Poetry Friday is Here!

Did you know that January is National Puzzle Month? In honor of this month-long celebration I'm sharing a wonderful poem by Russell Hoban. You can find it in A New Treasury of Children's Poetry, selected by Joanna Cole (p. 210).

Jigsaw Puzzle
by Russell Hoban

My beautiful picture of pirates and treasure
is spoiled, and almost I don't want to start
to put it together; I've lost all the pleasure
I used to find in it: there's one missing part.

I know there's one missing -- they lost it, the others,
the last time they played with my puzzle -- and maybe
there's more than one missing: along with the brothers
and sisters who borrow my toys there's the baby.

There's a hole in the ship or the sea that it sails on,
and I said to my father, "Well, what shall I do?
It isn't the same now that some of it's gone."
He said, "Put it together; the world's like that too."

Now that you've read it, see and hear the poem in this amazing little video by Michael Sporn Animation.

I am your intrepid host this week, so leave me a note about your post and I'll round it up old-school style.

Poetry Reviews
Mary Ann Scheuer at Great Kids Books has a review of a Cybils finalist, African Acrostics: A Word in Edgeways.

Over at A Year of Reading, Mary Lee shares some thoughts on another Cybils finalist, The Tree That Time Built: A Celebration of Nature, Science and Imagination.

Diane Mayr of Kurious Kitty's Kurio Kabinet shares some thoughts on Linda McCarriston's book Eva-Mary. She also has a quote by Linda McCarriston at Kurios K's Kwotes.

Jules of Seven Imp has some gorgeous images and thoughts on the The House, written by J. Patrick Lewis and illustrated by Roberto Innocenti.

Over at Picture Book of the Day, Anastasia Suen shares Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep! and some ideas for using the book in the classroom.

Marjorie of Paper Tigers introduces a poetry collection entitled The Naughtiest Children I Know.

Stella of My World-Mi Mundo shares her thoughts on Julie Andrews Collection of Poems, Songs, and Lullabies.

Amanda of A Patchwork of Books reviews The Hidden Bestiary of Marvelous, Mysterious, and (maybe even) Magical Creatures.

Mandy of Enjoy and Embrace Learning shares thoughts on When Lucy Goes Out Walking: A Puppy's First Year.


Original Poetry
Father Goose (Charles Gingha) shares a poem entitled Snow Deer.

Greg K. of Gotta Book shares a poem entitled The End of a Perfect Day in the Snow.

A host of original poems inspired by a photograph can be found in this week's 15 Words or Less challenge.

More original poems in the form of shadorma can be found at this week's poetry stretch results.

Linda of Write Time shares a poem entitled Thirty-Two Cents.

Over at David Harrison's blog you'll find a number of original poems inspired by the word time. (If these inspire you, be brave and leave your own poem!)

Andi of a wrung sponge shares a poem entitled Snow Showers at Dawn.

Inspired by the hoopla over Jon Scieszka on Monday, Carol of Carol's Corner wrote a Thank You poem.

Carol of Carol's Corner shares a found poem inspired by C.S. Lewis and entitled I Thank Him For Winter.

Elaine of Wild Rose Reader shares a number of original winter poems.


Poetry of Others
Heidi Mordhost of my juicy little universe shares two poems and some thoughts on animal spirituality.

Laura Salas shares an Eve Merriam poem entitled Reply to the Question "How Can You Become a Poet?".

Irene Latham of Live. Love. Explore! shares an Updike poem for January.

Shelf Elf has a wonderful dog poem by Anna Swir entitled Happy as a Dog's Tail.

Diane Mayr of Random Noodling shares the poem Good Hours by Robert Frost.

Sara Lewis Holmes of Read*Write*Believe shares Love Song by Carol Muske-Dukes.

The Write Sisters are in today with the Wendell Berry poem How to be a Poet.

Terry of Scrub-a-Dub-Tub shares a story and Silverstein's poem Sick.

Becky of Becky's Book Reviews shares a poem from The Hobbit.

Martha Calderaro shares Alice Walker's poem How Poems Are Made: A Discredited View.

Over at Blue Rose Girls, Elaine shares a poem by Sarah Orne Jewett entitled A Country Boy in Winter.

Because she's knee-deep in Persuasion, Kelly Fineman of Writing and Ruminating shares selections from Childe Harold's Pilgrimage by Byron and The Lay of the Last Minstrel by Scott.

Jone (MsMac) of Check It Out shares a poem by Sylvia Kantaris entitled Awakening to Snow.

Liz Scanlon of Liz in Ink shares the poem Branch Library by Edward Hirsch.

Jennie of Biblio File shares a love poem by Robert Burns.

The Reading Zone shares the Ellen Hopkins poem Manifesto.

Color Online shares the poem Black Enough by Catherine Anderson.


Music and Other Forms
Jama Rattigan of Jama's Alphabet Soup is going gaga over Elvis on his 75th birthday.


Poetry Sites
Stacey of Two Writing Teachers introduces the site Your Daily Poem.

Happy reading on this beautiful poetry Friday.