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The Heart of a Teacher Is Here!
Hi, teachers! Last year, I started tagging all my poem documents. You know, giving them labels in order to find all my poems that are, say, about science, or are haiku, or whatever. I realized then that I had a fair number of poems about teachers and teaching, and I thought, Hey, maybe I can
Water Can Be… a Black-Eyed Susan Picture Book Nominee!
I’m thrilled that Water Can Be… is a nominee for Maryland’s Black-Eyed Susan Award for the 2016–2017 school year. And it’s rubbing spines with so many books I love! You can see the list here (not just picture books–all the books). Thanks, Maryland! The only place I’ve visited (twice!) in Maryland is Hemingway’s, a restaurant
A Library and School Visit to Southern Minnesota
Back during Poetry Month, I had a lovely overnight visit to southern Minnesota for an evening event at the Lanesboro Public Library and then a school visit at LeRoy Elementary the next morning. (Here’s an article in the local paper. Thanks, Charlie Warner!) It’s agricultural country down there and Amish country, brown and barren and
Back to Life with the Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
Oh, ah…hello. This is a little embarrassing. You see, each Saturday (I work Tuesday-Saturday, generally), I get my blog posts set up for the week, and then I just dash in throughout the week if I feel like it to add up-to-the-minute notes. So, it’s Saturday, April 30, as I write this. And I don’t
Branches [15 Words or Less Poems]
Hello, and welcome! This is 15 Words or Less Poems, a low-pressure way to wake up your poetry brain (guidelines here), and I’m glad you’re here. Here’s a picture I took while my husband and I were walking our beagle down by the lake. These barren branches leaning over the water caught my eye, but
Post-Putrid Poetry: Thank You!
Well, that was a rip-roaring Poetry Month! Thank you so much for reading Louis’ story. The comments meant a lot to me as I shared some work totally unlike my more usual stuff. I also enjoyed the emails you sent, sharing students’ poems that were just “too gross to share publicly.” I admit that there
Putrid Poetry: Day 29: Poetry Heals: A Get Well Poem for Miss Sweetmallow
The kids all looked bored. Then it was my turn. “I’ve been writing interesting poems in Miss Sweetmallow’s class. She said we could write about whatever we wanted, and that made poetry a lot more fun.” Bran and Marty cheered. “But then she challenged me to write a nice poem. I wasn’t planning to do
Play(ne)ground [15 Words or Less Poems]
Hello, and welcome! Poetry Month is almost over, but we celebrate poetry year-round here:>) I’m happy you’re here for 15 Words or Less Poems, a low-pressure way to wake up your poetry brain (guidelines here)! Here’s my final pic taken in March on the way home from South Bend, IN to Minneapolis, MN. Next week,
Putrid Poetry: Day 28: Family Recipe
“This next one,” said Goldie, “is about my family. We had a family reunion last summer, and it was so much fun. So I tried to capture that here, and I wrote it like it was a recipe.” Family Recipe Take a three-legged dash for a dusting of fun Run through the sprinklers then roast
Putrid Poetry: Day 27: Bats on the Move
Goldie writes poems so nice and sweet,like chocolate fudge, or some other treat. Goldie smiled at me as she came on stage. She obviously didn’t know I hate chocolate fudge. She stood right beside me, and she looked at me like, “Move it, Louis.” Then she whispered, “Move it, Louis.” That was my job. Introduce
Putrid Poetry: Day 26: Attacking Bubble Gum
I had tried to think of some way to improve this, but I couldn’t. So, I stepped up to the microphone (the best part of this MC job) and said: You’ve seen the good. You’ve seen the best.Now listen and let your eyelids rest. OK, not my best introduction. Mr. Jones didn’t think so, either.
Putrid Poetry: Day 25: Talent Share Day
It was Ridgeway Talent Share Day. Miss S still hadn’t been back to school, but there she was in the audience. She looked a little greenish, but she smiled when I caught her eye.The lights dimmed.It was time.Marty was first. I had written a little poem to introduce each person. He juggles tomatoes round and
Putrid Poetry: Day 24: Class Is a Gas
Dr. Louis Pasternak Skullstench: Stealth Poet Poetry Assignment #24: Free Verse Class Is a Gas My science teacher squirts perfume. “Every smell is particles. Smell that? You have tiny perfume particles in your nose and mouth.” Sharp perfume stings our tongues. Then Farty Marty rips one and smiles at me. Particles from his intestines
Putrid Poetry: Day 23: Value Foods’ Hot Dog-Eating Contest
Dr. Louis Pasternak Skullstench: Stealth Poet Poetry Assignment #23: The Narrative Poem Value Foods’ Hot Dog-Eating Contest Hot dogs Slog down Land in stomach Pound by pound SlickSlidy Go down easy Now I’m feeling Kind of queasy Going down They’re fine but then– Here they come Back up again Trust me, they’re
Putrid Poetry: Day 22: Rules from Mom and Dad [Poetry Friday]
Dr. Louis Pasternak Skullstench: Stealth Poet Poetry Assignment #22: An Opposites Poem Rules from Mom and Dad Chew with your mouth closed Always say please Sit still in your chair It’s not nice to tease Rules I Wish I Could Give Mom and Dad Don’t kiss me in public Don’t ruffle my hair Don’t beat
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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