Monday, March 31, 2014

Monday Poetry Stretch - Haiku Riddles

This week's stretch is inspired by Laura Purdie Salas, who for her National Poetry Month project will be sharing a riddle-ku (riddle haiku) every day in April.

If Not For the Cat, written by Jack Prelutsky and illustrated by Ted Rand, is a collection of poetic riddles about members of the animal kingdom. Here's an excerpt.

I, the hoverer,
Sip the nasturtium's nectar
And sing with my wings.

Poem ©Jack Prelutsky. All rights reserved. 

For some additional examples, browse inside the book.

I also rather like this haiku found in A Hippopotamusn't, written by J. Patrick Lewis and illustrated by Victoria Chess.
Suddenly Spring wings
into the backyard, ready
to play tug-of-worm.

Poem ©J. Patrick Lewis. All rights reserved.
So, the challenge this week is to write some haiku riddles. Won't you join us? Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

5 comments:

  1. I do love writing Haikus. I'll be checking in at Laura's site as well. It will be a busy month!

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  2. Oh, those are lovely. Mine are not nearly so... poetic! I'm going to have to look at IF NOT. Not sure I've ever seen it!

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  3. Yay, National Poetry Month!

    *********************

    I poke out my head,
    unwrap my green cap and look
    around for spring sun.


    Rumble giant tum—
    got sick eating icy clouds.
    Now my pain is loud!


    Blossoms spring open,
    field of pink red blue orange
    only in the rain.


    White falling softly—
    not cold, not sleet, not snow.
    Sweet-scented spring flakes.


    —Kate Coombs, 2014
    all rights reserved

    [Answers: spring bud, thunder, umbrellas, petals from flowering trees]

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  4. I'll be doing these every time Laura Purdie Salas post another riddle on her blog this month. Here are 3 fresh ones.

    Your wallet sized frame
    Connects me to our planet
    With a tap, tap, tap.

    Elongated shape
    Holds nutrients that restores
    Flesh and bone machines.

    Electric hot box
    Prepares human fuel before
    Their next pilgrimage.

    (c) Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.

    (Answers: Cell Phone, Water Bottle, Microwave)

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  5. Fuzzy scrolls unfurl--
    spring spirals of greenery
    stretch to greet the sun.
    --Buffy Silverman, 4/1/2014

    (saw my first fiddleheads of the spring on a walk yesterday!)

    ReplyDelete