Poetry A-Z: S is for Sylvan

I knew when I decided on this project that many of my words would have Latin roots. Although I am constantly embarrassed by my mono-lingual status, I do not regret a single second of the years in high school and college (5 of them) that I spent studying Latin.

SYLVAN - consisting of or associated with woods; wooded

DARK EMPEROR AND OTHER POEMS OF THE NIGHT, written by  Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Rick Allen, is a collection of 12 poems that highlight nocturnal animals and events in the forest. Here are the first two stanzas from the introductory poem.

Welcome to the Night

To all of you who crawl and creep,
who buzz and chirp and hoot and peep,
who wake at dusk and throw off sleep:
Welcome to the night.

to you who make the forest sing,
who dip and dodge on silent wing,
who flutter, hover, clasp, and cling:
Welcome to the night!

Poem ©Joyce Sidman. All rights reserved.

Each double-page spread contains an illustration, a poem, and informational text about the subject of the poem and the life of the forest. In one section of text (facing the poem Cricket Speaks), the text begins "Night in the woods is noisy."

The poems and illustrations are lovely, giving readers a real sense of the nighttime forest. The informational text is clearly written, engaging, and interesting.


Let's start this next book with a trailer.

FOREST HAS A SONG: POEMS, written by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater and illustrated by Robbin Gourley, is a collection of 26 poems about the flora, fauna, and seasons of the forest. One time through will have readers puling on their boots and ready to take a slow, watchful walk through the woods. It opens with this poem.

Invitation

Today
I heard
a pinecone fall.
I smell
a spicy breeze.
I see
Forest
wildly waving
rows of
friendly trees.

I'm here. 
Come visit.
Please?

Poem ©Amy Ludwig VanDerwater. All rights reserved.

One of my favorite poems in the book, Forest News, speaks of the stories that animal tracks tell when left in mud or snow. There are poems here about lichen and moss, as well as the owl, deer and woodpecker. For young and old alike, this is a lovely introduction to the forest.


A WHIFF OF PINE, A HINT OF SKUNK: A FOREST OF POEMS, written by Deborah Ruddell  and illustrated by Joan Rankin, is a collection of 22 poems about forest life. It begins with this poem:

EAU DE FOREST:
A WOODSY COLOGNE

It's spiderwebs
and dogwood trees,
a muddy trail,
a blue-green breeze.

A nest, a leaf
a sycamore trunk.
A whiff of pine,
a hint of skunk.

From the serious to playful and silly, Ruddell's poems invite reader's into the forest and sometimes the minds of the animals living there. Here's one where we get to hear an animal's thoughts.

A Wild Turkey Comments On His Portrait

I find it most insulting
that you traced around your hand
and colored all my feathers
either plain old brown or tan.

Where's the copper? Where's the gold
that a turkey should expect?
Where on earth is raw sienna,
and where is the respect?

Finally, I'm baffled
that you've made me look so dumb.
My head is quite distinguished
and it's nothing like your thumb.

Poems ©Deborah Ruddell. All rights reserved.


That's it for S. See you tomorrow with some R inspired poetry ponderings. 

Poetry A-Z: T is for Tasty

First, forgive me for being a bit late today. I've learned that I'm not too keen on blogging on my iPad, and since I was flying most of the day, I needed to get home to my trusty laptop to finish this post!

There were so many terrific words for T that I had trouble choosing. However, since I ate poorly this week (grocery store meals, hospital cafeteria food, and alas, fast food), the word that spoke to me was tasty.

TASTY - (of food) having a pleasant, distinct flavor 

I'm starting with two books that are, sadly, out of print. However, they are gems that are well worth searching out.

   

Let's start with the "introduction" to Chocolate Dreams (1988), written by Arnold Adoff and illustrated by Turi MacCombie.

Dear Reader:

We will be watching very lovingly to make sure that no on licks any of these pages, bites the binding, or chews the covers of this chocolate book.

Once you have finished some sweet pieces, get up and go to some room or store. Visit very full refrigerators. Get something c h o c o l a t e to stuff in your mouth. Then come back to this book and read some more. The best way to read this writing is by biting and chewing in unison (all together now) with these delicious words.

Please do not drip any chocolate juice from your mouth onto these pages. Please do not lick these pages, bite the binding, or chew the covers of this chocolate book. Just laugh and look and be hungry always for that chocolate love so sweet and pure.

Now taste these happy chocolate dreams.

Is there anyone who can resist an entire book of poems about chocolate?! I don't think so. Here's one of  the poems from the book.

Her She Bar

Far
Star
I
See
You
Shining
Brown
In
My
Dark
And
Hungry
Sky

I
Wink
Back
Once
And
Fly
To
Meet
Your
Melt

Poem ©Arnold Adoff. All rights reserved.

Eats: Poems (1979), written by Arnold Adoff and illustrated by Susan Russo, is a collection of poems that beautifully describe and celebrate growing, tending, cooking, and, of course, eating food. While the book has many wonderful poems, here is one I particularly like.

The Apple

            is on the top
branch
      of the tree
            touching
the
sky
      or apple is
            in
      the
      sky
touching
      the top branch
            of the tree

and i am
      me on the ground
      waiting
          for
            a
      good
      wind

Poem ©Arnold Adoff. All rights reserved.

Lettuce Introduce You: Poems About Food, written by Laura Purdie Salas, is a collection of 15 food-themed poems. Each one is accompanied by a gorgeous photograph. Here is one of my favorite poems from the book.

Summer Rain

I bite into sweet
summer—it drips down my chin
            Watermelon days

Poem ©Laura Purdie Salas. All rights reserved.

This book not only includes poems, but also an informational section on the language of poetry that includes definitions of poetic forms and devices. These descriptions are connected to examples in the book. After this you will find a glossary of words from the poems that early readers may not know, and a list of related books and Internet sites.

 

Here are two books that were written as cooking poems. The first is Sopa de frijoles/Bean Soup: Un poema para cocinar/A Cooking Poem, written by Jorge Argueta and illustrated by Rafael Yockteng. This book is a recipe written in free verse for "una sabrosa sopita de frijoles," or "yummy bean soup." Here is an excerpt.

Now, at last, Everything is ready. Heat the tortillas, Take out the deep bowls And the spoons. Decorate the table With flowers and smiles Call your mother and your father Your brothers and your sister And eat up The loving, lovely Bean soup

Ahora si Ya todo está listo Calienta las tortillas Saca los platos hondos Y las cucharas Adorna to mesa Con flores y sonrisas Llama a tu mamá y papá A tus hermanos y hermana Y a comer se ha dicho Sopa de amor de frijolitos

©Jorge Argueta. All rights reserved.
Guacamole: Un poema para cocinar/A Cooking Poem (2012), and Tamalitos: Un poema para cocinar/A Cooking Poem (2013) are the latest titles in Argueta's food inspired poetry. Here's a glimpse of Guacamole: Un poema para cocinar/A Cooking Poem.

Yum! ¡Mmmm! ¡Qué Rico!: America's Sproutings, written by Pat Mora and illustrated by Rafael López, is a book that combines factual information about edible plants native to the Americas with crisp, sense-filled poems all in the form of haiku. (HAIKU! This title should have made my Just Haiku post!) Kids reading this book will be hungry to try out some of the foods so deliciously described. Here is one of the poems and informational text that accompanies it.

Cranberries
Marsh-floating hard bead
simmers then POPS! in hot pot.
Scarlet fireworks.

Cranberries are tart fall fruits. They may be native to Wisconsin, where about half of the United States crop grows on woody, trailing vines in sandy marshes or bogs. The berries were used by Native Americans for food, dyes, and medicines. Some say they were called cranberries because cranes liked to slosh through the bogs looking for a bright red snack. Others say they were called cranberries because their pink spring flowers look like a crane's head. These fruits were also called bearberries and bounceberries. Can you guess why?

Poem and text ©Pat Mora. All rights reserved.

That's it for T. Are you hungry for something tasty now? I know I am! See you tomorrow with some S inspired poetry ponderings. 

Poetry A-Z: U is for Ursine

When I was in college one of the most interesting classes I took was celestial navigation. I was a sky watcher long before this, but a class that combined my love for maps with a love of the stars seemed a match made in heaven.

Ever since that time I've loved the word ursine (think Ursa Major if you don't know what it means). Given my love for this word, it is my topic for the letter U.

URSINE - of or pertaining to a bear or bears

THE EARTH UNDER SKY BEAR'S FEET: NATIVE AMERICAN POEMS OF THE LAND, written by Joseph Bruchac and illustrated by Thomas Locker, is a collection of 12 poems telling what Sky Bear (the Big Dipper) sees and hears as he circles the Earth each night. Each of the poems comes from the tradition of a different tribe. Includes poems inspired by the Anishinabe, Chumash, Cochiti Pueblo, Inuit, Lakota, Lenape, Missisquoi, Mohawk, Navajo, Pima, Pawnee, and Winnebago. Navajo, and Pawnee. In an author's note at the end, Bruchac explains the stories that inspired the poems. Here's the poem about Ursa Major.

Sky Bear

Long ago,
three hunters and their little dog
found the tracks of a giant bear.
They followed those tracks
all through the day
and even though it was almost dark
they did not stop, but continued on.
They saw that bear now, climbing up
a hill, which glittered
with new-fallen snow.
They ran hard to catch it,
but the bear was too fast.
They ran and they ran, climbing
up and up until one of the hunters said
"Brothers, look down."
They did and saw they
were high above the Earth.
That bear was Sky Bear,
running on through the stars.
Look up now
and you will see her,
circling the sky.

POLAR BEAR, ARCTIC HARE, written by Eileen Spinelli and illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes, is a collection of 24 poems about the flora and fauna of the Arctic. Spinelli teaches readers much about the adaptations that allow organisms to survive there in both the text of the poems and back matter of the book. Readers will learn about the polar bear, narwhal, musk ox, caribou, and more!

THE TRURO BEAR AND OTHER ADVENTURES: POEMS AND ESSAYS, written by Mary Oliver, is a terrific collection of 45 poems (35 classic and 10 new) on wild animals of all kinds, as well as her poorly behaved pooch Percy. There is such joy and reverence in these poems. It's clear Oliver has watched closely and captured the natural world in all its glory. Here's the title poem.

The Truro Bear

There’s a bear in the Truro woods.
People have seen it - three or four,
or two, or one. I think
of the thickness of the serious woods
around the dark bowls of the Truro ponds;
I think of the blueberry fields, the blackberry tangles,
the cranberry bogs. And the sky
with its new moon, its familiar star-trails,
burns down like a brand-new heaver,
while everywhere I look on the scratchy hillsides
shadows seem to grow shoulders. Surely
a beast might be clever, be lucky, move quietly
through the woods for years, learning to stay away
from roads and houses. Common sense mutters:
it can’t be true, it must be somebody’s
runaway dog. But the seed
has been planted, and when has happiness ever
required much evidence to begin
its leaf-green breathing?

That's it for U. See you tomorrow with some T inspired poetry ponderings.

P.S. - I am working from my iPad while away. Please forgive the wonky formatting and lack of images. I'll fix this when I get back home to my trusty laptop.

Poetry A-Z: V is for Visual

There were so many great V words to choose from, but I kept coming back to one word - visual. I love to read poetry aloud and listen to it, but some really clever folks have made poetry that relies on what you see as well as hear something really special. 

VISUAL - of or relating to seeing or sight 

What is a concrete poem? On his web site John Grandits says that "Concrete poems are poems that use fonts, and shape, and texture, and color, and sometimes motion." Concrete poems are truly about the marriage of words and form. Therefore, you need to SEE them to truly appreciate them. That means you'll find LOTS of links in this post to examples of the poems. Do click those links to check out the VISUAL aspects of these poems.

Let's start the ball rolling with a nod to yesterday's post on dogs and cats.

 

A CURIOUS COLLECTION OF CATS (2009) and its follow-up, A DAZZLING DISPLAY OF DOGS (2011), both written by Betsy Franco and illustrated by Michael Wertz, are collections that explore the peculiarities and absurdities of cats and dogs in wildly energetic ways. First, just look at those covers! If the use of animals in forming the letters of the titles doesn't immediately suck you in, then hopefully a few of these interior shots will. Michael Wertz has generously posted images from the books on his Flickr stream. Take a look at these images from CATS and these from DOGS.

MEOW RUFF: A STORY IN CONCRETE POETRY, written by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Michelle Berg, is the story of a dog and cat trapped under a picnic table in a rainstorm. Since much of the verse forms the images on the page, readers will enjoy searching for the buried verses while reading the story. I can't find any good images for this one, so you'll just have to visit your library for a view!

DOODLE DANDIES, written by J. Patrick Lewis and illustrated by Lisa Desimini, uses wordplay and surprising "movement" to make the topics come alive. The 19 poems in this book cover a variety of subjects, including giraffe, weeping willow, skyscraper, baseball, basketball, the oyster family, and more. Synchronized Swim Team uses the legs of upside-down swimmers to make its point, while Creep and Slither appears in the shape of a snake, until midpoint when the bulging word bull frog announces what's been eaten. You can view some poems/images from the book at Lisa Desimini's web site.

 

Two books written by Joan Bransfield Graham, SPLISH SPLASH (2001) illustrated by Steve Scott, and FLICKER FLASH (2003) illustrated by Nancy Davis, are collections of concrete poems about the physical world. SPLISH SPLASH is a collection of 21 poems about water in a myriad of forms, including crocodile tears, ice cube, popsicle, snow, hail, dew and more. FLICKER FLASH is a collection of 23 poems that explores natural and man-made light sources, including the sun, birthday candles, an incubator bulb, lightning, a firefly, and more. At Google Books you can see examples from both SPLISH SPLASH and FLICKER FLASH.

LEMONADE: AND OTHER POEMS SQUEEZED FROM A SINGLE WORD, by Bob Raczka and illustrated by Nancy Doniger, might not be considered concrete poetry by some, but to really see the genius of what he's done you must LOOK closely! As the jacket flap says, "Play with your words! Part anagram, part rebus, part riddle--this brand new poetic form turns word puzzles into poetry. Using only the letters from a single word, each of the poems in this collection capture a scence from daily life and present a puzzle to solve." Check out the Macmillan Books' photostream to view a number of images from the book.

 

TECHNICALLY, IT'S NOT MY FAULT (2004) and BLUE LIPSTICK (2007), both written and designed by John Grandits, are two collections designed for older readers. The first book is written from the point of view of a young boy named Robert. The poems reveal Robert's concerns with all things adolescent. He is at turns smart then immature. Poems topics include his older sister, the school bus (dubbed TyrannosaurBus Rex), ordering pizza for dinner, mowing the lawn and more. The second book is written from the point of view of Robert's older sister, Jessie. Her concerns are those of a typical teen, but Jessie is anything but typical. She is funny, sarcastic, and totally her own person. Poem topics include a bad hair day, a pep rally, volleyball practice, Advanced English, her mother's birthday and more. Both books use graphic design in unusual and surprising ways. You can see a few of the poems from TECHNICALLY and LIPSTICK on Grandits' web site. You can see a few more images using Google Book Preview for both TECHNICALLY AND LIPSTICK. Finally, be sure to visit Grandits' concrete poetry page often, as a new concrete poem is posted each month. Right now the poem being shared is "My Stupid Day."
A POKE IN THE I: A COLLECTION OF CONCRETE POEMS, selected by Paul Janeczko and illustrated by Chris Raschka, includes a wide range of poems that are cleverly shaped and written. Eskimo Pie and Popsicle are both poems in the shape of ice cream. Swan and Shadow looks exactly like its title and is a lovely piece of work. You can view an inside spread from the book and download an activity page from the Candlewick web site. You can also get a brief preview from Google Books. Notice that the table of contents is in the form of a table!

That's it for V. See you tomorrow with some U inspired poetry ponderings.

Poetry A-Z: W is for Warm-Blooded

Since my son's name starts with the letter W, I let him pick today's adjective from a long list. Included were words like wacky, wild, wet, and winged. Since he's crazy for animals, he chose warm-blooded.

Now, this word could go in many directions, but for today I'm focusing on warmblooded creatures of the domestic type. Settle in, because this could be a long one! There are so many wonderful books here that today you'll get some brief annotations and a few poems.

WARMBLOODED -  relating to or denoting animals (chiefly mammals and birds) that maintain a constant body temperature, typically above that of the surroundings, by metabolic means; homeothermic.

Part 1 - Dogs
"Dogs are better than human beings because they know but do not tell." --Emily Dickinson  

 A Dazzling Display of Dogs, written by Betsy Franco and illustrated by Michael Wertz, is a series of 34 concrete poems that illustrate a variety of dogs in a range of situations doing things like riding in the car, escaping from home, chasing their tails, and more. (Here's a little tip, you'll see this one again tomorrow!)

Diamond Willow, written by Helen Frost, is a verse novel told in a series of diamond-shaped poems. The story follows Diamond Willow, a young girl living in the Alaska wilderness who convinces her parents to let her take their sled dogs to her grandparents' house. Along the way tragedy strikes and Willow must do whatever she can to help her dog Roxy survive.

Dogku, written by Andrew Clements and illustrated by Tim Bowers, is the story of a stray dog told through a series of 17 haiku.

Good Dog, written by Maya Gottfried and illustrated by Robert Rahway Zakanitch, is a collection of free verse poems in which 16 breeds express their  personalities.

I Didn't Do It, written by Patricia Maclachlan and Emily Maclachlan Charest and illustrated by Katy Schneider, is the follow-up to ONCE I ATE A PIE. In it a group of adorable puppies describe what they do and see.

The Hound Dog's Haiku: and Other Poems for Dog Lovers, written by Michael J. Rosen and illustrated by Mary Azarian, introduces readers to 20 breeds of dog from bluetick coonhound to dachshund. Back matter includes information about the breeds.

It's About Dogs, written by Tony Johnston and illustrated by Ted Rand, is a collection of more than 40 poems that pay tribute to man's best friend.

Little Dog and Duncan, written by Kristine O'Connell George and illustrated by June Otani, is the follow-up to LITTLE DOG in which a very large dog named Duncan comes to visit little dog.

Little Dog Poems, written by Kristine O'Connell George and illustrated by June Otani, contains 30 poems in which a young girl describes her little dog.

Once I Ate a Pie, written by Patricia Maclachlan and Emily Maclachlan Charest and illustrated by Katy Schneider, is a collection of poems in which dogs of all types tell us how they see the world. 

Stella, Unleashed: Notes From the Doghouse, written by Linda Ashman and illustrated by Paul Meisel, is a book of poems told from Stella's point of view. They cover topics as varied as her rescue from the pound, selecting a name, the family members, other pets, eating, sleeping, the dog park, and more.

The World According to Dog: Poems and Teen Voices, written by Joyce Sidman with photographs by Doug Mindell, contains poems in a variety of forms that explore the world of the dog. Interspersed throughout are essays about dogs written by teens.

Here's one of my favorite dog poems from STELLA UNLEASHED.

TWO SCOOPS, PLEASE

Vanilla is delicious, yes.
But could I ask a favor?
Next time we're at the ice-cream store,
let's try the liver flavor.

Poem © Linda Ashman. All rights reserved.

Part 2 - Cats
"In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this." --Terry Pratchett 

Cat Poems, written by Dave Crawley and illustrated by Tamara Petrosino - This collection contains 24 rhyming poems that describe cats and their often hilarious behaviors.

Cat, What Is That?, written by Tony Johnston and illustrated by Wendell Minor - The poet answers the question posed in the title, never using the word cat, but by describing their antics and behaviors.

Cats Vanish Slowly, written by Ruth Tiller and illustrated by Laura Seeley - This collection of 12 poems introduces readers to the cats at grandmother's farm, each one with a personality of its own.

A Curious Collection of Cats, written by Betsy Franco and illustrated by Michael Wertz - This collection of 34 concrete poems describes in words and form a variety of cats, including fat cats, princess cats, kissy cats, and more. I particularly like the poems focused on cat anatomy, like their tails and tongues. (Here's a little tip, you'll see this one again tomorrow!)

I Am the Cat, written by Alice Schertle and illustrated by Mark Buehner - Alternating between haiku and longer poems, this collection captures the essence of the cat in all it's complexity.

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, written by T.S. Eliot and illustrated by Edward Gorey - Forget everything you've heard about the musical and read the book! Eliot included these poems in letters to his godchildren. Though written in the 1930s, they ever get old.

So, What's It Like to Be a Cat?, written by Karla Kuskin and illustrated by Betsy Lewin - The poems in the book make up a "conversation" (perhaps interview is a better word) between a young boy and his cat.

Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku, written by Lee Wardlaw and illustrated by Eugene Yelchin - This is the story of a shelter cat and how he acclimates in his new home, told entirely in senryu, a form focused on “the foibles of human nature--or in this case, cat nature.” Whether you call it haiku or senryu, the short verses are entirely fitting for the tale Wardlaw tells.

Here's one of my favorite cat poems. It is from the ALL THE SMALL POEMS AND FOURTEEN MORE by Valerie Worth.

cat
by Valerie Worth

The spotted cat hops
Up to a white radiator-cover
As warm as summer, and there,

Between pots of green leaves growing,
By a window of cold panes showing
Silver of snow thin across the grass,

She settles slight neat muscles
Smoothly down within
Her comfortable fur,

Slips in the ends, front paws,
Tail, until she is readied,
Arranges, shaped for sleep.

Part 3 - Dogs and Cats Together!

"If a dog jumps in your lap, it is because he is fond of you; but if a cat does the same thing, it is because your lap is warmer." -- Alfred North Whitehead

Bow Wow Meow Meow: It's Rhyming Cats and Dogs, written and illustrated by Douglas Florian - In this collection, Florian presents a series of 21 poems about domesticated and wild dogs and cats.

I Am the Dog I Am the Cat by Donald Hall - This free verse poem alternates between the voice of a rottweiler and the voice of a tabby cat.

Meow Ruff: A Story in Concrete Poetry by Joyce Sidman - A dog and cat are trapped under a picnic table in a rainstorm. Since much of the verse forms the images on the page, readers will enjoy searching for the buried verses while reading the story.

Raining Cats and Dogs, written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by, is a collection of poems that can be read from both directions. Tired of poems about dogs? Flip the book over and read about cats. (This one's out of print, so check your local library for a copy. You can also find copies online.)


Let's close today with two acrostic poems from the book A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms, selected by Paul Janeczko and illustrated by Chris Raschka.

Can't Avoid Trouble Paul Janeczko

Does Only Good Anonymous

Yup, I'm a dog lover!

That's it for W. See you tomorrow with some V inspired poetry ponderings.

Poetry A-Z: X is for Xeric

The letter X is the bane of alphabet book writers everywhere. There are many ways to cheat around the letter X (many of them not so eXcellent), but I'm going to take this bull by the horns I tell you! The word I've chosen may not be common, but it does give me some poetry books to play with.

XERIC - (of an environment or habitat) containing little moisture; very dry

When I browsed through my collection, I found a remarkable number of poetry books on the desert. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. While outsiders may view deserts as harsh, barren places, they are anything but, sustaining a wide variety of flora and fauna that are amazingly adapted to their dry homes.

THIS BIG SKY, written by Pat Mora and illustrated by Steve Jenkins, is a book that beautifully captures the American southwest. The 14 poems touch upon everything from deserts and the hot sun to snakes and coyotes, with the landscape taking center stage in words and illustration. Mora also includes a glossary of Spanish words that appear in some of the poems. Here's an excerpt.

OLD SNAKE

Old Snake knows.
Sometimes you feel
you just can't breath
in you own tight skin.
Old Vibora says, "Leave
those doubts and hurts
bussing like flies in your ears.
When you feel your frowns,
like me wriggle free
from I can't , I can't.
Leave those gray words
to dry in the sand
and dare to show
your brave self,
your bright true colors."

Sadly, this one is out of print, but you can still find copies around. It's definitely worth searching out. Also worth picking up are two bilingual books Mora has written about the desert (still in print!). The Desert is My Mother/El Desierto es Mi Madre and Listen to the Desert/Oye al desierto are both beautiful book length verses.

MOJAVE, written by Diane Siebert and illustrated by Wendell Minor, is a book-length poem about the life and landscape of the Mojave desert. It begins "I am the desert./I am free./Come walk the sweeping face of me." The illustrations and text breathe life into our views of the California desert and inspire awe at the wonders found there.

DESERT VOICES, written by Byrd Baylor and illustrated by Peter Parnall, contains a series of 10 free verse poems voiced by different desert creatures. Readers hear from the buzzard, coyote, jackrabbit, rattlesnake, and more as they each tell of their lives in the desert. Here's an excerpt from one of my favorite poems. Can you guess who's voice this is?

I cross
the same arroyo
that I crossed
when I was young,
returning to
the same safe den
to sleep through
winter’s cold.
Each spring,
I warm myself
in the same sun,
search for the same
long tender blades
of green,
and taste the same
ripe juicy cactus fruit.

I know
the slow
sure way
my world
repeats itself.
I know
how I fit in.

WELCOME TO THE SEA OF SAND, written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Laura Regan, is one in a series of 4 books Yolen wrote about different ecosystems. Sadly, this one too is out of print. A book length poem written in occasional rhyme, the text is a blend of poetry and science. In the description of the book on her web site Yolen writes "It takes a lot of research to write a poem about a place. I have been to the Sonoran desert section in Arizona several times, as well as deserts in Israel, California and Australia." In opening the pages of this book readers can travel along with Yolen and marvel at the variety of life in this very dry place. 

That's it for X. See you tomorrow with some W inspired poetry ponderings.

Tuesday Poetry Stretch - Zeno!

Okay, in my excitement over the launch of National Poetry Month and my poetry project, I forgot to post our stretch! *SIGH* Multi-tasking is not my forte these days.

Since my first post of the month was about Z and the zeno, and since Kate Coombs has already gotten us started, let's write a zeno! A zeno is a 10-line verse form with a repeating syllable count of 8,4,2,1,4,2,1,4,2,1. The rhyme scheme is abcdefdghd. You can read some examples Pat Lewis wrote at Poetry A-Z: Z is for Zany, Zoological, and Zeno.  

I haven't been writing round-up posts of these poems in some time, so be sure to come back (or subscribe to the comments) and see the wonderful pieces folks are sharing.

Poetry A-Z: Y is for Yolen and Youthful

Why oh why did I start at the end? Perhaps because these were some of the most challenging letters and I thought I should get them out of the way. Silly me!

When I began my research I couldn't help but think of Y as a boyish letter. After all, without that Y chromosome we'd have a world of girls. But alas, the letter Y didn't seem to lend itself to any particularly boyish adjectives or poems. It did, however, keep leading me to a woman of particular note in writing circles (poetry and otherwise). So let's start today with Yolen.

JANE YOLEN - WRITER AND POET OF SOME NOTE!

Jane Yolen has written more than 300 books in an amazing array of genres, succeeding wildly in each one. Many of her poetry books will make an appearance over the course of this month, but the ones I want to highlight today focus on one of my favorite poets.

THE EMILY SONNETS: THE LIFE OF EMILY DICKINSON is a collection of sonnets that tells Emily’s story from the points of view of Emily herself, her sister Vinnie, her niece Mattie, her friend Thomas, an unknown critic, and Yolen. Additional information and anecdotes are found throughout the pages. I savored the sonnets on my first read, lingered on the extensive end notes, then re-read the poems with renewed enthusiasm. Yolen lovingly captures and portrays Emily and shows readers quite clearly how much Emily was admired and loved by those around her.

MY UNCLE EMILY is a picture book that tells the story (part fiction, part real) of Emily Dickinson's nephew Gib. This one begins:
"One day when we were in the garden, choosing flowers for the table, my Uncle Emily gave me a dead bee and a poem for my teacher. Sometimes Uncle Emily is like that, as if she wants me to see the world one small bee and one small poem at a time."
Gib worries about the reaction of his classmates (rightly so!) to the poem. At recess a boy makes fun of his Uncle Emily, so Gib defends her and slugs him. When Gib goes home with a limp, he doesn't tell his family the whole truth about the day's events. This is a wonderful little story about honesty that may just interest readers in learning more about Dickinson.

YOUTHFUL - typical or characteristic of young people

I have a fairly tattered copy of a poetry book from childhood. I can't remember what I loved so much about it, but I imagine it appealed to me the way much of poetry for the very young does today. Preschool poetry often gets trapped in the traditional (not that there's anything wrong with classic rhymes), but there are a number of recent collections that tap into the joy of childhood and the exuberance of the really young.

A LITTLE BITTY MAN AND OTHER POEMS FOR THE VERY YOUNG, written by Written by Halfdan Rasmussen, translated by Marilyn Nelson and Pamela Espeland, and illustrated by Kevin Hawkes, is a volume of poems originally written in Danish. Though a small collection (only 13 poems) is filled with whimsy and rhymes that sing like the best of Mother Goose. This volume is perfect for the littlest readers as much for the appropriateness of vocabulary as the perfectly sweet selections.

HERE'S A LITTLE POEM: A VERY FIRST BOOK OF POETRY, collected by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters and illustrated by Polly Dunbar, is filled with sweet and silly rhymes that fairly sing. The book is oversized and heavy, but it's well worth picking up and sharing with little ones. Organized into the categories Me, Myself and I, Who Lives in My House?, I Go Outside, and Time for Bed, there is a poem here for most important and everyday events in a child's life. There are also nonsense poems, tongue twisters, animal poems, and more! Since the poems in this volume have been collected from across the English-speaking world, the retention of regional spelling and usage may have you needing to explain some things to young readers. In the back you'll find the contents indexed by poem and poet. Every reader, young and old alike, will find something to love here.

WEE RHYMES: BABY'S FIRST POETRY BOOK, written Jane Yolen and illustrated by Jane Dyer, is my new go-to baby shower book! While a few of the poems come from Mother Goose, most are Yolen originals. Here's an excerpt.

HUGS

Mama's hug is gentle,
Daddy's hug is long.
Grandad's hug
Is warm as a rug.
And Grandma's comes with a song.

There's a lovely blend of playfulness, sing-song treats, and happy rhymes. This one is perfect for the littlest and newest poetry lovers.

That's it for Y. See you tomorrow with some X inspired poetry ponderings.

Poetry A-Z: Z is for Zany, Zoological, and Zeno

Z is a wonderful letter. It's zippy and zig-zagged and fun! Before we begin, join me in a little song.

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay

My, oh my what a wonderful day!

Plenty of sunshine heading my way

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay!

While I've never been a fan of the movie this comes from (Song of the South), I've always liked this song. In fact, I could often be heard whistling or singing it while washing dishes in our first house (you know, one of those older homes with lots of charm and no dishwasher).

Now that the mood is set, let's look at today's poetic potluck inspired by Z.

ZANY - amusingly unconventional and idiosyncratic

I wouldn't normally call poetry zany, but the book ZORGAMZOO by Robert Paul Weston fits this definition nicely. Who wouldn't call a 280+ page book written entirely in rhyming couplets zany? I could also call this one zippy, as the rhythm and rhyme pull readers along at an energetic pace. Weston has created something special here. 

Katrina Katrell lives with her guardian Mrs. Krabone (whom Katrina calls Krabby). Krabby does nog appreciate Katrina's natural curiosity or propensity to explore and daydream. One day while waiting for the subway, Katrina sees a large, hairy creature walking in the underground tunnel. Convinced that Katrina is lying, Krabby decides she needs to contact her friend Doctor LeFang to complete a lobotomy. When Katrina runs away she finds Mortimer Yorgle, the creature from the subway, and the adventure truly begins.

ZORGAMAZOO is a novel in verse that begs to be read aloud. I'll admit the first time I read it I was so enthralled with the words and craft behind Weston's writing that I got a bit lost. I had to read it a second time to more thoroughly enjoy the story. Kids will love this one and so will you.

Check out this trailer. 

Intrigued? Now read the first chapter. Better yet, check out the book's web site to learn more.

ZOOLOGICAL - of or relating to animals

This is actually an impossible adjective because there are an enormous number of poetry books about animals of all kinds. I could actually write for each of the 30 days of April about animal poetry and not reach the bottom of a very large barrel. This means that zoologically oriented posts will abound in the coming days. But this begs the question, where do I start? How about this year's Claudia Lewis Poetry Award winner and Cybils poetry finalist?

THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BOOK OF ANIMAL POETRY: 200 POEMS WITH PHOTOGRAPHS THAT SQUEAK, SOAR, AND ROAR!, compiled by J. Patrick Lewis, contains the photos we've come to love from National Geographic, accompanied by one and sometimes two poems from classic (Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson) to more modern poets (Betsy Franco and Jane Yolen). The book categorizes the poems under the headings “the big ones,” “the little ones,” “the winged ones,” “the water ones,” “the strange ones,” “the noisy ones,” and “the quiet ones.” This is THE book to put in the hands of kids curious about the natural world. It's also the one book that may spark a bit of poetry interest in reluctant readers and writers.

If you are looking for idea for the classroom, download the Teacher's Guide. In the meantime, take a look at these gorgeous photos and listen to our current Children's Poet Laureate read an excerpt.

ZENO - a poetic form invented by J. Patrick Lewis

In October of 2009 I was lucky enough to debut a poetic form invented by Pat Lewis. Here's Pat's explanation.

I've invented what I had called a “hailstone," after the mathematical "hailstone sequence." It has nothing to do with Mary O'Neill's Hailstones and Halibut Bones, but it would no doubt instantly be confused with it. Hence, "hailstone" is problematic. So I call the form a "zeno," so named for Zeno, the philosopher of paradoxes, especially the dichotomy paradox, according to which getting anywhere involves first getting half way there and then again halfway there, and so on ad infinitum. I'm dividing each line in half of the previous one. Here's my description of a zeno:

A 10-line verse form with a repeating syllable count of 8,4,2,1,4,2,1,4,2,1. The rhyme scheme is abcdefdghd.

Pat was even kind enough to send along a few examples.

Sea Song
A song streaming a thousand miles
may sound like a
fairy
tale,
but it’s only
love’s bulk-
mail
coming out of
the blue...
whale. 

Why Wolves Howl
Gray wolves do not howl at the moon.
Across a vast
timber
zone,
they oboe in
mono-
tone,
Fur-face, I am
all a-
lone.

Telephooone
The great horned owl sits in the tree
answering each
local
call—
swivel-neck and
big-eye-
ball
operator
of night-
fall.

Poems © J. Patrick Lewis. All rights reserved.

There's one more Z that's not in the title, and that's Zimmer. Tracie Vaughn Zimmer is a teacher, author and poet. She has written three collections of poetry, SKETCHES FROM A SPY TREE (2005), STEADY HANDS: POEMS ABOUT WORK (2009), and COUSINS OF CLOUDS: ELEPHANT POEMS (2011). She's also written two verse novels, REACHING FOR SUN (2007) and 42 MILES (2008). REACHING FOR SUN was awarded the Schneider Family Book Award in 2008. This award "honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences."

I'm quite fond of COUSINS OF CLOUDS: ELEPHANT POEMS. You can see a bit of it below.

That's it for Z. See you tomorrow with some Y inspired poetry ponderings.

Poetry A-Z: Just Around the Corner

The kickoff of my National Poetry Month project dubbed Poetry A-Z is only 2 short days way. Each day in April I'll share books, poems, poetic forms, and other poetry-inspired topics. The posts may seem a like a potluck of poetry, but that's exactly what I'm going for. I've tossed in a little of this, a little of that, some things old, some things new, and all things fun!

Since I'm a lefty in a right-handed world, I tend to approach many things in life from a different angle. This project will be no different. What that means is that instead of starting at the beginning, you can look forward to commencing this journey with Z and winding down to A. 

I can't wait for Monday! I hope you'll stop by to see what I've thrown together.

Monday Poetry Stretch - The Unexpected

Today is March 25th and we had a snow day in Richmond, VA. Talk about unexpected! I am so ready for spring. This is the second Monday in a row that we've had snow. My son was thrilled about this turn of events, me not so much.

How about we write about the unexpected this week? The unexpected event, turn of a phrase, ending to a book or movie, etc. What have you found lately that was unexpected? Leave me a note about your poem and I'll share the results in time for Poetry Friday.

Pi Day is Tomorrow! But Should We Celebrate It?

All you math lovers out there should know that tomorrow is Pi Day. But should we celebrate pi or tau? Don't know what I'm talking about? Take a look at these two videos.
 

Learn more about Tau by reading The Tau Manifesto by Michael Hartl.

Plans for National Poetry Month

Last year my plans for National Poetry Month were put on hold by an unexpected death in the family. It was the first time I'd missed celebrating in several years of blogging. I'd like to say I have something elaborate planned this year, but I'll be traveling during two different weeks to conferences so I have scaled back a bit.

This year my theme is Poetry A-Z. For the first 26 days of the month I'll be highlighting poetic forms, specific poems, books of poetry, and poets according to letter. For the last 4 days I've created a set of "acrostic" themed posts with some additional thoughts on poetry.

I know I haven't been around much, but I do hope you'll join me.  

Wednesday Poetry Stretch - Fear

Yes, I'm two days past Monday, but in my defense I was traveling and had little time for online pursuits. I suppose I could always post early, but stretches tend to be inspired by circumstance. I'm not sure it would be much fun to post 52 stretches for the year and just let them launch on their own.

The anniversary of my sister-in-law's death is approaching and we're all facing it with more than a bit of trepidation. Suicide is such a difficult thing. We're still trying to make sense of something that just can't be understood. 

I've been writing a lot these days about darkness and fear, so I guess now is as good a time as any to tackle this topic. Are you afraid of flying? Failure? Heights? Spiders? Something more sinister? Let's write about that this week.