Blog

Day 11: The Cold Is Slipping Away

Happy National Poetry Month 2023! Curious about what I’m doing? Want to play along? Read more here. [Heads-up: If you’re visiting regularly, please know that the bold, blue text is what I’m writing fresh each day. The black text is the same each day:>) ] And…here’s the part where the practice starts to feel wearying.

Read More »

Day 10: The Bull

Happy National Poetry Month 2023! Curious about what I’m doing? Want to play along? Read more here. [Heads-up: If you’re visiting regularly, please know that the bold, blue text is what I’m writing fresh each day. The black text is the same each day:>) ] April has been a whirlwind so far! I’m working on

Read More »

Day 9: Tough Trees

Happy National Poetry Month 2023! Curious about what I’m doing? Want to play along? Read more here. [Heads-up: If you’re visiting regularly, please know that the bold, blue text is what I’m writing fresh each day. The black text is the same each day:>) ] First I adore trees so much. In my writing studio,

Read More »

Day 8: The Tentacle of Want

Happy National Poetry Month 2023! Curious about what I’m doing? Want to play along? Read more here. [Heads-up: If you’re visiting regularly, please know that the bold, blue text is what I’m writing fresh each day. The black text is the same each day:>) ] First off, I’m having SO much fun seeing how your

Read More »

Day 7: Surging Across Always

Happy National Poetry Month 2023! Curious about what I’m doing? Want to play along? Read more here. [Heads-up: If you’re visiting regularly, please know that the bold, blue text is what I’m writing fresh each day. The black text is the same each day:>) ] Ooh. This one was fun. It just kind of flowed

Read More »

Day 6: Sky Lessons

Two quick things before today’s poem! 1) Mark your calendars for the virtual event on April 25. Meet 8 creators, 9 books, and have a chance to win a free book! Click the graphic for more info: 2) At Picture Book Builders, the awesome Jill Esbaum has an interview with me about writing Finding Family.

Read More »

Day 5: Among Dolphins

Happy National Poetry Month 2023! Curious about what I’m doing? Want to play along? Read more here. [Heads-up: If you’re visiting regularly, please know that the bold, blue text is what I’m writing fresh each day. The black text is the same each day:>) ] One of my very favorite childhood memories is swimming with

Read More »

Day 4: Take a Little Piece of My Heart

Happy National Poetry Month 2023! Curious about what I’m doing? Want to play along? Read more here. [Heads-up: If you’re visiting regularly, please know that the bold, blue text is what I’m writing fresh each day. The black text is the same each day:>) ] I am SO loving seeing what y’all come up with!

Read More »

Day 3: Batter Up!

Happy National Poetry Month 2023! Curious about what I’m doing? Want to play along? Read more here. [Heads-up: If you’re visiting regularly, please know that the bold, blue text is what I’m writing fresh each day. The black text is the same each day:>) ] All right, yesterday I admitted I don’t love snails, and

Read More »

Day 2: Before and After a Snail

Happy almost National Poetry Month 2023! Curious about what I’m doing? Want to play along? Read more here. [Heads-up: If you’re visiting regularly, please know that the bold, blue text is what I’m writing fresh each day. The black text is the same each day:>) ] If I’m super honest, snails aren’t my all-time favorite

Read More »

Day 1: Hey, Baby!

Happy National Poetry Month 2023! Curious about what I’m doing? Want to play along? Read more here. [Heads-up: If you’re visiting regularly, please know that the bold, blue text is what I’m writing fresh each day. The black text is the same each day:>) ] Whee! I’m so glad National Poetry Month is here! Did

Read More »

Ready for National Poetry Month 2023? Start now!

It’s Poetry Friday, but I’m doing a separate Poetry Friday post so as not to overwhelm you with too many things! Happy almost National Poetry Month 2023! Curious about what I’m doing? Want to play along? Read more here. [Heads-up: If you’re visiting regularly, please know that the bold, blue text is what I’m writing

Read More »

Ode to a Mandala–an Etheree

Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) By the way, my first post for National Poetry Month is also live now. I decided to make two separate posts because this would be unbearably long and confusing otherwise! But I invite you to join me in Digging for Poems for April!

Read More »

Geologists Day is April 2!

Did you know Geologists Day is April 2? Me, neither. But I’m so grateful to geologists. Some of the most fascinating things I know about the earth were revealed/discovered/figured out by these rock scientists. It’s the perfect time to pull out A Rock Can Be… to share with your students. I’ve got all sorts of

Read More »

Swelling and Swirling — a definito poem

Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Hi, everyone! It’s been a rough week with family medical issues, and I escaped into writing a poem this morning. [Edited to add: The definito form was created by amazing poet Heidi Mordhorst!] I’ve shared some definito poems before that connect to two of my

Read More »
Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 2,550 other subscribers

Are You Looking For?

Poetry Friday posts

Classroom Connections posts

All my poetryactions

Go to my Poetry page for:

  • National Poetry Month projects through the years
  • Small Reads Roundups (poems grouped by topic)
  • Introductions to several favorite poetry forms
Tags
#waterpoemproject15 Words or Less Poems20for2030 Painless Classroom Poems50 State Poemsacrosticsactivity pagesactivity sheetALAA Leaf Can Be…Amy Ludwig VanDerwaterA Need to FeedanthologiesanthologyA Rock Can Be…art projectsaudiopoemsawardsbad newsBarbara Juster EsbensenBilly Collinsbiopoemsblog tourbookalikesbook festivalsBookSpeak!book spine poemsbook trailersbop poembyr a thoddaidcafepresscalendar poemsCamp Read-a-LotCan Be… bookscan be… poemsCapstoneCarol Varsalonacascade poemsCatherine FlynnccbcCCRA.W.3CCRA.W.4CCRA.W.5centoschapter booksCharles Waterschoral compositionschristina rossetticinquainsCLAclassified ad poemsclassroom connectionclassroom connectionsClover Kittyconferences and conventionscrown sonnetscybilsdansaDare to DreamDavid Elliottdeeper wisdom poemdefinitosdiamantesdiversitydizaindodoitsuDot DayDouglas Floriandownloadablesdrum corpse.e. cummingsekphrastic poemsepistolary poemsequation poemsessentialethereeseventsexquisite corpseFairy Tale Garage Salefamilyfibonaccifiction picture booksfinding familyfirefightersforeign editionsfound poemsfree author zoomsfree versefrom studentsgeesegeorgia heardghazalGift Taggiveawaygolden shovelgoldilocksgratitudehaikuheart of aheart of a teacherHeidi MordhorstHelen FrostHighlightshow-to poemshow to make a rainbowI Am FromI Am poemsidiomsif you want to knit some mittensIf You Were the MoonILAimagepoemsinterviewin the middle of the nightIRAIrelandIrene LathamJ. Patrick LewisJanet WongJoyce SidmanKendraKerlanKidlit Comboslailaura’s board booksLaura’s booksLaura’s poemsLaura’s readingsLaura ShovanLee Bennett HopkinsLilian MoorelimericksLinda Booth SweeneyLine Leads the WayLion of the Skylist poemslittle free librarylive writingLullaby and Kisses Sweetlyricsmadness poetrymagnipoemsmargaret simonMarilyn Singermary lee hahnmask poemsMatt Forrest EsenwineMeet My FamilyMelissa StewartMentors for Rentmentor textsmetaphorMichelle Myers LacknerMillbrookMinnesota Book Awardsmoneymoonmy reading lifemy writing processN+7naaninarrative poemsNational Poetry Month 2012 (haiku a day)National Poetry Month 2014 (riddle-ku)National Poetry Month 2015National Poetry Month 2016National Poetry Month 2017 (#wonderbreak)national poetry month 2018 (haiku a day)National Poetry Month 2020National Poetry Month 2021 (#EquationPoem)national poetry month 2022 (sticky-note poems)National Poetry Month 2023 (Digging for Poems)National Poetry Month 2024 (magnipoems)ncteNerdy Book Clubnifty newsnifty stuffNikki Grimesnonfictionnonfiction booksNonfiction Writers Dig Deepnovelsnovels in verseodesOne Minute Till BedtimeoppositifyOskar’s VoyagepadletpantoumsparodiesPatreonpeacepersonalpet poemsphotopoetryphrase acrosticspicture booksplagiarismpoempicspoemspoems for two voicespoemsketchpoetic pursuitsPoetry 7poetryactionspoetry activitiesPoetry Blastpoetry booksPoetry FridayPoetry Friday AnthologiesPoetry Princessespoetry promptspoetry sistersPoetry Tips for Teachersprogressive poempublishing processpuddle songPutridquotationsraccontinosRandy Salasread-aloudreadaloudreading poetry in the classroomRebecca Kai Dotlichrecipe poemsrefugeesresearchreview copiesreviewsrevisionrhyming booksrhyming nonfictionrhyming picture booksRhyming Picture Books the Write Wayrhyming poemsRiddle-kuriddle poemsRock Can Be…Rock the Blogrondeau redoublesRudyard Kiplingsalas snippetsSCBWIschool visitsScotlandseasonssecrets of the loonSELsestinasshrinking daysskinnyskypeslice of lifesmall readssnack snooze skedaddlesnowman-coldsonnetsStampede!storm poemstorytimestorywalkstudent poemsstudent workSylvia VardellTanita Davistankatautogramteachableteacher resourcesteen/adult poemsterza rimasthankfulthank yous and referencesthe business sidethings to do iftracy nelson maurertrioletstunie munson-bensonvideosVikram MadanvillanellevillanellesWater Can Be…wealthy elementaryWe BelongWhat’s InsideWhy-kuwinterwonderwonderbreakword of the yearwordplaywordsmithswork for hirewritingwriting bookswriting processwriting promptswriting the life poeticyoung authors conferencesYouTubeZapZap Clap Boomzenozentangle
Show More Show Less

Join Laura's monthly newsletter for eductators

Get three of Laura's favorite poetry activities when you subscribe to "Small Reads."