Just want to point out the Disability in Kidlit blog, in case you've missed it. Cuz it's great, ya see.
This isn't just about listing books where disability factors in. No. We're talking critical looks at representation, conversations about myriad issues/concerns, and well-written thought pieces by folks who know of what they speak.
The blog may only be active for the month of July, but I, for one, hope it continues. It reminds me of Debbie Reese's American Indians in Children's Literature blog... and that's a good thing.
We talk about children's literature being a
mirror for kids, and it's important to examine how we're really doing in that regard when it comes to our portrayals of others different than "the norm" (whatever the norm might mean these days....). Check it out, I say!
Monday, July 22, 2013
Friday, July 19, 2013
In Which I See ARCs... and Squee
What's this?
Could it be?
Squee!!!!
Yes, it's ARCs (advance reader copies or galleys or uncorrected proofs or whatever you might want to call them) of the 14 Fibs of Gregory K.!
And I freely admit it's a great feeling to hold one. Can't quite imagine what holding the final book will be like. Makes me want October 1 to come sooner.....
This calls for pie!
Could it be?
Squee!!!!
Yes, it's ARCs (advance reader copies or galleys or uncorrected proofs or whatever you might want to call them) of the 14 Fibs of Gregory K.!
And I freely admit it's a great feeling to hold one. Can't quite imagine what holding the final book will be like. Makes me want October 1 to come sooner.....
This calls for pie!
Monday, July 15, 2013
It's the Fourth Anniversary of #kidlitchat!!!!
Please come join Bonnie Adamson and me and chat your fingers off.
If you need some chat help, check out this great writeup by Debbie Ridpath Ohi. (As an aside, for those looking for a new chat-following tool, the site Twubs.com was recommended to me and worked well last week.)
Hope to see you there!
Wednesday, July 03, 2013
J. Patrick Lewis - Where is the Fourth of July?
Where is the Fourth of July?
by
J. Patrick Lewis
The Fourth of July
isn't what it used to be,
isn't what it used to be,
not even close to being close
to what it used to be back in the days of old.
Where is the Fourth of July parade?
The bands? Remember the bands that played,
picnics, cookouts, fireworks adventures?
Remember when Grandpa lost his dentures,
Granny made ice cream, the four uncles sang
(almost in tune) like a barbershop gang,
Saluting the flag? Dressed in red, white, and blue?
Kids riding bikes down the avenue?
Where is the Fourth of July of old?
I said to Gramps, "It's holiday gold!
July the Fourth is a household word!"
But missing his teeth, he said to me, "Son,
Ish only July da fird."
(©J. Patrick Lewis. All rights reserved.)
It's always nice (and a bit of a thrill) to have J. Patrick Lewis stop by here at GottaBook and share a poem. And today it's a poem for the 4th... or the 3rd... or both!
Whether you celebrate Independence Day or not, I wish you a happy Fourth. As for me... I'll be watching the fireworks, saluting history, and enjoying friends and family. Sounds like the July Fourths of old, perhaps? Just no lost dentures....
by
J. Patrick Lewis
The Fourth of July
isn't what it used to be,
isn't what it used to be,
not even close to being close
to what it used to be back in the days of old.
Where is the Fourth of July parade?
The bands? Remember the bands that played,
picnics, cookouts, fireworks adventures?
Remember when Grandpa lost his dentures,
Granny made ice cream, the four uncles sang
(almost in tune) like a barbershop gang,
Saluting the flag? Dressed in red, white, and blue?
Kids riding bikes down the avenue?
Where is the Fourth of July of old?
I said to Gramps, "It's holiday gold!
July the Fourth is a household word!"
But missing his teeth, he said to me, "Son,
Ish only July da fird."
(©J. Patrick Lewis. All rights reserved.)
It's always nice (and a bit of a thrill) to have J. Patrick Lewis stop by here at GottaBook and share a poem. And today it's a poem for the 4th... or the 3rd... or both!
Whether you celebrate Independence Day or not, I wish you a happy Fourth. As for me... I'll be watching the fireworks, saluting history, and enjoying friends and family. Sounds like the July Fourths of old, perhaps? Just no lost dentures....
Monday, July 01, 2013
Not that I'm excited about it or anything....
The 14 Fibs of Gregory K. is due to launch three months from today!
Here again, because it makes me abundantly happy, is Linzie Hunter's fabulous cover:
You should stop by your favorite indie bookshop and encourage them to order gobs of copies, don't you think? Yes. Of course, you do. Don't know why I asked. Or you can pre-order it on Amazon, even.
But really what I encourage most is to hang out and be gleeful with me or with any other author you know who's got a book coming out soon. It's an exciting time, yet it's easy to forget to celebrate. So find an author and have some fun!
Here again, because it makes me abundantly happy, is Linzie Hunter's fabulous cover:
You should stop by your favorite indie bookshop and encourage them to order gobs of copies, don't you think? Yes. Of course, you do. Don't know why I asked. Or you can pre-order it on Amazon, even.
But really what I encourage most is to hang out and be gleeful with me or with any other author you know who's got a book coming out soon. It's an exciting time, yet it's easy to forget to celebrate. So find an author and have some fun!
Friday, June 28, 2013
Almost There.... - a writing poem/a poem poem
Almost There....
by
Greg Pincus
I've been thinking about a new poem.
I can see the way it should begin.
Yet the writing is pending
'Til I know the ending -
I don't want to leave it unfin...!
Happy Summer, y'all (well... y'all in the Northern Hemisphere!). This week's Poetry Friday Roundup is over at The Poem Farm where Amy Ludwig VanDerwater keeps you stocked in poetry all year round.
And if you want to get all the poems hereabouts (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!
by
Greg Pincus
I've been thinking about a new poem.
I can see the way it should begin.
Yet the writing is pending
'Til I know the ending -
I don't want to leave it unfin...!
Happy Summer, y'all (well... y'all in the Northern Hemisphere!). This week's Poetry Friday Roundup is over at The Poem Farm where Amy Ludwig VanDerwater keeps you stocked in poetry all year round.
And if you want to get all the poems hereabouts (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Congratulations, Kenn Nesbitt!
I'm excited to see that Kenn Nesbitt has been named the Poetry Foundation's next Children's Poet Laureate!
It's a two year term, so Kenn will be taking over for J. Patrick Lewis this year and be laureating until 2015. I'm looking forward to tons of laughter from Kenn, as always, and I know he'll be inspiring kids to love all kinds of poetry for years to come.
Congratulations, Kenn!
It's a two year term, so Kenn will be taking over for J. Patrick Lewis this year and be laureating until 2015. I'm looking forward to tons of laughter from Kenn, as always, and I know he'll be inspiring kids to love all kinds of poetry for years to come.
Congratulations, Kenn!
Friday, May 31, 2013
Poetry Re-Issue: Hello, Summer!
It's that end of the school year time yet again, give or take a week or two, so I figured it was worth dusting off a poetic tribute of mine....
Hello, Summer!
by
Greg Pincus
Goodbye, classroom!
Goodbye, Teach!
You can find me at the beach...
Or in the park or at the pool
Or any place that isn’t school.
Goodbye, quizzes!
Bye, reports!
Hello days packed full of sports
And days when I’m just lazybones
While eating melty ice cream cones.
Goodbye, homework --
Lunchroom, too.
There’s so, so much I wanna do.
I know the school year flew on past…
But please, please summer -- last and last.
It's Poetry Friday, and you can see the roundup of this week's posts over at Teaching Young Writers.
And if you want to get all the poems hereabouts (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!
Hello, Summer!
by
Greg Pincus
Goodbye, classroom!
Goodbye, Teach!
You can find me at the beach...
Or in the park or at the pool
Or any place that isn’t school.
Goodbye, quizzes!
Bye, reports!
Hello days packed full of sports
And days when I’m just lazybones
While eating melty ice cream cones.
Goodbye, homework --
Lunchroom, too.
There’s so, so much I wanna do.
I know the school year flew on past…
But please, please summer -- last and last.
It's Poetry Friday, and you can see the roundup of this week's posts over at Teaching Young Writers.
And if you want to get all the poems hereabouts (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Banana Stickers
One day in either late elementary or early middle school, a friend and I had collected enough Chiquita banana stickers to give to everyone in the class and planned that at the top of the hour (I think it was), we'd all put said stickers on our noses and continue class as if nothing had happened.
My memory from here is even hazier, though I seem to recall the teacher continuing to lead the class without really acknowledging anything was amiss, though clearly aware.
What I don't recall was how I felt afterwards or whether the weeks of collecting stickers had paid off for me. I do know I never organized another banana-in. But to this day I have the urge to put stickers from bananas on my nose.
Nothing profound here, but it was a happy flashback for me and something I hadn't thought of in decades. And if you were there (or arranged a similar event!)... well... feel free to add your memories here. (You know... letting me know I'm not alone in my silliness!)
Friday, May 17, 2013
Good - a baby sitter poem/a perspective poem
Good
by
Greg Pincus
Last night we had a sitter
Just like Mom had said we would,
And since I am a real nice kid, I'd promised to be good.
I kept my word. Indeed I did.
I think it's plain to see.
In fact, I'd say that I was just as good as good can be.
I was good at whining
And at scaring our pet cat.
And throwing food against the wall? Yes, I was good at that.
I was good at tantrums
And was good at staying up.
I was extra good at pouring too much soda in my cup.
I was good at playing -
I played lots of "I can't hear!"
And my sitter said that I was good at changing her career.
So Mom and Dad, I'm asking you,
I'm shouting through this door:
If I was so, so good last night, what'd I get grounded for?
Let me just go on record as saying there is nothing autobiographical about this poem (well, except for me being a good kid, of course!!!). I'm just sayin'.....
You can check out this week's Poetry Friday roundup over at Ed DeCaria's Think Kid, Think!, and read some Poetry Friday history as well as see a slew of other great poetry posts. You should go. It's the "good" thing to do.
And... if you want to get all the new poems hereabouts (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!
by
Greg Pincus
Last night we had a sitter
Just like Mom had said we would,
And since I am a real nice kid, I'd promised to be good.
I kept my word. Indeed I did.
I think it's plain to see.
In fact, I'd say that I was just as good as good can be.
I was good at whining
And at scaring our pet cat.
And throwing food against the wall? Yes, I was good at that.
I was good at tantrums
And was good at staying up.
I was extra good at pouring too much soda in my cup.
I was good at playing -
I played lots of "I can't hear!"
And my sitter said that I was good at changing her career.
So Mom and Dad, I'm asking you,
I'm shouting through this door:
If I was so, so good last night, what'd I get grounded for?
Let me just go on record as saying there is nothing autobiographical about this poem (well, except for me being a good kid, of course!!!). I'm just sayin'.....
You can check out this week's Poetry Friday roundup over at Ed DeCaria's Think Kid, Think!, and read some Poetry Friday history as well as see a slew of other great poetry posts. You should go. It's the "good" thing to do.
And... if you want to get all the new poems hereabouts (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!
Friday, May 10, 2013
Reading News that Shocks No One
Well, perhaps it surprises some, but certainly not me - It turns out that the ability to choose what one reads is critical to promoting reading, or so says this Canadian study. This echoes an earlier Scholastic report I mentioned here (and no surprise: the Canadian study looked at prior data and studies to reach conclusions).
I think this plays out a lot with poetry, too, kinda along Lee Bennett Hopkins' idea that you should read kids poetry and get out of the way. Poetry and reading shouldn't be treated as chores - they're pleasures. How this plays out in a classroom is challenging, I know, but take away freedom all over and... well.... Choice, I say!
And you?
I think this plays out a lot with poetry, too, kinda along Lee Bennett Hopkins' idea that you should read kids poetry and get out of the way. Poetry and reading shouldn't be treated as chores - they're pleasures. How this plays out in a classroom is challenging, I know, but take away freedom all over and... well.... Choice, I say!
And you?
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
30 Poets/One Day - 2013 Edition
 |
| Logo by Carter Higgins |
In case you missed anything (or even if you didn't), here's a review of the 2013 edition of 30 Poets/30 Days:
Mary Lee Hahn - The Green Door
Kelly Fineman - Where Are Your Shoes
Andrew Fusek Peters - Blackbird
Heidi Bee Roemer - 3-D Geometry Geek
Sonya Sones - Hayfever
Doug Cushman - Olympic Sprouts
Tamera Will Wissinger - The Judge of Fudge
Jill Corcoran - Sing it Loud
Robert Schechter - Mistaken Identity
Nancy Bo Flood - Immigrant's Song: Coal Dust, Peppers, and Tomatoes
Debbie Levy - The Garden Secret
Jon Agee - High Jump
Thalia Chaltas - Today's Topic
Stephen W. Cahill - Scatterpillars
Emily Jiang - Painting with Sound
Laurel Snyder - Bluster
Robert Paul Weston - Freddy and the Yeti
Kristin Elizabeth Clark - Pronoun
Jenny Whitehead - The Litterbug
Maria Testa - First Game Ever, Perfect
Steven Herrick - Climate Change
Renée LaTulippe - A Council of Cats
Guadalupe Garcia McCall - Under the Awning/Debajo del Toldo
Joyce Lee Wong - Wedding Photo
G. Neri - June Bug Bash
John Foster - Add a Letter, Find Another Word
Lesléa Newman - Teen Angels
Dave Crawley - Eye of the Hawk
Naomi Shihab Nye - Driving Back
For even more poetry, you can check out prior years' editions of 30 Poets/30 Days:
 |
| Logo by Debbie Ridpath Ohi |
 |
| Logo by Mary Peterson |
 |
| Logo by Bonnie Adamson |
Again... thanks for being part of the fun. I hope you stay in touch!
And as always, you can can join my poetry list and get all the poems that appear here emailed out the day they hit my blog. Enter your email address below and click subscribe:
Here's to poetry!
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Naomi Shihab Nye - Driving Back
Driving Back
by
Naomi Shihab Nye
People do not
pass away.
They die,
and then
they stay.
©2013 Naomi Shihab Nye. All rights reserved.
I wanted to mention all the various honors Naomi Shihab Nye has received (multiple Pushcart Prizes, being a Guggenheim Fellow, the 2008 Cybil for Poetry for her book Honeybee) but on some level, I always wonder if that's really necessary... particularly after you've just read Driving Back. I mean... you don't really care about the awards, do you? You just read and that's enough.
I love the way Driving Back conveys so much heart and truth in just 11 words. It's a lesson I constantly have to relearn - brevity, honesty, simplicity, and the right words in the right order are the keys. Luckily, when I need a refresher, I can just turn to the poetry and prose of Naomi Shihab Nye to see all those elements at their best. And whether she's writing for adults or children or novels or standalone poems, she will make you think and feel... which is one reason why I'm so thrilled to have her here today to finish up this year's 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday, Dave Crawley gave us Eye of the Hawk. Tomorrow... a recap of the 2013 edition of 30 Poets/30 Days. Which means it's over! Sigh. It's always a bit sad for me when April comes to an end, though there's much to come here at GottaBook in May and beyond. I hope you stick around to see it... and more than that, I hope your whole year is full of poetry!
by
Naomi Shihab Nye
People do not
pass away.
They die,
and then
they stay.
©2013 Naomi Shihab Nye. All rights reserved.
I wanted to mention all the various honors Naomi Shihab Nye has received (multiple Pushcart Prizes, being a Guggenheim Fellow, the 2008 Cybil for Poetry for her book Honeybee) but on some level, I always wonder if that's really necessary... particularly after you've just read Driving Back. I mean... you don't really care about the awards, do you? You just read and that's enough. I love the way Driving Back conveys so much heart and truth in just 11 words. It's a lesson I constantly have to relearn - brevity, honesty, simplicity, and the right words in the right order are the keys. Luckily, when I need a refresher, I can just turn to the poetry and prose of Naomi Shihab Nye to see all those elements at their best. And whether she's writing for adults or children or novels or standalone poems, she will make you think and feel... which is one reason why I'm so thrilled to have her here today to finish up this year's 30 Poets/30 Days. Yesterday, Dave Crawley gave us Eye of the Hawk. Tomorrow... a recap of the 2013 edition of 30 Poets/30 Days. Which means it's over! Sigh. It's always a bit sad for me when April comes to an end, though there's much to come here at GottaBook in May and beyond. I hope you stick around to see it... and more than that, I hope your whole year is full of poetry!
Monday, April 29, 2013
Dave Crawley - Eye of the Hawk
Eye of the Hawk
by
Dave Crawley
Broad wings hover in a cloudless sky.
Shadow on meadows where songbirds fly.
Bright eyes gleaming, from a world on high.
The tall blue sky of the hawk.
Red-tailed raptor with a taste for prey.
Nail-sharp talons that will have their way.
The hunter rules at the end of day.
Beware the eye of the hawk.
Blacksnake slithers where a field mouse stirred.
House wrens flee from the great, brown bird.
For one lone creature, the last sound heard:
The hungry cry of the hawk.
©Dave Crawley. All rights reserved.
First off... congratulations to Dave Crawley, winner of this year's March Madness (poetry style, that is)! Dave ran off a string of created-under-pressure poems based on assigned words (like his tourney ending entry using "bumbershoot" or his semifinal battle where his "sesquipedalian" poem barely topped vs. M. M. Socks' "portmanteau" verse) that was epic, impressive, and a whole lot of fun, too.
Now, if you followed March Madness or have read any of Dave Crawley's books, you'll know that he's got an incredible ability to make folks laugh. He turns a phrase and plays with words like nobody's business. In fact, he sent me a very funny poem as well as Eye of the Hawk, but I chose the latter because what I think often gets lost for those of us who write funny is that, well... I mean, look at the word choice, the imagery, the hidden rhymes and all that good stuff! It's there in all his funny stuff, too, but if you ignore it here, well, you'll end up prey, I tell ya!
I step off my soapbox with an entreaty that you find Dave Crawley's books and re-read his Madness poems. Or just enjoy the Hawk and see why I'm thrilled to have him here as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday, Lesléa Newman gave us Teen Angels. Tomorrow, the 2013 edition of 30 Poets/30 Days finishes up with Naomi Shihab Nye and Driving Back.
by
Dave Crawley
Broad wings hover in a cloudless sky.
Shadow on meadows where songbirds fly.
Bright eyes gleaming, from a world on high.
The tall blue sky of the hawk.
Red-tailed raptor with a taste for prey.
Nail-sharp talons that will have their way.
The hunter rules at the end of day.
Beware the eye of the hawk.
Blacksnake slithers where a field mouse stirred.
House wrens flee from the great, brown bird.
For one lone creature, the last sound heard:
The hungry cry of the hawk.
©Dave Crawley. All rights reserved.
First off... congratulations to Dave Crawley, winner of this year's March Madness (poetry style, that is)! Dave ran off a string of created-under-pressure poems based on assigned words (like his tourney ending entry using "bumbershoot" or his semifinal battle where his "sesquipedalian" poem barely topped vs. M. M. Socks' "portmanteau" verse) that was epic, impressive, and a whole lot of fun, too.I step off my soapbox with an entreaty that you find Dave Crawley's books and re-read his Madness poems. Or just enjoy the Hawk and see why I'm thrilled to have him here as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday, Lesléa Newman gave us Teen Angels. Tomorrow, the 2013 edition of 30 Poets/30 Days finishes up with Naomi Shihab Nye and Driving Back.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Lesléa Newman - Teen Angels
Teen Angels
by
Lesléa Newman
Raymond Chase
Tyler Clementi
Billy Lucas
Asher Brown
Seth Walsh
Carl Walker-Hoover
19 years old
18 years old
15 years old
13 years old
13 years old
11 years old
Raymond Chase
Tyler Clementi
Billy Lucas
Asher Brown
Seth Walsh
Carl Walker-Hoover
“Fag”
“Faggot”
“Fairy”
“Sissy”
“Homo”
“Queer”
Raymond Chase
Tyler Clementi
Billy Lucas
Asher Brown
Seth Walsh
Carl Walker-Hoover
punched
slapped
kicked
chased
tackled
stripped
Raymond Chase
Tyler Clementi
Billy Lucas
Asher Brown
Seth Walsh
Carl Walker-Hoover
ashamed
afraid
enraged
depressed
defeated
alone
Raymond Chase
Tyler Clementi
Billy Lucas
Asher Brown
Seth Walsh
Carl Walker-Hoover
Hanged himself
Drowned himself
Hanged himself
Shot himself
Hanged himself
Hanged himself
Raymond Chase
Tyler Clementi
Billy Lucas
Asher Brown
Seth Walsh
Carl Walker-Hoover
Friend
Brother
Cousin
Teammate
Classmate
Mama’s Boy
"Teen Angels" copyright ©2013 Lesléa Newman. Reprinted by permission of the author.
Perhaps some or all of the six names in Lesléa Newman's Teen Angels were familiar to you before you read the poem, but I'd be willing to bet that now you'll remember them all the next time you see them... and you'll know why. What a powerful piece of writing!
Today's poem could easily be a companion to Lesléa Newman's most recent book, October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shephard, a novel-in-verse that deals with some similar themes and issues (and uses many points of view (including many of the silent witnesses to Matthew Shephard's death, such as the fence to which he was tied). I just read it recently, and I have to say it simply sticks with me. Another book I highly recommend.
Whether in her standalone poems, novels, or picture books (over 20 of them, by the way, including the oft-challenged Heather Has Two Mommies), I think it's safe to say that Lesléa Newman writes from her heart, and we're the lucky beneficiaries. It's a phrase say frequently in April, but, darn it, it's true: I'm an unabashed fan... and I'm thrilled to have her here today as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday, John Foster showed us how to Add a Letter, Find Another Word. Tomorrow... Dave Crawley with Eye of the Hawk! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.
by
Lesléa Newman
Raymond Chase
Tyler Clementi
Billy Lucas
Asher Brown
Seth Walsh
Carl Walker-Hoover
19 years old
18 years old
15 years old
13 years old
13 years old
11 years old
Raymond Chase
Tyler Clementi
Billy Lucas
Asher Brown
Seth Walsh
Carl Walker-Hoover
“Fag”
“Faggot”
“Fairy”
“Sissy”
“Homo”
“Queer”
Raymond Chase
Tyler Clementi
Billy Lucas
Asher Brown
Seth Walsh
Carl Walker-Hoover
punched
slapped
kicked
chased
tackled
stripped
Raymond Chase
Tyler Clementi
Billy Lucas
Asher Brown
Seth Walsh
Carl Walker-Hoover
ashamed
afraid
enraged
depressed
defeated
alone
Raymond Chase
Tyler Clementi
Billy Lucas
Asher Brown
Seth Walsh
Carl Walker-Hoover
Hanged himself
Drowned himself
Hanged himself
Shot himself
Hanged himself
Hanged himself
Raymond Chase
Tyler Clementi
Billy Lucas
Asher Brown
Seth Walsh
Carl Walker-Hoover
Friend
Brother
Cousin
Teammate
Classmate
Mama’s Boy
"Teen Angels" copyright ©2013 Lesléa Newman. Reprinted by permission of the author.
Perhaps some or all of the six names in Lesléa Newman's Teen Angels were familiar to you before you read the poem, but I'd be willing to bet that now you'll remember them all the next time you see them... and you'll know why. What a powerful piece of writing!
Whether in her standalone poems, novels, or picture books (over 20 of them, by the way, including the oft-challenged Heather Has Two Mommies), I think it's safe to say that Lesléa Newman writes from her heart, and we're the lucky beneficiaries. It's a phrase say frequently in April, but, darn it, it's true: I'm an unabashed fan... and I'm thrilled to have her here today as part of 30 Poets/30 Days. Yesterday, John Foster showed us how to Add a Letter, Find Another Word. Tomorrow... Dave Crawley with Eye of the Hawk! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
John Foster - Add a Letter, Find Another Word
Add a Letter, Find Another Word
(a word-finder's alphabet)
by
John Foster
When does the letter A create an opening?
When it turns jar into ajar.
Why is the letter B hot?
Because it turns oil into boil.
Why is the letter C skilful?
Because it turns raft into craft.
When is the letter D artistic?
When it turns raw into draw.
When is the letter E friendly?
When it turns mat into mate.
When does the letter F become airborne?
When it turns light into flight.
Why is the letter G deadly?
Because it turns rave into grave.
When does the letter H cry out?
When it turns owl into howl.
Why is the letter I angry?
Because it turns rate into irate.
When does the letter J sound harsh?
When it turns angle into jangle.
Why is the letter K good at tying?
Because it turns not into knot.
Why is the letter L good at making chains?
Because it turns inks into links.
Why is letter M good at multiplying?
Because it turns any into many.
Why is the letter N good at subtracting?
Because it turns one into none.
Why is the letter O good at providing access?
Because it turns pen into open.
Why is the letter P polite?
Because it turns lease into please.
Why is the letter Q quite sickening?
Because it helps to turn easy into queasy.
When is the letter R careless?
When it turns ash into rash.
Why is the letter S good at digging?
Because it turns hovel into shovel.
When does the letter T make a down-and –out?
When it turns ramp into tramp.
When does the letter U create a custom?
When it turns sage into usage.
Why is the letter V wicked?
Because it turns ice into vice.
When does the letter W create a turnaround?
When it turns heel into wheel.
When does the letter X reveal the inside story?
When it turns ray into X-ray.
When does the letter Y create longing?
When it turns earn into yearn.
Why is the letter Z bizarre?
Because it turns any into zany.
©John Foster. All rights reserved.
Dear editors who read GottaBook - would you please contact John Foster and inquire about turning the above poem into a picture book? It is very, very clever and even I, the non-visual guy, can see wonderful illustration potential. Thank you.
Word play is a recurring joy in John Foster's poetry, as is what I'd best describe as "smarts." (Note: I was going to make some reference to a letter S and turning marts into smarts, but geez... it's hard to do what he has done up above in a coherent way!). Head on out to read a couple poems at his site and while you're there, listen to him reading/performing a few poems, too. If you choose to attempt your own performance of Sean Short's Short Shorts, don't blame me if you have to ice your tongue after....
Besides being a wordsmith in his own right, John Foster also puts together fantastic anthologies, an art in and of itself. This means y'all have a lot of options when you leave this post... but in the meantime, I hope you share my happiness at having him here today as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday, G. Neri brought us the June Bug Bash. Tomorrow... Lesléa Newman with Teen Angels. For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.
(a word-finder's alphabet)
by
John Foster
When does the letter A create an opening?
When it turns jar into ajar.
Why is the letter B hot?
Because it turns oil into boil.
Why is the letter C skilful?
Because it turns raft into craft.
When is the letter D artistic?
When it turns raw into draw.
When is the letter E friendly?
When it turns mat into mate.
When does the letter F become airborne?
When it turns light into flight.
Why is the letter G deadly?
Because it turns rave into grave.
When does the letter H cry out?
When it turns owl into howl.
Why is the letter I angry?
Because it turns rate into irate.
When does the letter J sound harsh?
When it turns angle into jangle.
Why is the letter K good at tying?
Because it turns not into knot.
Why is the letter L good at making chains?
Because it turns inks into links.
Why is letter M good at multiplying?
Because it turns any into many.
Why is the letter N good at subtracting?
Because it turns one into none.
Why is the letter O good at providing access?
Because it turns pen into open.
Why is the letter P polite?
Because it turns lease into please.
Why is the letter Q quite sickening?
Because it helps to turn easy into queasy.
When is the letter R careless?
When it turns ash into rash.
Why is the letter S good at digging?
Because it turns hovel into shovel.
When does the letter T make a down-and –out?
When it turns ramp into tramp.
When does the letter U create a custom?
When it turns sage into usage.
Why is the letter V wicked?
Because it turns ice into vice.
When does the letter W create a turnaround?
When it turns heel into wheel.
When does the letter X reveal the inside story?
When it turns ray into X-ray.
When does the letter Y create longing?
When it turns earn into yearn.
Why is the letter Z bizarre?
Because it turns any into zany.
©John Foster. All rights reserved.
Dear editors who read GottaBook - would you please contact John Foster and inquire about turning the above poem into a picture book? It is very, very clever and even I, the non-visual guy, can see wonderful illustration potential. Thank you.
Word play is a recurring joy in John Foster's poetry, as is what I'd best describe as "smarts." (Note: I was going to make some reference to a letter S and turning marts into smarts, but geez... it's hard to do what he has done up above in a coherent way!). Head on out to read a couple poems at his site and while you're there, listen to him reading/performing a few poems, too. If you choose to attempt your own performance of Sean Short's Short Shorts, don't blame me if you have to ice your tongue after....
Besides being a wordsmith in his own right, John Foster also puts together fantastic anthologies, an art in and of itself. This means y'all have a lot of options when you leave this post... but in the meantime, I hope you share my happiness at having him here today as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday, G. Neri brought us the June Bug Bash. Tomorrow... Lesléa Newman with Teen Angels. For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.
Friday, April 26, 2013
G. Neri - June Bug Bash
June Bug Bash
by
G. Neri
When the weather warms
With its summer storms,
June bugs appear,
Listen, you’ll hear!
Flippity-flopping all around,
Buzzing with that crazy sound.
Always bumbling in your ears,
Nearly bringing you to tears!
They jitterbug around your food,
Put you in a foul mood.
Blundering on your hair and neck,
THUD! There goes another wreck!
Then suddenly, they disappear.
Come July, they’re nowhere near.
Where they go, no one knows.
But guessing keeps me on my toes.
Do they go south to Yucatan,
Fishing with a fisherman?
Or Northward to the icy snow,
Playing with an Eskimo?
Or maybe to the Great Far East,
Dancing on a wildebeest?
Or off to the Wild West
Traveling with another pest?
Maybe climbing up the Pyramids,
To scare off all the tourist kids?
Or surfing the Pacific Ocean,
Now that would be a wacky notion!
They really could be anywhere--
Even hiding in your mother’s hair.
Laying low and out of sight,
Giving you an awful fright!
Who knows where June Bugs go,
Or why in June they only show.
But soon, you’ll hear a buzz, thud, crash.
Back in time for the June Bug Bash!
©G. Neri. All rights reserved.
Today marks the third 30/30 poem in a row by a Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award winner - this time, G. Neri, the 2010 recipient (based on the strength of his Chess Rumble, a free verse gem about poverty, death, and chess).
Now, having just recently re-read the I-can't-count-how-many-awards-winning graphic novel Yummy, I have to admit I was not expecting a poem quite like June Bug Bash from Greg Neri. So you can add "the unexpected" to the ever-growing list of what I love about poetry and poets. I love the fun, the rhythms, and the wild imagination of the June bugs... and love the speedy world tour, too, to send my brain to where my body currently isn't.
Again, not to sound like a broken April record, but if by some chance you haven't read G. Neri's work or shared it with your middle grade/YA loving reading friends, well, the time is now. I find all his books to date to be poetry in their own way, and I'm genuinely thrilled to have him here today as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
And hey... you can check out a roundup of all the Poetry Friday fun over at Laura Purdie Salas' blog today. Go see all the great stuff still going on as National Poetry Month winds down.
Yesterday gave us Wedding Photo by Joyce Lee Wong. Tomorrow John Foster brings us Add a Letter, Find Another Word! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.
by
G. Neri
When the weather warms
With its summer storms,
June bugs appear,
Listen, you’ll hear!
Flippity-flopping all around,
Buzzing with that crazy sound.
Always bumbling in your ears,
Nearly bringing you to tears!
They jitterbug around your food,
Put you in a foul mood.
Blundering on your hair and neck,
THUD! There goes another wreck!
Then suddenly, they disappear.
Come July, they’re nowhere near.
Where they go, no one knows.
But guessing keeps me on my toes.
Do they go south to Yucatan,
Fishing with a fisherman?
Or Northward to the icy snow,
Playing with an Eskimo?
Or maybe to the Great Far East,
Dancing on a wildebeest?
Or off to the Wild West
Traveling with another pest?
Maybe climbing up the Pyramids,
To scare off all the tourist kids?
Or surfing the Pacific Ocean,
Now that would be a wacky notion!
They really could be anywhere--
Even hiding in your mother’s hair.
Laying low and out of sight,
Giving you an awful fright!
Who knows where June Bugs go,
Or why in June they only show.
But soon, you’ll hear a buzz, thud, crash.
Back in time for the June Bug Bash!
©G. Neri. All rights reserved.
Today marks the third 30/30 poem in a row by a Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award winner - this time, G. Neri, the 2010 recipient (based on the strength of his Chess Rumble, a free verse gem about poverty, death, and chess).
Now, having just recently re-read the I-can't-count-how-many-awards-winning graphic novel Yummy, I have to admit I was not expecting a poem quite like June Bug Bash from Greg Neri. So you can add "the unexpected" to the ever-growing list of what I love about poetry and poets. I love the fun, the rhythms, and the wild imagination of the June bugs... and love the speedy world tour, too, to send my brain to where my body currently isn't.
And hey... you can check out a roundup of all the Poetry Friday fun over at Laura Purdie Salas' blog today. Go see all the great stuff still going on as National Poetry Month winds down.
Yesterday gave us Wedding Photo by Joyce Lee Wong. Tomorrow John Foster brings us Add a Letter, Find Another Word! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Joyce Lee Wong - Wedding Photo
Wedding Photo Richmond, Virginia
by
Joyce Lee Wong
Just married,
poised on the courthouse steps
Baba wears a suit and tie
and Mama has on
a sky-blue dress.
A smile blooms on Mama’s lips
as she looks past the photographer,
her eyes fixed on something in the distance,
giving her face a dreamy look.
Does she miss her sisters and brothers,
her parents in Taipei?
Does she imagine
the sharp floral notes of incense,
the rub of silk,
as the courthouse tulips dance,
bobbing their scarlet and yellow heads
with the gusting April wind?
Baba turns toward her,
offering his arm,
his hand over hers,
his touch careful
as if he were holding something
fragile
as an egg,
its shell shining
impossibly blue;
a robin’s nest,
its intricate tangle of twigs
forming an airy house
in the pines;
or the first dogwoods
unfurling
tender and new,
green as hope,
white as a promise.
©Joyce Lee Wong. All rights reserved.
Wanna know how to make Greg happy? Do what Joyce Lee Wong did when she asked if I wanted to use the above poem... which had been cut from her novel in verse Seeing Emily. Uh... yes! Not only do I get to revisit the world of her fabulous debut, but the poem, clearly, stands wonderfully on its own.
I find the language of Wedding Photo so evocative - the strong, fresh images and way the words just work together and pull me in. Add in the depth in the writing as well and I think you can see why she was the Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award winner in 2007. If you haven't found Seeing Emily before, you should go read it... then come back and add this poem into the story.
Joyce Lee Wong is another one of the contributors to last year's Dare to Dream anthology, and is someone whose work I always look forward to reading. I look forward to whatever comes next, and I'm thrilled to have her here today as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday, we had Under the Awning/Debajo del Toldo from Guadalupe Garcia McCall. Tomorrow... G. Neri with June Bug Bash! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.
by
Joyce Lee Wong
Just married,
poised on the courthouse steps
Baba wears a suit and tie
and Mama has on
a sky-blue dress.
A smile blooms on Mama’s lips
as she looks past the photographer,
her eyes fixed on something in the distance,
giving her face a dreamy look.
Does she miss her sisters and brothers,
her parents in Taipei?
Does she imagine
the sharp floral notes of incense,
the rub of silk,
as the courthouse tulips dance,
bobbing their scarlet and yellow heads
with the gusting April wind?
Baba turns toward her,
offering his arm,
his hand over hers,
his touch careful
as if he were holding something
fragile
as an egg,
its shell shining
impossibly blue;
a robin’s nest,
its intricate tangle of twigs
forming an airy house
in the pines;
or the first dogwoods
unfurling
tender and new,
green as hope,
white as a promise.
©Joyce Lee Wong. All rights reserved.
Wanna know how to make Greg happy? Do what Joyce Lee Wong did when she asked if I wanted to use the above poem... which had been cut from her novel in verse Seeing Emily. Uh... yes! Not only do I get to revisit the world of her fabulous debut, but the poem, clearly, stands wonderfully on its own. 
I find the language of Wedding Photo so evocative - the strong, fresh images and way the words just work together and pull me in. Add in the depth in the writing as well and I think you can see why she was the Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award winner in 2007. If you haven't found Seeing Emily before, you should go read it... then come back and add this poem into the story.Joyce Lee Wong is another one of the contributors to last year's Dare to Dream anthology, and is someone whose work I always look forward to reading. I look forward to whatever comes next, and I'm thrilled to have her here today as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday, we had Under the Awning/Debajo del Toldo from Guadalupe Garcia McCall. Tomorrow... G. Neri with June Bug Bash! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Guadalupe Garcia McCall - Under the Awning/Debajo del Toldo
Under the Awning
by
Guadalupe Garcia McCall
Four starving swallows caw and squawk in their nest.
Hour after hour, day after day, their parents came and
Went, went and came. Feathers flapping, tails snapping,
Feeding mouths that would not stay fed.
Today, there is nothing save the incessant squawking,
The emptiness that shocks. A black widow spider scuttles by,
Dragging behind her a silken sack, while a giant moth sleeps
Peacefully beside the nest, her wings splayed out widely.
Debajo del Toldo
por
Guadalupe Garcia McCall
Quatro golondrinas ambrientas gorgear y graznasen en su nido.
Hora tras hora, dia tras dia, sus parientes fueron y vinieron,
Vinieron y fueron, agitando plumas, castañeando rabitos,
Alimentando bocas que no se hartaban.
Hoy, no hay nada salvo el graznido incesante, el vacio que asusta.
Una araña viuda negra se escabulle, arrastrando detras de ella
Un saco de seda, mientras una polilla enorme duerme tranquilamente
Al lado del nido, sus alas desplegadas ampliamente.
©Guadalupe Garcia McCall. All rights reserved.
First off... congratulations to Guadalupe Garcia McCall, the Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award winner in 2013! The award is given every three years to... wait for it... a promising poet (who hasn't released more than two books) and is quite a wonderful bit o' recognition. Huzzah, I say!
And, I'd add, if you read today's poem, you'll get a glimpse into why such recognition keeps on coming. Read the poem aloud and feel the crispness and power of the language (I suspect in either language, actually!). There is such great specificity in the images... as if this scene must have been witnessed to be described so clearly.
Whether she's writing novels-in-verse or in prose, Guadalupe Garcia McCall's work will draw you in. It took me too long to discover her books, and I don't want you to make that same mistake. So go on out and find them. In the meantime, I'm just incredibly happy to have her here today as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday, Renée LaTulippe introduced us to A Council of Cats. Tomorrow... Joyce Lee Wong with Wedding Photo! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.
by
Guadalupe Garcia McCall
Four starving swallows caw and squawk in their nest.
Hour after hour, day after day, their parents came and
Went, went and came. Feathers flapping, tails snapping,
Feeding mouths that would not stay fed.
Today, there is nothing save the incessant squawking,
The emptiness that shocks. A black widow spider scuttles by,
Dragging behind her a silken sack, while a giant moth sleeps
Peacefully beside the nest, her wings splayed out widely.
Debajo del Toldo
por
Guadalupe Garcia McCall
Quatro golondrinas ambrientas gorgear y graznasen en su nido.
Hora tras hora, dia tras dia, sus parientes fueron y vinieron,
Vinieron y fueron, agitando plumas, castañeando rabitos,
Alimentando bocas que no se hartaban.
Hoy, no hay nada salvo el graznido incesante, el vacio que asusta.
Una araña viuda negra se escabulle, arrastrando detras de ella
Un saco de seda, mientras una polilla enorme duerme tranquilamente
Al lado del nido, sus alas desplegadas ampliamente.
©Guadalupe Garcia McCall. All rights reserved.
First off... congratulations to Guadalupe Garcia McCall, the Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award winner in 2013! The award is given every three years to... wait for it... a promising poet (who hasn't released more than two books) and is quite a wonderful bit o' recognition. Huzzah, I say!
And, I'd add, if you read today's poem, you'll get a glimpse into why such recognition keeps on coming. Read the poem aloud and feel the crispness and power of the language (I suspect in either language, actually!). There is such great specificity in the images... as if this scene must have been witnessed to be described so clearly.Whether she's writing novels-in-verse or in prose, Guadalupe Garcia McCall's work will draw you in. It took me too long to discover her books, and I don't want you to make that same mistake. So go on out and find them. In the meantime, I'm just incredibly happy to have her here today as part of 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday, Renée LaTulippe introduced us to A Council of Cats. Tomorrow... Joyce Lee Wong with Wedding Photo! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Renée LaTulippe - A Council of Cats
A Council of Cats
by
Renée LaTulippe
A gathering of pinstriped gingers,
tortoiseshells, and calicos
holds a public meeting in
a patch of prudent primrose.
A quivering of well-kept whiskers,
the flexing of a flawless claw,
signals some dissent about
a point of feline law.
I ponder this scene silently,
the puffy tail, suspicious brow,
and wonder how you win a seat
on the Executive Board of Meow.
©Renée LaTulippe. All rights reserved.
Up until reading this poem, I had been unaware that there was any feline law at all - cat behavior seeming random to me - so I must thank Renée LaTulippe for casting light on this little known hierarchy. Unless... wait a second... she's not making this up, is she???? Impossible!
I first got to know Renée's poetry through the blogosphere and saw a lot more of it through March Madness these past two years. I've always loved her playful way with words, her quirky sense of humor sneaking in. I suspect there's no topic she can't find an angle on, and it'll be a fresh angle that you and I hadn't likely thought of. You can see her work on display in the Poetry Friday Anthology (Middle School Edition!), and I am pretty darn sure we'll be seeing more and more of her poetry in print soon enough.
I also want to point you to her blog where she puts up amazing posts (like her video on performing poetry) during her copious free time between writing, acting, editing, and living. It's great stuff all around, and just one of many reasons I'm thrilled to have Renée LaTulippe here at 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday, Steven Herrick spoke of Climate change. Tomorrow, Guadalupe Garcia McCall with Under the Awning/Debajo del Toldo! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.
by
Renée LaTulippe
A gathering of pinstriped gingers,
tortoiseshells, and calicos
holds a public meeting in
a patch of prudent primrose.
A quivering of well-kept whiskers,
the flexing of a flawless claw,
signals some dissent about
a point of feline law.
I ponder this scene silently,
the puffy tail, suspicious brow,
and wonder how you win a seat
on the Executive Board of Meow.
©Renée LaTulippe. All rights reserved.
Up until reading this poem, I had been unaware that there was any feline law at all - cat behavior seeming random to me - so I must thank Renée LaTulippe for casting light on this little known hierarchy. Unless... wait a second... she's not making this up, is she???? Impossible!
I also want to point you to her blog where she puts up amazing posts (like her video on performing poetry) during her copious free time between writing, acting, editing, and living. It's great stuff all around, and just one of many reasons I'm thrilled to have Renée LaTulippe here at 30 Poets/30 Days.
Yesterday, Steven Herrick spoke of Climate change. Tomorrow, Guadalupe Garcia McCall with Under the Awning/Debajo del Toldo! For more on 30 Poets/30 Days and ways to follow along, please click here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
