A Poem Can Be Short

Two Tulips in May

Photo by Amy LV

Students - Yes, this IS a short poem.  

The weather here in Western New York has at last turned to spring, so I have been enjoying watching the new life everywhere.  The other afternoon, as I got out of my car at home, I was struck by these two tulips.  Don't they look like they are yawning?  When I spotted them, this was my first thought.  I took a picture because I knew these yawns would not last long.

Of course, this sight and observation caused me to wonder, Why would tulips yawn?  I figured it might be because they are so beautiful...but then I imagined other words for beautiful, at last landing on stunning. 

Two lines only, but you find a question, a possible answer, some personfication, and a wee bit o' play with sound.

Watch your world.  Look at things and imagine them as other things.  Attach unlikely verbs to objects.  Play.  And know that your poems may be short.  Your poems need not rhyme.

This week I was lucky enough to write with the second graders of Dodge Elementary in Williamsville, NY, to talk writing with the Pre-K through seventh graders at DeSales Catholic School in Lockport, NY, and to Skype with three thoughtful classes of third graders in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  Thank you, schools and teachers, for welcoming me!

Liz is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup at Elizabeth Steinglass.  Visit her place to celebrate her forthcoming, fun, energetic book --  SOCCERVERSE: POEMS ABOUT SOCCER, illustrated by Edson Iké, and to read an early poem draft from this book as well as an abecedarian soccer poem. Of course, Liz has links to all poetry happenings around the Kidlitosphere this week...we do this each Friday, and all are welcome.  Congratulations, Liz!

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or as part of a group with your teacher and class.

On Mother's Day - For a Dad

Love
by Amy LV

Students - I wrote today's poem because I have been thinking about children who do not have moms living with them.  A mom is a special person.  But a dad or a grandma or grandpa or aunt or uncle will often step in and be the mom who - for whatever reason - might not be there.  Thank you to everyone who does the job of a mom each day - dads, grandparents, other relatives, teachers, nurses, those who love us when and how we most need it.  

You will notice that this poem does not go on and on.  It is simple.  The feeling is simple too.  Sometimes too many words are too many words.

Jama is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at her delicious blog, Jama's Alphabet Soup.  Visit Jama's place to enjoy Poetry Friday fun all around the Kidlitosphere this week!

This weekend you will find me at the International Reading Association Conference in New Orleans, LA.  I will be speaking as a part of this panel about THE POETRY FRIDAY ANTHOLOGY FOR SCIENCE, and I will be signing FOREST HAS A SONG at the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Booth (#1951) from 1:00pm - 2:00pm.  Can't wait!

Happy Mother's Day!

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New Puppies and Third Grade Poets

Madi and Dixie
Photo by Amy Holland

Jack and Hawk

Photo by Heidi Ludwig Zvolensky

Libby and Brewer

Photo by Heather Tielens

Click the arrow to hear me read this poem to you.

Students -  My nieces and nephews all have gotten new dogs within the past year, and so today I am celebrating all of them!  Libby and Teo have Brewer, Jack has Hawk, and Sam, Davis, and Madi have Dixie!  Woof!

Did you ever find something just when you needed it?  Well, that's what happened to me with today's poem. This poem is one that I found in my files, and I knew that it was the match for this Poetry Friday.  We're celebrating new lambs and kitties here, so it's a spring full of animal-love.

You will notice today's verse has two short stanzas.  The first one paints a moment, and the second is simply an exclamation, the real words that a person might say upon greeting a loved pet. There is one pair of rhyming words in the first stanza (fur/her) but the rest of the poem is just heart.  Write about love, and everything is good.

Today I welcome third grade teacher Peggy Wiedemann and some of her poets from Arcade Elementary in the Pioneer Central School District in Arcade, NY.  This class has been writing poems, and they were generous enough to allow me to share them here.  I invite you to notice their use of...

Description

by Alyssa

Conversational Structure

by Tyler D.

Repetition

by Jack

Line Breaks

by Tyler B.

List Structure

by Mary

Much gratitude to Peggy Wiedemann and her students for visiting The Poem Farm. Be assured that the rest of the class is full of poetry too!  It was a pleasure to read all of their poems and to share a few here today.  Lucky us.

For Metaphor Monday this week, Catherine Johnson shared my poem April Waking along with some beautiful photographs and metaphors to go with fiddleheads.  On Wednesday, she followed up with my husband Mark's Mother's Day fiddlehead frittata recipe.  But that is not all.  Unbeknownst to me, Catherine invited fellow poets to write and share fiddlehead poems at their own blogs.  You can read these festive and fun verses by following these links: Cathy Ballou Mealey, Freeda Baker Nichols, and Penny Klostermann.  Thank you to Catherine, Cathy, Freeda, and Penny for the wonderful surprise!

Jama is hosting today's delicious Poetry Friday roundup over at Jama's Alphabet Soup.  If you're hungry for all kinds of sweet and spicy poetry dishes....head on over to her beautifully set blog and enjoy.

Please share a comment below if you wish.

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