Tuesday, April 01, 2014

30 Poets/Day 1 - Jack Prelutsky and Alice Schertle

The incomparable Jack Prelutsky started off the entire 30 Poets/30 Days adventure with a poem written especially for the event!  In 2010, we kicked off with Alice Schertle in fine triolet form. I'm gonna run out of adjectives this month, but geeeeeez, I love these poets and poems!

A Little Poem For Poetry Month
by
Jack Prelutsky

I’m glad we have a Poetry Month,
But still, I wonder why
They chose a month with thirty days—
Were months in short supply?
I wish that they’d selected
A longer month, like May.
I’m certain I’d appreciate
That extra poetry day.

Of course, if they’d picked February,
I would be aghast,
For February’s very short
And passes far too fast.
But April’s not as short as that,
So I don’t hesitate
To say I’m glad it’s Poetry Month.
Hooray! Let’s celebrate.

©2009 by Jack Prelutsky. All rights reserved. See the original posting here.



         Triolets
That Trouble My Sleep
             by
    Alice Schertle

Does a tree make a sound
if there’s nobody there
when it falls to the ground?
Does a tree make a sound?
The question’s profound—
but why do I care
if a tree makes a sound
when there’s nobody there?

Was it the chicken
or egg that came first?
I feel my pulse quicken—
was it the chicken?
Now I am stricken
with doubt. I am cursed!
Was it the chicken
or egg that came first?

I ponder each riddle
that troubles my sleep.
Thumbs all a-twiddle
I ponder each riddle
ensnared in the middle
of “timber!” and “peep!”
I ponder each riddle
that troubles my sleep.

© 2010 Alice Schertle. All rights reserved. See the original posting here.
 
Tomorrow we'll see poems from Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Joseph Bruchac. Click here for more information on this year's 30 Poets/30 Days including how to follow along.

3 comments:

April Halprin Wayland said...

Thanks Gregory! It's kind of like Netflicks--I get to watch my favs over again! <3

Mary Lee said...

It's going to be so much fun revisiting these poems!

jon said...

Old faves -- still holding up well!