As I hit the road today to enjoy one final weekend of summer and a BIG birthday (tomorrow!), I'm well into back-to-school mode as I watch my son desperately hang onto the last few days before he begins the adventure known as high school.
Today I'm sharing a poem by Bobbi Katz.
What Shall I Pack in the Box Marked "Summer"?
by Bobbi Katz
found in A Chorus of Cultures: Developing Literacy Through Multicultural Poetry (p. 238)
A handful of wind that I caught with a kite
A firefly’s flame in the dark of the night
The green grass of June that I tasted with toes
The flowers I knew from the tip of my nose
The clink of ice cubes in pink lemonade
The fourth of July Independence parade!
The sizzle of hot dogs, the fizzle of coke
Some pickles and mustard and barbecue smoke
The print of my fist in the palm of my mitt,
As I watched for the batter to strike out or hit
The splash of the water, the top-to-toe cool
Of a stretch-and-kick trip through a blue swimming pool
The tangle of night songs that slipped through my screen
Of crickets and insects too small to be seen
The seed pods that formed on the flowers to say
That Summer was packing her treasures away.
Poem ©Bobbi Katz. All rights reserved.
I do hope you'll take some time to check out all the wonderful poetic things being shared and collected today by Sylvia Vardell at Poetry for Children. Happy poetry Friday friends!
What a wonderful poem! I have a lot of favorite lines, including the final four. Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, good luck to your son in high school! I have a 9th grade daughter myself. She has had two orientations and a freshman picnic this week. I think (hope!) she's ready.
DeleteI love this, Tricia! Thanks so much for sharing it. Have a wonderful birthday!
ReplyDeleteHigh school? Wow! Wonderful poem that captures the quintessential summer experience. Good luck to William and Happy Birthday to you!
ReplyDeleteHi, Tricia, thanks for joining the Poetry Friday fray today! Enjoy your last summer weekend and good luck with your son's big step into high school! I have always loved A CHORUS FOR CULTURES and wish it were still around and being used. Thanks for reminding me and for sharing this gem by the lovely Bobbi Katz. And... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
ReplyDeleteSylvia
Oh, I love this poem. "...the tangle of night songs that slipped through my screen..." Thank you for sharing it. It's perfect to pop into my Kiss Summer Goodbye writing file.
ReplyDeleteOh this is spectacular. I love how the ending reflects on packing away treasures.
ReplyDeleteHigh school?!?! How did THAT happen????
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday and happy end of summer!
So many reasons to love this poem! Especially the layering of images in unexpected brush strokes.
ReplyDelete