Science Poetry Pairings - Nature of Science

Every time I begin new class with preservice teachers or work in elementary classrooms I ask my students (young and old) to define the word science. I always get interesting responses. Most kids define science as a subject they study or facts to memorize. Some of the adults I teach answer in the same manner. This tells me a lot about how they've been taught. Even though many highly educated folks define science as a body of knowledge, it is so much more than this. Science is a way of knowing the world around us. It is a human endeavor, characterized by shared beliefs and attitudes about how the work of scientists is done and how scientific knowledge is developed.

While science may not be easy to define, today's book pairing tries to help readers better understand science as a complex human endeavor.

Poetry Book

What Is Science?, written by Rebecca Kai Dotlich and illustrated by Sachiko Yoshikawa, is a book length poem that asks and answers the question, "What is science?".

It begins with these words.

What is science?
So many things.
The study of stars
and Saturn's rings.
The study of rocks,
geodes and stones,
dinosaur fossils,
and old chipped bones.


And ends in this way.

So into the earth
and into the sky,
we question the how,
the where, when, and why.
We question,
we wonder,
we hunt and explore
the secrets of caves,
the dark ocean floor.
The oldest of rivers,
the tombs of kings.
What IS science?
So many things!

The short, rhyming verse and vibrant illustrations in this book combine nicely in this kid-friendly introduction to the world of science.

Nonfiction Picture Book

Q Is for Quark: A Science Alphabet Book, written by David Schwartz and illustrated by Kim Doner, is a thoroughly researched collection of science facts and tidbits that cover a range of topics in an accessible and interesting manner. Beginning with A is for Atom and ending with Z is for Zzzzzzzzzzz, the text and illustrations introduce readers to the wonder that is science. Schwartz has carefully selected each of the 26 topics to cover life (clone, DNA, rot) earth (black hole, fault, universe), and physical science (element, light, pH) topics. These are largely multi-page entries that explore the topics in more depth than is found in a traditional textbook, and with more engaging language.

Schwartz is at the top of his game here, writing with wit and precision. Here's an example from the entry C is for Clone (p.10).

Warning: Do not read this. . . yet! Read D is for DNA first. Yes, we know that C comes before D, but you have to understand DNA before you can understand what a clone is. Hey, we didn't invent the alphabet.

From here Schwatrz goes on to introduce Dolly. In the next paragraph he defines clone.

A clone is a living thing that has exactly the same genes as it's parent. Genetically speaking, Dolly is an identical copy of her mother. That's not true for you. Like everyone else in the world, you get half your genes from your mother and half from your father.

Each entry also contains a list of other words the letter stands for. In the case of C, the additional words are cell, chemical bond, chemical reaction, cold-blooded, compound, condense, and covalent bond. These additional words are defined in the glossary of the book. Including these additional words is a good way to pique the interest of readers and may encourage them to explore other topics.

The illustrations are quirky, highly entertaining, and nicely complement the text. Altogether, this is a terrific volume that is student-friendly and jam-packed with information.

Perfect Together

Many entries in the Schwartz book talk about the work that scientists do. For example, in the section on K is for Kitchen, readers are encouraged to solve some problems. A number of questions about solubility are posed and experiments are suggested. Once they complete them, readers are congratulated for doing "real science." After reading WHAT IS SCIENCE?, share some of these excerpts that highlight science as a process.

For additional resources, consider these sites.

• Read the NSTA position statement on Nature of Science.
• The Understanding Science site from the University of California Museum of Paleontology offers "a straightforward presentation of science, as an intensely human endeavor—a multifaceted process that both students and scientists can use to better understand the natural world. Instead of oversimplifying science into a five-step recipe, the site emphasizes the dynamic and iterative nature of the process, as well as the roles of creativity and community in scientific progress."
• The Science Learning Hub at the University of Waikato (New Zealand) has an extensive set of resources on teaching the Nature of Science.
• The Butterfly Project involves students in an observational study of Painted Lady Butterflies while helping them learn about the nature of science.

Science Poetry Pairings - Frogs and Toads

When was the last time you held a frog or toad in your hands? I do it every spring when my son and I catch tadpoles, watch them swim in a big bowl for a bit, then release them. We never bring them home, as state law requires you keep them as pets once you remove them from the wild. I've also been known to chase down a toad or two when I'm with the neighborhood kids. It's good for them to get up close and personal with these creatures, and many of them won't touch, so I do!

Today's book pairing is inspired by my fascination with these amazing amphibians.

Poetry Book

Toad by the Road: A Year in the Life of These Amazing Amphibians, written by Joanne Ryder and illustrated by Maggie Kneen, is a collection of 26 poems about the life cycle of the toad. Grouped by season—Spring-Summer, Summer, Late Summer-Fall, and Winter-Spring—each section contains from five to seven poems. On nearly every page readers will find a poem, illustration and brief bit of informational text. Most poems are told in the voice of a toad or group of tadpoles or toads.

The book opens with a counting poem. Here's an excerpt.

The Pond's Chorus

One toad,
One song.
Two toads
Sing along.
Three toads,
Better yet.
Four toads,
A quartet.

Here is one of my favorite poems from the book.

Zap, Zap

My tongue is a tool—
Far better than most—
For catching my breakfast,
Though I shouldn't boast.
It's long and it's swift
And it's covered with goo.
I flick it at cricket
And stick him like glue.

This poem is accompanied by the following bit of informational text.
A toad waits and watches an insect or worm creep near. Then it flicks out its sticky tongue to catch it prey. The toad swallows its meal whole and then wipes its mouth clean.

There is beautiful poetry here and a wealth of information to boot.

Poems and Text©Joanne Ryder. All rights reserved.


Nonfiction Picture Book

Frogs, written and photographed by Nic Bishop, provides readers with a thorough introduction to members of the order Anura. Found on every continent, frogs and toads (which are just a type of frog) come in every imaginable size and color. Bishop does an outstanding job presenting this variety in the photographs and text.

It is clear that Bishop has his readers carefully in mind. Scientifically, he doesn't talk down to them, but rather helps to make the mystery that is life and science more understandable. The conversational tone hooks readers and keeps them interested, making the book inherently understandable.

Every page is filled with scientific information, amazing and sometimes quirky facts, and those gorgeous photos. In terms of layout, somewhere on each page is a main (or important idea) written in large font, a paragraph of information, and a short section in small font with an additional fact or two. Here's an example.

Some people are confused about the difference
between a frog and a toad, but you do not have to
be. A toad is just a kind of frog. It usually has drier
skin than other frogs and can live farther from water.
It also has shorter legs, so it hops rather than jumps.
Toads can live a long time. 
A pet toad in England was famous for living for thirty-
six years. A bullfrog, by comparison, may live for
about twenty years in captivity.

Toads are often found in forests or even in backyards. 
Some people think they look ugly, but toads can produce 
the most beautiful trilling calls during springtime.

Text ©Nic Bishop. All rights reserved.

The text as a whole is thoughtfully laid out and proceeds in an orderly and reasonable fashion through a variety of topics, from where frogs live, to what they look like, how their bodies are constructed and adapted, their eating habits, means of escaping predators (camouflage and those incredible legs and jumping skills), the sounds they make, reproduction, and much more.

Perfect Together

Consider introducing amphibians with one or two of the poems in Ryder's book. After reading the informational text that accompanies each poem, dig further into the content by pairing the poem with the appropriate section from Bishop's book. For example, Ryder's poem Escape (p. 11) and the related informational text focus on eyes. In FROGS (p.15) you'll find even more information about frog eyes. Did you know that frogs use their eyeballs to swallow? You'll also find terrific photos throughout the book to examine frog and toad eyes more closely.

For additional resources, consider these sites.

• PBS Nature has a very cool infographic on frogs.
• BioKids at the University of Michigan has a good bit of information on the American Toad.
• Play the Frog Life Cycle game.
• Learn to fold an origami frog with directions here (advanced) or here (beginner).

Finally, for a bit of whimsy, consider adding this book to your reading list.

Tuesday, written and illustrated by David Wiesner is a Caldecott medal winner. In this wordless picture book (almost!), frogs riding lily pads like magic carpets sail over the countryside and into an unsuspecting town for an evening of fun.

Science Poetry Pairings - Darwin and the Galapagos

If I could travel back in time and accompany someone on a journey, I would want to spend time on the HMS Beagle with Charles Darwin. Well, maybe not all those years sailing, but certainly the time in the Galapagos. I've always been fascinated by the geological history of the islands and with the flora and fauna found there. 

Today's book pairing is inspired by my love for all things Galapagos.

Poetry Book

An Old Shell: Poems of the Galapagos, written by Tony Johnston and illustrated by Tom Pohrt, is a collection of 34 poems in which Johnston pays tribute to the wonder that is the Galapagos. I'll begin at the end of the book and share an excerpt from the author's note.

After reading about them for a lifetime, in 1995 I visited the Galapagos. When you stand in this place, wild and vast and stark, looking out over the endless and shining skin of the sea, you hear the flutter and roar of Creation, feel the stir of your own beginnings upon the delicate chain of life. Here, you are at the core of the mystery and poetry of Nature.

These islands symbolize the peril that the entire earth faces. We can take it apart, sea turtle by sea turtle, shell by shell, but we cannot put it back together.

Meanwhile, as we struggle with our humanity, the sun bakes their old backs, the wind caresses the salt grass, the waves wash the Galapagos.

The book opens with a two-page map of the islands. The poem topics include the sea, the islands, animals, plants, and more. Here is one of my favorites.

Small White Flowers

At night the lava cactus blooms
In small white flowers. Its faint perfume
Floats upon the quiet dark
Along the lava still and stark
Where lone owl, old cold shadow, glides
While rice rat hugs the dark and hides.
When dawn comes up and darkness goes
Silently the petals close.
No one sees them in the gloom,
Small white flowers to please the moon.

Poem ©Tony Johnston. All rights reserved.

Most of the poems in this collection are written in free verse, though a few are written in haiku.

Nonfiction Picture Book

What Darwin Saw: The Journey That Changed the World, written and illustrated by Rosalyn Schanzer, is a colorful, oversized graphic novel that follows Darwin on his 5-year+ voyage aboard the HMS (Her Majesty's Ship) Beagle. Meticulously researched, the text features abridged quotes taken from Darwin's diaries, letters, books, and scientific papers. These quotes are written in a different font and cover the pages and thought bubbles of the book. There is SO MUCH information here, packed into the text and illustrations. There are a few pages of follow-up on his later life, with a final double-page spread with large map showing the Beagle’s route  and a final bit of text entitled Evolution on the March that highlights the impact of his life and work on us today. Also included are an index, extensive bibliography, and author's note.

Here are two Darwin quotes from the text.
p. 30.
"This archipelago seems to be a little world within itself; the greater number of its inhabitants, both vegetable and animal, being found nowhere else."

p. 31.
"I never dreamed that islands, about 50 or 60 miles apart, and most of them in sight of each other, formed of the same rocks, placed under a similar climate, rising to a nearly equal height, would have been differently tenanted."

You can learn more about how Schanzer created this book at the Ink Think Tank post The Evolution of a Book.

Perfect Together
I would use these books together to study observation and the processes of scientists. You can compare what Darwin saw and wrote about from a scientific point of view, to how Johnston wrote from poet's point of view. Both poets and scientists are known for looking closely and capturing the details, so there is much to be learned from both these perspectives.

For additional resources, consider these sites.

• You can take a look at Darwin's notebooks and papers at Darwin Online.
• Charles Darwin and Evolution is a site that celebrates the life, work and impact of Charles Darwin. Be sure to check out the pages for teachers, as well as the pages for kids.

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.

National Poetry Month - Poetry Lovers, Start Your Engines ...

I'm revving up for tomorrow's kickoff of my National Poetry Month project. This time around I'm going to focus each week on a subject area and offer pairings of poetry and children's books that support the topic. Inspired by the Book Links article Sylvia Vardell asked me to co-author, Nonfiction Monday meets Poetry Friday: Linking Genres, I've been thinking quite a bit since then about offering up carefully selected book pairs.

This means that beginning tomorrow, and starting with SCIENCE, I'll be off with a month-long look at books of poetry (or in some cases very special poems) and their perfect (I hope!) partners.

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

Monday Poetry Stretch - Just the Right Word

Since I'm not quite clever enough to write a decent reverso, I've been using this poem of Marilyn Singer's as a model for form.

What Water Can Be
(from How to Cross a Pond: poems about water)

A furrow that's filling
       Water, collective
Your face in the puddle
       Water, reflective
A network of rivers
       Water, connective
Your boat drifting downstream
       Water, directive
A storm in the city
       Water, objective
One drop on your eyelash,
       Water, selective

Poem ©Marilyn Singer. All rights reserved.

Writing poems in this way is all about finding just the right words (adjectives) to describe the subject. It's hard, but I'm enjoying it immensely. Won't you join in trying a poem of this form? Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

Poetry Friday - Is It Spring Yet?

I failed to post a poetry stretch this week. Suffice it to say that a snow day on St. Patrick's day in VIRGINIA took me by surprise.

It still doesn't look like spring yet. I so hope it gets here before we head straight on into summer. Here's a little Emily Dickinson to usher in the season.

Dear March, come in!
How glad I am!
I looked for you before.
Put down your hat—
You must have walked—      
How out of breath you are!
Dear March, how are you?
And the rest?
Did you leave Nature well?
Oh, March, come right upstairs with me,      
I have so much to tell!

I got your letter, and the bird’s;
The maples never knew
That you were coming,—I declare,
How red their faces grew!      
But, March, forgive me—
And all those hills
You left for me to hue;
There was no purple suitable,
You took it all with you.      

Who knocks? That April!
Lock the door!
I will not be pursued!
He stayed away a year, to call
When I am occupied.      
But trifles look so trivial
As soon as you have come,
That blame is just as dear as praise
And praise as mere as blame.


Do check out all the wonderful poetic things being shared and collected today by Julie Larios at The Drift Record. Happy poetry Friday friends.

Monday Poetry Stretch - Dogs!

I've been reading Mary Oliver and any other dog poetry on can get my hands on. This weekend I read this gem at American Life in Poetry.

Dog in Bed 
by Joyce Sidman

Nose tucked under tail,
you are a warm, furred planet
centered in my bed.
All night I orbit, tangle-limbed,
in the slim space
allotted to me.

If I accidentally
bump you from sleep,
you shift, groan,
drape your chin on my hip.

Read the poem in its entirety.


It hasn't been a week yet, but I'm particularly inspired by the newest addition to our family. Say hello to Hemingway.

He's very sweet and in need of lots of love and affection. He'll get all of that and then some! Right now we're just trying to put some weight on his skinny frame. His hips and ribs are visible, but we'll have him right as rain in no time.

Since I'm home today for another snow day (this makes 9 so far this year!), I'm reading and writing do poetry. Won't you join me this week? Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

Monday Poetry Stretch - Postcards and Letters

Since my mother entered a nursing home last fall I've been writing more cards and letters. Letter writing is a lost art. I wish I could say my short missives are interesting or important, but they're more like the grade-school version of the "how I spent my summer" paper.

I've been pondering writing, postcards and letters and think this might be a good topic for a poem. (My choice is serendipitous, as today's Poem-a-Day from the American Academy of poets is the poem Postcards by E. Ethelbert Miller .)

I hope you'll join me this week in writing about writing. Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

Monday Poetry Stretch - Fairy Tale Props

I've been re-reading my well-worn copy of is The Poets' Grimm: 20th Century Poems from Grimm's Fairy Tales, edited by Jeanne Marie Beaumont & Claudia Carlson. I love this book because I'm particularly fond of poetry that reimagines fairy tales.

While reading through some of these poems I started thinking a bit about fairy tale poetry. We've actually written quite a bit about the stories and characters for stretches, but never really about some of the more memorable items, like the magic mirror, magic beans, a poisoned apple, red cape, golden ball, spinning wheel, and more.

So, let's write about a magical or fairy tale item, one of those things you can't imagine a story without. Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

Poetry Friday - A Valentine

I know I'm a week early, but I read this poem a few days ago and just had to share it.

A Valentine
by Laura Elizabeth Richards

Oh! little loveliest lady mine,
What shall I send for your valentine?
Summer and flowers are far away;
Gloomy old Winter is king to-day;
Buds will not blow, and sun will not shine:      
What shall I do for a valentine?

I’ve searched the gardens all through and through
For a bud to tell of my love so true;
But buds are asleep, and blossoms are dead,
And the snow beats down on my poor little head:      
So, little loveliest lady mine,
Here is my heart for your valentine!


Do check out all the wonderful poetic things being shared and collected today by Renee at No Water River. Happy poetry Friday friends.

Monday Poetry Stretch - Clerihew

Haven't you heard that Tuesday is the New Monday? No, it wasn't a Super Bowl hangover. Between hosting Poetry Friday and the work that had piled up, I completely forgot to post!

Since I'm feeling a little blue (it's the time of year and lack of sun), I'm in need of poetry for the funny bone. A clerihew is a short verse that is biographical and humorous. Here are the rules for writing a clerihew.

• The poem must be four lines long.
• The rhyme scheme must be a/a/b/b.
• The first line should consist of the name of a person.
• The poem should be biographical and humorous. Often times clerihews poke fun at famous people.

You can learn more about clerihews at Poetry for Kids and Wikipedia. You can get some advice on writing clerihews at Giggle Poetry. Here's an example.

The enemy of Harry Potter
Was a scheming plotter.
I can't tell you what he's called; I'd be ashamed
To name "he who must not be named."

So, what kind of clerihew will you write? Will your subject be literary or political? I hope you'll join me this week in writing one (or two!). Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

Poetry Friday Is In the HOUSE!

I haven't hosted Poetry Friday in ages, so welcome. I'm happy to have you here today! I'll be rounding up old-school style (no Mr. Linky), so leave me a note about your contribution and I'll update links to posts throughout the day. Without further ado, here's my contribution to poetry goodness today.

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It's no secret that I love math . . .  wait! Where are you going? If you love poetry then by association, YOU LOVE MATH! In reading and writing poetry you can't escape patterns (just think rhyme scheme or look to forms like the sestina, villanelle, roundel, and more!), counting (how many syllables in a line of iambic pentameter or lines of haiku?), geometry (some poems are beautifully shaped, either intentionally or by serendipity), fractions and measurement (where exactly should I break this line?), and probably so much more.

My love for math means I have an affinity for poems that touch upon numbers. Among them you'll find Child Margaret, Number Man, and Arithmetic (see this amazing video) by Carl Sandburg, Take a Number by Mary O'Neill, Equations by Patricia Hubbell, The Magic of Numbers by Kenneth Koch, and Cardinal Ideograms by May Swenson. 

Today I'm sharing an old favorite by Mary Cornish and a new favorite by Jared Harel.

Numbers
by Mary Cornish

I like the generosity of numbers.
The way, for example,
they are willing to count
anything or anyone:
two pickles, one door to the room,
eight dancers dressed as swans.

I like the domesticity of addition--
add two cups of milk and stir--

Read the poem in its entirety.

Numbers

by Jared Harel

My grandmother never trusted calculators.

She would crunch numbers in a spiral notebook

at the kitchen table, watching her news.

Work harder and I’d have more to count,

she’d snap at my father. And so my father worked

harder, fixed more mufflers, gave her receipts

Read the poem in its entirety.

If you're interested in infinity, here's a small collection of poems.

Do you have a favorite mathematically-inclined poem or a book of mathematical poetry? If so, please share and I'll include them here!

Thanks to Ed DeCaria for sharing the poem Slumber to Numbers by Eric Ode, an entry in last year's MMPoetry competition. 

I'm THRILLED that Mrs. Bennett has shared links to two recent posts on ways that math and poetry intersect. These posts show how the Common Core standards in ELA and Math can come together. Check out her thoughts on this in the posts "Do Not Go Gentle' with that Math Practice Standard #7 and A Sestina Follows a Pattern. 

Thanks to Laura Shovan for sharing this AMAZING video showing the graphing of a sestina!

And now, on to the round-up.

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Book Reviews and Interviews
Linda Baie of Teacher Dance is sharing a review of the book WEIRDO ZOO by Catherine Johnson. This one includes a giveaway!

Catherine from Reading to the Core shares a bit about EUREKA! POEMS ABOUT INVENTORS by Joyce Sidman. She's also sharing an original poem.

Laura Shovan of author Amok is sharing an interview and excerpts from WORLD CLASS: POEMS INSPIRED BY THE ESL CLASSROOM by Jane Elkin.

Jama Rattigan of Jama's Alphabet Soup is wrapping up the blog tour for THE POEM THAT WILL NOT END, by Joan Bransfield Graham. This one includes a book review, recipe and a giveaway!

Diana Mayr of Random Noodling is sharing her thoughts and some poems from CHINESE MOTHER GOOSE RHYMES, selected by Robert Wyndham, and illustrated by Ed Young.

Sylvia Vardell of Poetry for Children is sharing a sneak peak of the forthcoming (2014) poetry titles. Hurray!

Janet of All About the Books with Janet Squires shares a bit of WINTER EYES: POEMS AND PAINTINGS by Douglas Florian.


Lyrics as Poetry
It seems many of us are missing and honoring Pete Seeger this week.
Mrs. Bennett of Used Books in the Classroom is sharing thoughts on Pete Seeger and the lyrics to This Land is Your Land. Don't miss the video.

Michelle Barnes of Today's Little Ditty is also sharing thoughts on Pete Seeger and the lyrics to Oh, Had I a Golden Thread. This one also contains a wonderful video.

Ruth of There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town is sharing the lyrics (and video!) from the song Green Garden by Laura Mvula. This one will make you want to get up and dance!


Original Poems

Steven Withrow at Crackles of Speech is sharing an original poem entitled City of Birds.

Linda Baie of Teacher Dance is sharing a "chalky" poem. (You'll just have to read to find out what that means!)

Greg Pincus of GottaBook is sharing a hilarious poem entitled Notes on Spirit Day at My School (Part 1).

Amy Ludwig VanDerwater of The Poem Farm is sharing an original poem entitled Once Somebody Asked Me.

Mary Lee of A Year of Reading is sharing a climbing rhyme entitled Sweet Little Kitty.

Liana Mahoney of Commas Have Wings is sharing an acrostic poem for the word Clutter.

Margaret Simon of Reflections on the Teche shares an original chalky poem and two from her students.

Laura Purdie Salas is sharing an audio of her poem Blush from STAMPEDE!: POEMS TO CELEBRATE THE WILD SIDE OF SCHOOL.

Heidi Mordhorst of My Juicy Little Universe is sharing a poem entitled tenebrio molitor. Don't let the mealworms scare you away. There is beauty in this one.

Liz Steinglass shares a poem about her cat entitled Song and Dance.

Anastasia Suen of Poet! Poet! has posted an original poem entitled The Learning Curve.

Keri Lewis of Keri Recommends is sharing an original mask poem entitled Dollar Bill.

Briget Magee of wee words for wee ones is sharing an original poem entitled Resolution Reflection.

April Halprin Wayland of Teaching Authors is sharing her mask poem entitled Gardenias Ask the Night. April reminds us that today is the last day to enter a contest to win Jill Esbaum's rhyming picture book I HATCHED!.

Diane Kendig of Poemeleon posted a comment to a very old poetry stretch of mine and I felt her poems were too good to pass up, so I'm posting them here for you. She shares two nesting poems entitled Nesting and Winging It respectively.

Betsy H of I Think in Poems and the hostess (instigator?) of Chalk-A-Bration shares her first chalky poem of 2014. Visit her blog Teaching young Writers to learn more about Chalk-A-Bration.

Lorie Ann Grover of On Point: Writing Through Life shares her original haiku entitled Headlight.

Joy Acey of Poetry for Kids Joy is sharing her original poem entitled Friday.

Carlie of Twinkling Along is sharing an original poem about homesickness for your ancestors entitled My Roots Are Showing.

Doraine Bennett of Dori Reads took up this week's poetry stretch and is sharing her climbing rhyme entitled Snow Day.


The Poetry of Others
Jone of Check It Out is sharing the poem Poetry from ASK ME: 100 ESSENTIAL POEMS by William Stafford.

Tabatha Yeats of The Opposite of Indifference is sharing poems of empathy and encouragement by Robert Frost, Wendell Berry, and Robert Bly.

Renee LaTulippe of No Water River shares the poem Soccer Ball by Joan Bransfield Graham. If you write a Winter Olympics themed poem that "speaks" to a piece of sporting equipment and leave it in the comments, you'll be entered in a giveaway to win Joan's new book!

Tara Smith at A Teaching Life shares the poem Mindful by Mary Oliver.

Diane Mayr of Kurious Kitty's Kurio Kabinet is mindful of the Chinese New Year and is featuring a poem by the classic Chinese poet, Li Bai. The poem, Drinking Alone With the Moon is translated by Vikram Seth.

Irene Latham of Live Your Poem is sharing some snow poems by Karla Kushkin.

Little Willow of Bildungsroman is sharing the poem Snowy Night by Mary Oliver.

Becky Shillington of Tapestry of Words is sharing two poems by Robert Burns. She also shares an original poem entitled Snow Day.

Karen Edmisten is on the same wavelength as Tara today and is also sharing Mindful by Mary Oliver. The road that took these women to this poem is different, so be sure to visit them both. While you're visiting Karen, be sure to wish her a happy 30th anniversary!

Meredith Henning of Sweetness and Light is sharing the poem Address To a Haggis by Robert Burns.

Fats Suela from Gathering Books is sharing The Princess: Sweet and Low by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.


The Writing Life
Ed DeCaria of Think, Kid, Think! is sharing some wonderful thoughts on writing in a post entitled 10 Writing Tips From My Junk Drawer.

Diane Mayr of Kurious K's Kwotes is sharing a quote/poetic excerpt from Li Bai and encouraging poets to "recognize their green mountains."

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Before you go, please considering stopping by yesterday's blog tour post with Joan Branshfield Graham to learn a bit about her and her new book, THE POEM THAT WILL NOT END. At the end of that post you can enter to win your very own copy.

Enjoy your weekend and all the poetry goodness shared today!

The Poem That Will Not End - Talking With Joan Bransfield Graham

What happens when poetry takes over your life? Ryan O'Brian finds out when he spouts poetry and writes poems all day long!

While at recess he says:

I beg you, won’t you help me?
Please help me, be a friend.
Rescue me, I’m captured—
this poem will not end!

Then later in the evening while taking a bath he proclaimed:

My brain went into overdrive,

I started writing faster,
careening wild at breakneck speed—
a poetry disaster.

Early the next morning he laments:

I spent a restless night and thought,
Whatever can I do?
When I woke up, I found my pillows
covered with . . . haiku!

THE POEM THAT WILL NOT END: FUN WITH POETIC FORMS AND VOICES, written by Joan Bransfield Graham and illustrated by Krysten Brooker, is a fun-filled romp through the day in the life of a young boy who gets caught up in poetry.

While the rhyming text of the story keeps readers moving forward, it's the poems written in the illustrations that make you stop to soak in all the poetry goodness. You’ll find a villanelle, sonnet, acrostic, haiku, limerick, and many more forms. This triolet describes just how caught up Ryan is in writing poetry.

CAPTURED

|’m captured, won’t you help me find a way, 

to free me from this urgent need to write? 

|t follows me and hounds me night and day. 

|’m captured, won’t you help me find a way,

 to toss aside this curse—| want to play! 

You must admit . . . this is a scary sight. 

|’m captured, won’t you help me find a way, 

to free me from this urgent need to write?

All poems ©Joan Bransfield Graham. All rights reserved.

While reading this book I found myself thinking back to MATH CURSE, written by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith. In it, readers follow a nameless student who lives a day filled with math problems. This book is different in that Graham has given readers a boy with a name, a family, and an ordinary life filled with poetry. Kids will love the story, while teachers will love the fun poems and poetic forms that are introduced.

Reading this had me wanting to ask folks around me, "how do you use poetry in your own life?" I think that’s a great question to put to the very talented author of this book. Here are her thoughts about that and some more on her poetry writing process.

**********

How have you used poetry in your own life?
Joan:  I make my own cards with my original photos and poems.  Isn't poetry what we reach for in life's most important, emotional moments? But I think poetry is how you see the world. It expands our vision, helps us see higher, wider, deeper . . . longer.  It captures a moment in time. Sometimes life can take over your poetry. I found if I didn't make poetry an important part of my life, I wasn't the person I was meant to be. It can be a continuing challenge to fit everything in . . . a juggling act. While POEM is written in a humorous vein to let children see that poetry is FUN, I hope it also makes some small statement that we must embrace our creativity, our uniqueness, and weave it into our lives; we are all richer for it. Ryan O'Brian, in the end, does "make it work." I love how poetry connects us to ourselves, to each other, to the world. We have such a vibrant poetry community! Here's to celebrating each other's imagination, sharing a healthy, joyful creative "Fever," and staying connected. 

When was the main text/poem of the book composed? How did it start? 
Joan: Many years ago, and "It started with a rhythm,/ a rhythm and a rhyme." and I couldn't stop--I kept adding more ideas. The line "My mom called up, "Are you in bed?" is directly from my life. I was a "night owl" even as a child and was probably reading a book or writing poetry as late as I could. I never wrote on the mirror with toothpaste though.

Did you share your drafts of the poems before you finished the book? Is there an individual or a group of individuals with whom you regularly share work? 
Joan: Yes, I did. When I first moved to California, I met some wonderful poets (They were writing for adults.), and they are still dear friends. I'm in a terrific, helpful critique group of fellow SCBWI writers (I'm the only poet.), and we meet at my home once a month.  I'm also a founding member of the Children's Authors Network (CAN!)--a marvelous group of authors and illustrators, which includes poetry dynamos Janet Wong and April Halprin Wayland (also with Teaching Authors). If you click here, and then again on "Classroom Resources," http://canetwork.weebly.com/joan-bransfield-graham.html, you'll find my Teacher Ideas, across the curriculum, for POEM and other useful guides. As Co-coordinator of Ventura County for our SCBWI Central-Coastal California region, I help to plan a variety of events throughout the year for writers and artists in our area.  

How long do you let your poems “sit” before you let them go? Do you finish poems or abandon them?
Joan: As long as they need. Rather than "abandon" poems, I think of them as being in various stages of incubation. It does help to let a poem "cool" for a few days and then look at it anew with "fresh eyes." 

Do you have a favorite poem from the book? Or a poem that you loved that didn’t make it into the final manuscript? 
Joan: I'm fond of "Bike," the poem from yesterday's prompt. Couldn't "Bike" be a metaphor for poetry? When you "step on," you are in for a ride that can "take you anywhere." I hope "the road ahead" is filled with poetry for all your readers. Tricia, you are doing an incredible job of seeing to that for both the fans of your blog and your students! 

Would you like to share the details of any new poetry project(s) that you’re working on?
Joan: So many things! Lee Bennett Hopkins has a new book, MANGER, scheduled for Sept., 2014, and I am fortunate to have a "Rooster" poem included--in fact, I see my rooster is on the cover! I have many other poems in forthcoming anthologies. When a friend whose son teaches high school English mentioned his students wondered why they needed to study poetry, I started writing an article--FIVE REASONS TO GIVE CHILDREN THE GIFT OF POETRY. I'm not sure where I'll send that piece when it's finished, but I need to write it. I guess I'm Ryan O'Brian.

**********
I had the pleasure of interviewing Joan nearly 5 years ago for a National Poetry Month series. You can read more about her and her poetry at Poetry Makers - Joan Bransfield Graham.

THE POEM THAT WILL NOT END is a welcome addition to the world of children's poetry. I do hope you get a chance to enjoy it.

Thanks so much to Joan for inviting me on this blog tour. You can check out the other stops on this electronic journey at:
Monday, Jan. 27 - Poetry for Children
Tuesday, Jan. 28 - Tales from the Rushmore Kid
Wednesday, Jan. 29 - Double Olympic Poetry Challenge and Teaching Authors
Friday, Jan. 31 - Jama's Alphabet Soup

So now for the fun! If you'd like to win a copy of THE POEM THAT WILL NOT END, please enter below. A winner will be chosen on February 5th.

Monday Poetry Stretch - Climbing Rhyme

The form for this week's stretch is climbing rhyme.

Climbing Rhyme is a form of Burmese poetry containing a repeated sequence of 3 internally-rhymed lines consisting of 4 syllables each. Since Burmese is monosyllabic, this works well, but in English this might be difficult. Instead of 4 syllable lines, let's try writing in lines of 4 words. (If you're feeling brave, go ahead and try four syllables!)

The rhyme scheme for climbing rhyme is internal. That means the position of the rhyming word changes. The rhyme appears in the 4th word of line one, 3rd word of line 2, and 2nd word of line 3. The pattern continues as a new rhyme appears in the 4th word of line 3, the 3rd word of line 4, and the 2nd word of line 5. This continues on, giving a stair-step feel to the poem, hence the name climbing rhyme.

For those of you who need to see this visually, here it is. Each x stands for a word. The letters stand for rhyming words. Just remember the 4-3-2 pattern.
x x x a
x x a x
x a x b
x x b x
x b x c
x x c x
x c x x

I hope you'll join me this week in writing a climbing rhyme. Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

Monday Poetry Stretch - Anaphora

Anaphora is "the repetition of the same word or phrase in several successive clauses." Whitman uses anaphora in the poem Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking. Here is an excerpt.

Out of the cradle endlessly rocking,
Out of the mocking-bird's throat, the musical shuttle,
Out of the Ninth-month midnight,
Over the sterile sands and the fields beyond, where the child
leaving his bed wander'd alone, bareheaded, barefoot,
Down from the shower'd halo,
Up from the mystic play of shadows twining and twisting as
if they were alive,
Out from the patches of briers and blackberries,
From the memories of the bird that chanted to me,
From your memories sad brother, from the fitful risings and
fallings I heard,
From under that yellow half-moon late-risen and swollen as
if with tears,
From those beginning notes of yearning and love there in
the mist,
From the thousand responses of my heart never to cease,
From the myriad thence-arous'd words,
From the word stronger and more delicious than any,
From such as now they start the scene revisiting,
As a flock, twittering, rising, or overhead passing,
Borne hither, ere all eludes me, hurriedly,
A man, yet by these tears a little boy again,
Throwing myself on the sand, confronting the waves,
I, chanter of pains and joys, uniter of here and hereafter,
Taking all hints to use them, but swiftly leaping beyond them,
A reminiscence sing.

You can learn more about anaphora at Poets.org.

I hope you'll join me this week in writing a poem that uses anaphora. Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

The Ballad of Martin Luther King, Jr., 1963

On this day in which we honor and remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I am pleased to share this poem by J. Patrick Lewis.

The Ballad of Martin Luther King, Jr., 1963

Ten thousands join ten thousands

Without goading police.

The singers sing, their anthems ring,

The speakers say their piece.

Around the world astonishment—

The ceremonies heard

Or seen on every continent,

And still to come: The Word.

Spectators waving handkerchiefs,

Small children, hearts to seize,

Will tell it taller years from now,

Grandchildren at their knees.

Blue sunshine worships morning,

No cloud would dare to rain

For in his jacket mercy

And in his pocket pain.

Equality his brother

And sisterhood his pride

Meet common sense, nonviolence,

The means he’s deified.

The afternoon is dying down,

The Reverend takes the stage.

George Washington spreads out the book,

Abe Lincoln turns the page.

He reads his notes religiously,

An old familiar theme.

“But please, Martin,” Mahalia yells,

“Tell ‘em about the dream!”

And first he puts away his speech

Then sweeps away the crowd:

The memory of his remarks

Peals like a thundercloud.

“The content of our character”

Personifies a sage.

One day in 1963

Belongs to every age.

Poem ©J. Patrick Lewis. All rights reserved.

If you are interested in more poems on civil rights heroes, check out When Thunder Comes: Poems for Civil Rights Leaders by J. Patrick Lewis. It includes an introductory sonnet and seventeen poems about both women and men who stood up against injustice of every kind. This is how the book begins.

The poor and dispossessed take up the drums

For civil rights—freedoms to think and speak,

Petition, pray, and vote. When thunder comes,

The civil righteous are finished being meek.

Why Sylvia Mendez bet against long odds,

How Harvey Milk turned hatred on its head,

Why Helen Zia railed against tin gods,

How Freedom Summer's soldiers faced the dread

Are tales of thunder that I hope to tell

From my thin bag of verse for you to hear

In miniature, like ringing a small bell,

And know a million bells can drown out fear.

For history was mute witness when such crimes

Discolored and discredited our times.

Poem ©J. Patrick Lewis. All rights reserved.

You can learn even more about this book in the Chronicle Books Blog post U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis Writes about Rights.

Poetry Friday - Animals

When William was in third grade (spring 2010) his teacher had the class copy and illustrate poems that "spoke" to them in their journals. This poem by Valerie Worth was one of his choices.

As I flipped through the journal this poem came from I found a short entry on the word brave. Here's a portion of what he wrote.

"My dog is brave during a short thunder storm. My dog is brave guarding her cookie."

As some of you may know, we lost our brave girl this week. Just two weeks after being diagnosed with cancer her quality of life began to diminish much more rapidly than any of us expected. I came home from class on Monday night and we made the decision to have her put to sleep the next morning. Though she was with us for 16 years, it felt like our time together was too short and that the end came much too quickly. We weren't ready to let her go, but it was undoubtedly the right thing to do.

The house is unimaginably quiet now, and I wince each morning as the urge to call her works its way up in my throat and I realize she isn't there to hear me. I've spent the last few days thinking of all the milestones she shared with us, including welcoming William to the family, an event that she wasn't particularly happy about!

I am grateful to Amy Ludwig VanDerwater for sharing a poem with me earlier this week that really resonated. That is the poem I'm sharing today. 

Animals

by Miller Williams

I think the death of domestic animals

mark the sea changes in our lives.

Think how things were, when things were different.

Read the poem in its entirety.

Sometimes I think I'm crazy for feeling so lost over the death of a dog, but then I remember that I'm not the only one to feel the loss of a devoted companion so keenly. If you haven't seen this little piece by Jimmy Stewart, take a few minutes to watch him read a poem about his dog Beau.

Before I wrap up I have one more poem to share.

Love That Dog
by Sharon Creech

Love that dog,
like a bird loves to fly
I said I love that dog
like a bird loves to fly
Love to call him in the morning
love to call him
"Hey there, Sky!"


Thanks for sticking with me through this long post. Do check out all the wonderful poetic things being shared and collected today by Keri at Keri Recommends. Happy poetry Friday friends.

Monday Poetry Stretch - Pantoum

This week's stretch is a real S-T-R-E-T-C-H. The form I have decided to tackle is the pantoum. I have read a great deal about this form and found many variations. I am not going to try and do this one in rhyme, though you can if you want to attempt it. Are you ready? Here's the form.

The pantoum is a poem made up of stanzas of four lines where lines 2 and 4 of each stanza are repeated as lines 1 and 3 of the next stanza. The final stanza of a pantoum has an interesting twist. Lines 2 and 4 are the same as the 3rd and 1st of the first stanza, thereby using every line in the poem twice.

Here is an outline for a pantoum with 4 stanzas.
Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Line 4

Line 2
Line 5
Line 4
Line 6

Line 5
Line 7
Line 6
Line 8

Line 7
Line 3Line 8
Line 1

Keep in mind that this form of poetry is of an indefinite length. It could be three stanzas, 4 stanzas or 20!
(Adapted from The Teachers & Writers Handbook of Poetic Forms.)

A fine example of a pantoum is this one by Randall Mann. It has 6 stanzas.

Pantoum

If there is a word in the lexicon of love,

it will not declare itself.

The nature of words is to fail

men who fall in love with men.

It will not declare itself,

the perfect word. Boyfriend seems ridiculous:

men who fall in love with men

deserve something a bit more formal.

Read the poem in its entirety.

I hope you'll join me this week in writing a pantoum. Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

Poetry Friday - How Much?

When William was young and I told him I loved him, he would ask "How much?" The replies began with "More than ..." and included phrases such as: all the tea in China, all the stars in the sky, and all the fish in ocean. After a while it became a game for us to see if we could come up with a new saying that represented something huge.

When I stumbled upon this poem by Carl Sandburg, I was reminded of this. William's almost 13 now, so he doesn't ask "How much?" very often anymore.

How Much?
By Carl Sandburg

How much do you love me, a million bushels?
Oh, a lot more than that, Oh, a lot more.

And tomorrow maybe only half a bushel?
Tomorrow maybe not even a half a bushel.

And is this your heart arithmetic?  
This is the way the wind measures the weather.


You can listen to Sandubrg read this poem at The Poetry Foundation.

Check out other poetic things being shared and collected today by Donna at Mainely Write. Happy Poetry Friday all!

Monday Poetry Stretch - Trimeric

Happy new year! After a short break for the holidays, the Monday Poetry Stretch is back and ready to take on another form.

The trimeric is a form that was invented by Dr. Charles A. Stone. Here's how he describes it.

Trimeric \tri-(meh)-rik\ n: a four stanza poem in which the first stanza has four lines and the last three stanzas have three lines each, with the first line of each repeating the respective line of the first stanza.  The sequence of lines, then, is abcd, b - -, c - -, d - -.

At first I thought this would be relatively easy because the first lines of stanzas 2, 3 and 4 are already written (seeing as how they use lines 2, 3 and 4 of the first stanza). Boy, was I wrong! That first four line stanza is so important! The lines must hang together, but they must also be able to stand on their own as introductions to the other stanzas. 

There are many examples on Dr. Stone's trimerics page. Here is one of my favorites.

UNSIGNED

by Dr. Charles A. Stone 

I sent her a secret message on her birthday,

though she thought it was an ordinary card

in an every day envelope

from the innocent boy next door. 

Though she thought it was an ordinary card

she taped it to the wall with others she had

received in her eleventh year.  Then, 

in an every day envelope,

she mailed a simple thank-you note

back to me, but she forgot to sign it. 

From the innocent boy next door

to the man I am today, I’ll never forget how hard

I cried because I had forgotten to add I love you. 

Published with the author’s permission.

I hope you'll join me this week in writing a trimeric. Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

Poetry Friday - Poems from CRICKET NEVER DOES

Knowing I would be hitting the road this holiday, I finished my shopping ages ago. This means that while everyone around me is whipped into a shopping frenzy, I can relax and browse. That's just what I was doing earlier this week (while procrastinating on my grading) when I stopped into my favorite used bookstore and treated myself to this little book.

CRICKET NEVER DOES: A COLLECTION OF HAIKU AND TANKA, by Mrya Cohn Livingston, is a seasonal collection of poems beginning with spring and ending with winter. Here's one of the winter poems.

Here we are, Winter,

just you and I in the snow,

freezing together

And because I love the book title, here's the poem those words come from.

Not wishing to stop

his chirping the whole night long,

Cricket never does

Check out other poetic things being shared and collected today by Buffy Silverman at Buffy's Blog. Happy Poetry Friday all! And best wishes to each of you for whatever holiday you celebrate this season.

Monday Poetry Stretch - Nonet

When I sit down to write I find I am more compelled by form than topic. It's also easier for me to wrestle with form than it is to compose on a specific topic. (I was the kid in English class that stared at my notebook page when told to "free write." Guidance and guidelines do wonders for me!)

That's why I like to tinker with forms in these challenges. This week I'd like to try the nonet. Here's a description of the form.

A nonet is a nine line poem. The first line containing nine syllables, the next line has eight syllables, the next line has seven syllables. That continues until the last line (the ninth line) which has one syllable. Nonets can be written about any subject. Rhyming is optional.

You can read more about this form and see a few examples at Poetry Dances - Nonet. 

I hope you'll join me this week in writing a nonet. Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

Poetry Friday - Superstition

On this Friday the 13th I am sharing a poem by Amy Lowell. This piece was published in 1919 in a volume entitled Pictures of the Floating World.

Superstition
by Amy Lowell

I have painted a picture of a ghost
Upon my kite,
And hung it on a tree.
Later, when I loose the string
And let it fly,
The people will cower
And hide their heads,
For fear of the God
Swimming in the clouds.

This poem and the book it was published in are in the public domain and have been digitized and made available by Google. You can read the entire volume simply by downloading a copy.

Check out other poetic things being shared and collected today by Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference. Happy Poetry Friday all! 

Monday Poetry Stretch - Sijo

Last week the fall semester came to a close. We still have exams and final projects to wade through, but the light at the end of the tunnel grows brighter. It wasn't until Friday that I realized I had completely missed the Monday stretch! Not so this week . . .

I'm quite fond of the poems in Linda Sue Park's lovely book Tap Dancing on the Roof: Sijo Poems. Originating in Korea, sijo are poems divided into three or six lines. These poems frequently use word play in the form of metaphors, symbols and puns. Here is a description from AHApoetry.

More ancient than haiku, the Korean SIJO shares a common ancestry with haiku, tanka and similar Japanese genres. All evolved from more ancient Chinese patterns.

Sijo is traditionally composed in three lines of 14-16 syllables each, totaling between 44-46 syllables. A pause breaks each line approximately in the middle; it resembles a caesura but is not based on metrics.

And here is the description from the jacket flap of Park's book.

What is sijo?
A type of poem that originated in Korea.

But what is it?
A sijo has a fixed number of stressed syllables, usually divided into three or six lines.

Like haiku?
Kind of. But a sijo always has a surprise, an unexpected twist or joke, at the end.

The poems in the book are full of these wonderful surprises. One of my favorites is entitled Long Division. It is the poem that gives the book its title. Another favorite is Summer Storm. It is below.

Summer Storm

Lightning jerks the sky awake to take her photograph, flash!
Which draws grumbling complaints or even crashing tantrums from thunder--

He hates having his picture taken, so he always gets there late.

Now that you've read a sijo, you'll know that the challenge this week is to write one. Here is a brief summary of the advice Park gives at the end of her book.

Three line poems should contain about 14 to 16 syllables per line. Six line poems should contain 7 or 8 syllables per line.

The first line should contain a single image or idea. The second line should develop this further. The last line should contain the twist. 

Park writes:

I try to think of where the poem would logically go if I continued to develop the idea of the first two lines. Once I've figured that out, I write something that goes in the opposite direction--or at least "turns a corner."

I hope you'll join me this week in writing a sijo. Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.