Why I Didn't Turn In My Homework - a school poem/an excuse poem

Why I Didn’t Turn In My Homework
by
Greg Pincus

I left it at home.
It made me weep.
I did other work.
I fell asleep.

I must’ve lost it.
I did it last week!
What? There was homework?
To me it was Greek.

My printer was dead.
I don’t understand what it’s supposed to teach me and that wasn’t explained and I don’t learn anything when you give me a number grade or a check mark with no explanation of how to get better so the homework is a waste of my time and I didn’t do it because I hate it.
It’s not due tomorrow?
My doggie ate it.

Today's poem was inspired by the poetry prompt over at The Miss Rumphius Effect. It might've also been inspired by some real-life observation, too, and it's quite clearly from a student POV!

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My Favorite Shirt - a poem

My Favorite Shirt
by
Greg Pincus

This shirt is great - the best I’ve worn.
Who cares if it’s all frayed and torn
Or that it’s old, and I’ve been growing
And when I stretch my belly’s showing?
The words it showed in blue and red
Are gone (though I know what they said).
I know it’s stained. That’s good for me:
Each splotch contains a memory.
I love this shirt with all my heart.
I’ll wear it 'til it falls apart.
So wash it, please, with love and caring...
To make it last for one more wearing.


The Poetry Friday roundup is up over at the Wild Rose Reader. Check it out (and you might want to check out Elaine's whole blog while you're there, too, if you're a poetry fan). And those of you who know me and are gonna ask... no, I can't pick just ONE favorite shirt of my own.

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Laurel Snyder on Skype

Over at The Happy Accident, I have an interview with author Laurel Snyder about her doing 100 Skype class visits in 100 Days. If you've ever thought about Skype visits or wondered about them or had a nutty idea like 100 in 100... you oughta go read it. And if you haven't... well, I still encourage you to go read it - Laurel's answers to my questions are really fabulous.

Commenting about Commenting

Over on my other blog, The Happy Accident, I have a post up talking about both creating comment-worthy comment AND the "art" of adding comments, too. There's a fine conversation going on in, you guessed it, the comments of the post.

I'd love you to head on over and add your thoughts, too.

A Message from Saturday the 14th - a non-holiday poem

A Message from Saturday the 14th
by
Greg Pincus

You see? You’re still here.
There was nothing to fear.
The 13th is a terrible tease.

And me? I’ve been waiting,
Anticipating...
Relaxed as a bird on the breeze.

I know I could mention
I get no attention,
Yet truly, it doesn’t annoy me.

And so I just say,
“I’m a fabulous day.
Don’t waste me, my friends. Enjoy me!”


I was gonna dazzle y'all with a fancy word for the fear of the number 14 instead of the standard triskaidekaphobia comment... but it turns out there isn't a real term. Man, the 13th really does get all the attention. So unfair....

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The Evolution of the Toilet (A Brief History) - a poem

The Evolution of the Toilet (A Brief History)
by
Greg Pincus

Hole.
Bowl.


Oh, come on now... you didn't really expect every one of my poems to be all empowering and stuff like the last one, did you? :-) Since writing this poem, I've actually had a lot of fun with the whole "a brief history" concept, using it as a writing exercise/prompt for myself. Perhaps you'll see more some time in the future. Or, you know, I could flush the whole idea....

This week's Poetry Friday roundup is up over at A Teaching Life. Head on over and check it out (and maybe there'll be other history lessons, too. You just never know....)

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How to Keep a Poetry Lover Up Late

 I just got a copy of Lewis Turco's revised and expanded editions of The Book of Forms. It includes odd and invented forms (including me and The Fib on page 214!), and, I gotta say I could read it all night long.

So many forms, so little time!

Anyone have a favorite quirky form? Feel free to leave it in the comments or send me off to it in the Book of Forms itself. So many of these I'd never heard of, and I'm sure I'm missing some great ones.

Doesn't this seem like a picture book waiting to happen?

I just saw this story of a man whose slipper order came in size 1450 instead of 14.50 (whoever it was who shared it recently on Facebook, thank you), and it struck me that it's like a mix of Clifford and Where the Wild Things Are and... oh, I dunno. It just made me smile, I guess.

Regardless, that's one big slipper!

Instructions for Helping the World

Instructions for Helping the World
by
Greg Pincus

Write a poem.
Work with clay.
Draw or paint a day away.
Knit or dance.
Make a song.
Film a movie all night long.
Use your hands,
Brain and heart.
Live! Create!
Go make some art.


I had so many different titles for this one that I think they could make a "list" poem all by themselves.... To see how others are kicking off this year in poetry, head on over to Teaching Authors for the first Poetry Friday roundup of the year.

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The Cybils and Walter Dean Myers

I'll add my voice to the cheering chorus about the selection of Walter Dean Myers as the new National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. He's a fantastic choice. (And hey, he's even been to GottaBook as part of 30 Poets/30 Days!)

Not enough children's literature related excitement for you? Well, then, the Cybils finalists have been announced. Fantastic books in there in all sorts of categories (and good apps, too), and I'm actually quite relieved not to be a judge this year having to make final decisions.

Good ways to kick off the new year, indeed....

How to Keep One New Year's Resolution - a new year's poem/a resolution poem

How to Keep One New Year’s Resolution
by
Greg Pincus

Here’s my resolution trick:
Resolve to break one really quick.
That way when the “break” is done,
You’re guaranteed of keeping one.


Happy New Year! May you keep all your resolutions (unless, of course, you resolve to break one, in which case you'll either break that resolution or another one or... oh... never mind.).

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December 31st (Looking Back) - an end of the year poem/a New Year's poem

December 31st (Looking Back)
by
Greg Pincus

The year’s near done. Let’s review:
Resolutions? Kept a few.
Top 10 goals? I reached two.
School and chores? At least they’re through.
Learned to drum. Tried kung fu.
Wrote and sang and read and drew.
Food I’ve tried? A list that grew!
Had a crush, but won’t say who.
Played with friends (including you).
Failed a lot as this year flew.
Tonight one year will say “adieu.”
Tomorrow, we can start anew...
But looking back, this much is true:
I tried my best, and that'll do.


Thanks to all of you for being part of the year here at GottaBook. I wish you all a new year filled with health, joy, and juuuust enough of the dessert of your choice.

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Thoughts While Sweeping the Kitchen (After Taking Out the Trash) - a cleaning poem

Thoughts While Sweeping the Kitchen (After Taking Out the Trash)
by
Greg Pincus

I said I was bored.
I got chored.
Why can’t I ever just be ignored?

The last Poetry Friday roundup of the year is over at Julie Larios' blog, the Drift Record. Be sure to check it out!

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Two Good Things

First up for your end of the year pleasure... the last Carnival of Children's Literature of the year, over at Jennifer's Jean Little Library blog.

And then, to kick off 2012 in style, why not join my friend Deb Marshall for a middle-grade read-a-thon? It's running Jan 2-Jan 8, and entry is as easy as signing up. There are even some prizes, if you need incentive beyond just reading good middle grade books.

Two good things, indeed!

Dear Santa, About Your Lists... (a paradox) - a Christmas poem

DEAR SANTA, ABOUT YOUR LISTS... (a paradox)
by
Greg Pincus

I’m really quite nervous I’m on the wrong list:
I’ve been “naughty” so much of the year.
And this means that Santa, if you do exist,
My Christmas won’t be full of cheer.

You see, this creates us a terrible mess.
Truly it wasn’t my goal,
But there’s only one thing I want, I confess:
A shiny, big, black lump of coal.

The problem, I think, is that if I’d been nice,
I’d get what I want in my stocking.
But since I behaved well perhaps once or twice...
To get what I want would be shocking.

Yet “naughty” kids get what I want, so you see...
That’s the reason I lied, spat, and stole.
Please keep that in mind when you come to my tree:
I want a big, black lump of coal.

I’d hate to get presents like music or money.
Don’t bring me a new catcher’s mitt.
No movies or Lego or books that are funny.
No, I wouldn’t like them one bit.

I know I was “naughty,” but please break your rule.
I’ve heard you’re a jolly old soul...
And giving me what I don’t want would be cruel!
So, please, bring a big lump of coal.

The Poetry Friday roundup is over at Dori Reads today. Why not head over and check it out?

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Children's Poetry in 2011

Over at PACYA's Poetry at Play blog, there's a post chock full o' info about poetry books published this year (from picture book up to YA. from collections of poetry to novels in verse).

Head on over to check it out and join in celebrating the talented folk writing poetry for kids today.

Lists and Changes

Gobs and gobs of end of the year lists are coming out these days: books of the year, YA books of the year, picture books of the year, no doubt even lists of the year. There are a whole bunch of great books, like all years, so that's not the change I'm noticing. Instead, I'm noticing how many of the authors on these lists I interact with: at SCBWI conferences, on Facebook, on blogs, or on Twitter.

There are some authors on these lists who I know solely from social media (Mike Mullin, author of Ashfall, comes to mind). There are some I know from conferences or other children's lit related events. Many are a combination of the two.

When I flash back to 2006, when I started blogging here at GottaBook, I see this as a huge change - both for me personally but also for how our community has continued to connect via social media.

I think it's important for authors and illustrators to be building a platform for so many reasons (not, by the way, so that I get to know them, but so that thousands of "I's" get to know them!), so I'm excited to see folks being visible. And personally? Well, I admit I'm excited seeing people I know get recognized for their achievements.

And here's to more of the same in 2012 and beyond!

It's a Good Deal, I Say! Get Lee Wind in Your School....

I am excited to see that my friend Lee Wind has announced a grant program to help schools afford his speaker visits in 2012. This is a great deal for everyone... and it particularly benefits students, as Lee's speaking work is a critically important.

If you don't know Lee and his blog, I'm Here, I'm Queer, What the Hell do I read?, then I doubly urge you to go check his site out. As a speaker, Lee offers a Smashing Stereotypes workshop and a school assembly called SAFE SPACE: Ending Anti-Gay bullying in our Culture... and in Your School. And if you do know Lee, I'm pretty darn sure you'll join me in urging others to do what they can bring him to your school today.

Lee doesn't like to toot his own horn (okay, fine - who does???), so I was glad to see him post comments from students and counselors who've attended his workshops. I look forward to more such comments rolling in throughout 2012!

This Tuesday's #Kidlitchat

Last week, #kidlitchat ran into technical difficulties on Twitter, so we've re-scheduled the same topic for this week... and since it might be of interest to some of you, I thought I'd share it here. We'll be talking about book launches: what to do to help put your book out into the world... and when to do it, too. We'll be sharing tips, asking questions, coming up with timelines, sharing what's worked and what hasn't... and it'd be great to see you there.

#kidlitchat happens every Tuesday night at 9 PM Eastern/6 PM Pacific on Twitter. If you've never joined a Twitter chat, Debbie Ridpath Ohi has a fabulous article on the hows and whys of them that I highly recommend.

Hope to see you there, this week or some Tuesday in the future!

Poetry Resources

The fabulous Sylvia Vardell put together a post with various FREE poetry resources that she shared during her NCTE presentation.

If you love poetry, or love to teach poetry, or want to love poetry, or want to find other ways to teach poetry, or... oh, heck, just check it out.