Friday, May 20, 2011

Poetry Friday & Dandelion Grandmas



 Old Gray Ladies
Photo by Amy LV


Oh, this time of year!  I love the dandelions in spits and spots, on roadsides and decorating whole meadows.  Years ago, I didn't like them.  Now I do.  Part of this change is due to my husband's love of nature (which has rubbed off on me), and part of it is because we live in the country where all kinds of flowers and animals roam free.  And of course, now I see dandelions as food.  Our family has not made fritters yet this year...maybe tomorrow.

Students - this poem grew from our current yellow polka dot world!  And it also grew from somewhere else.  Years ago, I read a first grader's poem which will always stay with me.  Her poem compared a dandelion to a lion throughout the lion's life, ending with a "gray mane/the hairs blowing off."  This young child's image has rested in my heart for a long time, and yesterday it returned as I looked at dandelions and thought, "They're like little grandmas!"

It's a funny thing about writing.  We never know when an image, a memory, a word, a  dream, or a line from a poem or book will appear across our mindscreens, when it will whisper to us from years past, when such a surprise will echo, "Write me!  Write me!"  As writers, it is our job to listen and to write what we hear.  So students....listen.  Always listen.

For anyone who might have missed last week's announcement, many congratulations to J. Patrick Lewis, our 2011 Children's Poet Laureate.  Author of more than 50 children's poetry books and winner of the 2011 NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children for the body of his work, we are lucky to have J. Patrick Lewis at our helm!

This week's Poetry Friday is at The Drift Record with Julie Larios.  Puff your way on over, wishing all the while, and visit poetry growing in the KidLitosphere!

(Please click on POST A COMMENT below to share a thought.)

9 comments:

  1. And I love their gray hair, and the fact that you kept that image nestled in the heart of your imagination until it was time to share. May your wishes come true today!

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  2. grandmas, what a great image of the elderly dandelions.

    i have to admit, i was thinking about dandelions this week because with all the rain we've been having (and lack of lawn care that's come with it) the dandelion population has boomed this year. i was thinking that i've always felt they were maligned as weeds. as a kid these were just flowers like all the others, attracting bees in their youth and kids in old age as we...

    i digress. wonderful poem, amy.

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  3. Now I'll forever see grandmas when the dandelions go from yellow to white!

    FUN!!!

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  4. This one made me smile...I will never look upon a gray haired dandelion the same way again!

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  5. Amy - I know that sweet first grade poet! Of course, I will never forget that poem either and I love your inspired one.

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  6. Love that image of grandma dandelions! Cool how you have linked the generous loving spirit of grandmas to the way dandelions give themselves with abandon. The grey hair connection is perfect!

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  7. Thank you very much for your kind words here...it feels better to think good thoughts about dandelions in good company! A.

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  8. Amy ~ I too love dandelions. My grandfather made dandelion wine (yuck! wouldn't even drink it at 16 when I would sneak almost anything) and potatoes and dandelions (yum! wouldn't eat them as a child, but love them now). That recipe made it into a cook book made up of recipes from Ellis Island. My sisters and I make it every spring when we have our sisters' weekend with dandelions right from my one sister's yard. It is our parting meal. Thanks for being you ~ from a grey haired Grandma!

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