Blog
NPM2022 Day 30: If You Want to Know the Secret of a Pocket
Here’s another poem, like Thursday’s, that merges Patricia Franz’s idea of learning secrets by listening with a topic from In the Middle of the Night. Art is by Angela Matteson :>) For this one, I thought of what I might have in my pocket and then what sounds could be associated with that. I thought
Day 29: How Gratitude Is Like an Inflatable Kayak
Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) This month, our Poetry Princess challenge was to write inspired by poet Taylor Mali. I enjoy hearing Taylor Mali’s work–and attended a virtual workshop with him a couple of months ago! But I like to write short, and spoken word poetry is not
NPM2022 Day 28: If You Want to Know the Secret of Perfume
You guys, I’ve been heartsick this week over the stories of a horrific crime in our region. A crime against a 10-year-old girl. And it’s reminding me again of my need to escape into books, stories, and poems. Reading them, writing them, celebrating them. I’m so grateful for everyone who puts beauty into the world.
NPM2022 Day 27: My Month in Water
For Classroom Connections Wednesday, I’ve got a sticky note poem inspired by one of my books, Water Can Be… (boatloads of activities on my book page). I used the same phrase construction, called a kenning, that I use a lot in the book. Thanks for reading, and happy National Poetry Month! And if
NPM2022 Day 26: Silly Radish
Sticking with yesterday’s radish connection, today’s sticky note poem is just a silly little wordplay. The linguistics part of my brain can’t stand that the consonants aren’t doubled before all those ‑ishes. Saddish, etc. But the poetry part of my brain insisted that these made up words look exactly like radish. You can see which
NPM2022 Day 25: Souvenir
Today’s sticky note poem is an acrostic about my favorite souvenir, which is a bowl bought in Iceland. Thanks for reading, and happy National Poetry Month! And if you ended up here by chance, fantastic! Here are a few links you might find helpful. Intro to what I’m doing this National Poetry Month ALL
NPM2022 Day 24: pen + sticky note
Today’s sticky note poem: Thanks for reading, and happy National Poetry Month! And if you ended up here by chance, fantastic! Here are a few links you might find helpful. Intro to what I’m doing this National Poetry Month ALL the sticky-note poems I’ve written so far To see each sticky-note poem as I
NPM2022 Day 23: lunch + Kindle
Today’s sticky note poem: Thanks for reading, and happy National Poetry Month! And if you ended up here by chance, fantastic! Here are a few links you might find helpful. Intro to what I’m doing this National Poetry Month ALL the sticky-note poems I’ve written so far To see each sticky-note poem as I
NPM2022 Day 22: Happy Meal + Laura
Happy Poetry Friday! Sometimes my little daily poems this month are about emotional things. Other times, they’re just quick jottings. Here’s today’s, followed by links to this week’s sticky note poems. Day 16: “Island Day” (a found haiku) Day 17: “rain + night” (a riddle-ku) Day 18: “open curtains + lightning” (a riddle-ku) Day 19:
NPM2022 Day 21: Dolphin Encounters
Here’s another poem that evolved from the oppositifying of a bit of a Taylor Mali poem. I shared the Mali passage, etc. here. Now, I don’t want to sound all high and mighty, because I love dolphins. Honestly, if I had a chance to swim with dolphins or kiss them at Sea World or whatever,
NPM2022 Day 20: What the Rain Knows and a Cover Reveal!
Y’all might know that I love thunderstorms and rain. Today for National Poetry Month, I’m sharing one more rain sticky note poem (I shared two earlier this week here and here) AND a cover reveal! I have a picture book coming out in spring of 2023, and Elly MacKay is creating the absolutely stunning art
NPM2022 Day 19: My Mom-in-Law Can Make Anything
Here’s today’s sticky note poem. This one started out with my reading some Taylor Mali poems for an upcoming poem. This one broke my heart, and I decided to oppositify the first few lines. I’m telling you, just trying to pick an opposite word for every noun is such an adventure in language. That in
NPM2022 Day 18: Open curtains + lightning
And another equation poem from the storm. Thanks for reading, and happy National Poetry Month! And if you ended up here by chance, fantastic! Here are a few links you might find helpful. Intro to what I’m doing this National Poetry Month ALL the sticky-note poems I’ve written so far To see each sticky-note
NPM2022 Day 17: rain + night = ?
We had a lovely little thunderstorm last week at bedtime, and three poems came out of it. Here’s the first: I texted myself the thought that entered my head…I guess that’s draft 1? And wrote in my morning pages the next morning: Thanks for reading, and happy National Poetry Month! And if you ended up
NPM2022 Day 16: Island Day
I’ve been having fun so far this month trying different poem springboards. Oppositify, the word association grid, N+7…Today’s sticky note poem came from a thought while I was fixing my lunch one day. I grouped three random things that I had out on the kitchen counter and took a photo. Then I used only words
Subscribe to Blog via Email
Are You Looking For?
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