Harley here as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday Bruce Lansky gave us Rules for Spot. Tomorrow... All Eyes by Nikki Grimes.
by
Avis Harley
When you
Ache to make some music
Though you’re feeling all forlorn; you don’t
Even own a piano or
Recorder or a horn…why not
Measure out some water to eight glasses in a row
Until you hear a Do-Re-Mi, and a Fa-
So-La-Ti-Do. Then you take a tiny teaspoon—
It’s to tap a tinkly tune—and you practise for a
Concert you’ll perform at
Sunday noon. When your
Upbeat music’s over, don’t discard
It down the sink. Look around for
Thirsty flowers and then pitch
Each one a drink.
©2009 Avis Harley. All rights reserved.
Avis Harley plays with words... places them in all sorts of forms and styles... and makes them sing. Perfect Pitch is an acrostic, yes, but it's also so much more than just that - the rhythms, the rhymes, the imagery, the story, the title, and the acrostic itself work together to create something much different than any part alone. Also, I sense the fun she has writing whenever I read or hear her work... and I know kids do, too.
If you haven't read Tricia's Poetry Makers profile of Avis Harley, you really should go read it now. Not only will you get to know more about Avis, but you'll see other wonderful samples of her work (including LATER, a poem that truly hits me dead on). I'm truly looking forward to her new book, African Acrostics (with photographs by Deborah Noyes), and I'm incredibly happy to have a new poem (and an acrostic, to boot!) from Avis Harley here as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday Bruce Lansky gave us Rules for Spot. Tomorrow... All Eyes by Nikki Grimes.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Bruce Lansky - Rules for Spot
Rules for Spot
by
Bruce Lansky
Don't run after cars
when they drive down our street.
Don't leave doggy paw marks
on fresh-poured concrete.
Don't bark at the mail man;
the poor man will pout.
Don't bite bible salesmen;
they might cuss you out.
Don't drink from the toilet,
your breath won't smell great.
And mom won't be thrilled when
you eat off her plate.
Don't whine late at night
so I'll open the door.
If I'm sleeping, don't wake me;
Just "go" on the floor.
I wrote down these rules,
which I hoped would be followed.
Spot thought it was homework.
So, he chewed it and swallowed.
©2009 Bruce Lansky. All rights reserved.
Bruce Lansky knows funny. In fact, as the editor and publisher of Miles of Smiles and other books in the Kids Pick the Funniest Poems series, I doubt there's anyone with more hands on experience about what kids like when it comes to funny verse. But besides knowing funny, Bruce Lansky IS funny. He brings wit and fun and silliness and a keen eye to writing poems that tickle funnybones. And if you've never been to his Giggle Poetry website, you're missing a fantastic resource (as well as a lot of laughs). I love to laugh and love to have kids laugh when I read them a poem, so I am particularly pleased to have Bruce Lansky here as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
It's Poetry Friday! Why not go visit the roundup of posts over at Carol's Corner so you can see what else is going on poetically in the Kidlitosphere. Last week there were over 80 posts on things poetic (poems, interviews, reviews, prompts, you name it). Good times. Goooood times.
Yesterday we saw Joyce Sidman's pantoum, Spring is the Time. Tomorrow... Avis Harley's Perfect Pitch.
by
Bruce Lansky
Don't run after cars
when they drive down our street.
Don't leave doggy paw marks
on fresh-poured concrete.
Don't bark at the mail man;
the poor man will pout.
Don't bite bible salesmen;
they might cuss you out.
Don't drink from the toilet,
your breath won't smell great.
And mom won't be thrilled when
you eat off her plate.
Don't whine late at night
so I'll open the door.
If I'm sleeping, don't wake me;
Just "go" on the floor.
I wrote down these rules,
which I hoped would be followed.
Spot thought it was homework.
So, he chewed it and swallowed.
©2009 Bruce Lansky. All rights reserved.
Bruce Lansky knows funny. In fact, as the editor and publisher of Miles of Smiles and other books in the Kids Pick the Funniest Poems series, I doubt there's anyone with more hands on experience about what kids like when it comes to funny verse. But besides knowing funny, Bruce Lansky IS funny. He brings wit and fun and silliness and a keen eye to writing poems that tickle funnybones. And if you've never been to his Giggle Poetry website, you're missing a fantastic resource (as well as a lot of laughs). I love to laugh and love to have kids laugh when I read them a poem, so I am particularly pleased to have Bruce Lansky here as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
It's Poetry Friday! Why not go visit the roundup of posts over at Carol's Corner so you can see what else is going on poetically in the Kidlitosphere. Last week there were over 80 posts on things poetic (poems, interviews, reviews, prompts, you name it). Good times. Goooood times.
Yesterday we saw Joyce Sidman's pantoum, Spring is the Time. Tomorrow... Avis Harley's Perfect Pitch.
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