Hi, teachers! This is a gathering of blog posts and website pages that contain poems (by me and by other people) you might like to use in your classroom.
June 27, 2016 In addition to my books for kids, I have written some poetry books just for teachers. Happy poeming!
The Heart of a Teacher is filled with poems for teachers and about teaching. Read more.
30 Painless Classroom Poems is a series of 6 books, each with 30 ... April 8, 2016 If you are a teacher or if you know a teacher who would like a pat on the back for such amazing work, check out The Heart of a Teacher: On Staff Meetings, Lice, Field Trips, and What Really Matters. The 64 poems range from ... December 1, 2015 I love mixing words and images and putting poems or favorite thoughts with pictures. I’ve been sharing more poems like this on my site this past year, and people have started asking, “Hey, is this available as a print? Or a journal or a postcard?” ... October 27, 2015 Sometimes editors or educators ask me what kind of poetry I write. The answer is all kinds! So I put together this sampler with 10 of my poems just to give some idea of the variety of my work. Some of these have appeared in ... September 7, 2015 Teachers and writers, 15 Words or Less Poems are a weekly chance to write a quick poem to a photo prompt. It’s super simple–no pressure! And you can use the posts however you like, whenever you like! If you’d like to participate online or you ... September 6, 2015 Hi, teachers! This is a gathering of blog posts and website pages that contain poems (by me and by other people) you might like to use in your classroom.
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September 3, 2015 Hi, Educators,
Once of my favorite things about being a writer is connecting teachers, reading specialists, media specialists, and other educators with poetry!
Here are some resources your might enjoy:
30 Painless Classroom Poems – These are my poetry collections published specifically for teachers, with lots of great ... September 3, 2015 Usually I write about writing poetry in my Poetic Pursuits columns, but this time, I want to share some thoughts about how teachers can read poetry to young kids in a way that makes those kids eager to listen to and love poetry.
I offer this ... September 2, 2015 What Is 30 Painless Classroom Poems?
30 Painless Classroom Poems is a series of books that makes it easy for you, the elementary school teacher, media specialist, or reading specialist, to share poetry. Each book contains:
a collection of 30 poems by award-winning poet Laura Purdie Salas ...My Poetry Books for Teachers
The Heart of a Teacher
Notecards & Prints
Laura’s Poetry Sampler
15 Words or Less Poems Guidelines
Poems for Teachers
Poetry for Teachers
Reading and Discussing Poetry in the Primary Classroom
30 Painless Classroom Poems
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March 21, 2019 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I am at the Denver Children’s Festival of Stories today and tomorrow, so I might not get to read your comments until Monday.
I got the BEST surprise in my Facebook Inbox last week. A Twin Cities ... March 21, 2019 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 very glad you’re here.
While in DC, Randy and I admired these gorgeous bas relief (maybe?) sculptures for the various branches of ... March 18, 2019 Hi, friends–I’m over at Melissa Stewart’s blog today explaining how when you read a nonfiction book written by me, you’re learning something about me (even though the book’s not about me!). I hope you’ll hop over and give it a read. Celebrate Science is an ... March 14, 2019
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
My newest poetry collection, In the Middle of the Night: Poems from a Wide-Awake House! (click the title to see my post last week introducing the book) is here! Thank you to all of the fabulous ... March 14, 2019 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 very glad you’re here.
You know I can’t resist a beautiful cookie, and while in DC I got this sparkling, lovely, iced ... March 12, 2019
Thrilled that IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT: POEMS FROM A WIDE-AWAKE HOUSE comes out today! Yesterday, the awesome Dylan Teut kicked off the blog tour with an interview with me plus a giveaway! Learn about my creepy childhood basement, my inability to find my ... March 7, 2019 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
On Tuesday, March 12, my second spring title, In the Middle of the Night: Poems from a Wide-Awake House, comes out. This beautiful book from Wordsong (where many of my very favorite poets have published amazing ... March 7, 2019 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 very glad you’re here.
I love the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History! I only had a couple of hours in it on ... February 28, 2019 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Well, I dropped the ball on this one. This month, we Poetry Princesses wrote a mask poem. This one was MY choice! And yet, I didn’t get to it until this week. It’s funny ... February 28, 2019 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 very glad you’re here.
I adore real trees, but I am drawn to sculptures of trees, too, like this metal one on ... February 21, 2019 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 very glad you’re here.
This moose topiary/sculpture charmed me at the Botanical Garden in DC.
This image makes me think of several things:
Necco ... February 14, 2019 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 very glad you’re here. Even though I’m not! I’m at a family wedding in Atlanta and won’t be able to reply today! ... February 10, 2019 It’s February 10, time for 10 for 10! This awesome event created by Cathy Mere and Mandy Robek lets us celebrate nonfiction picture books–woohoo! Go to Enjoy and Embrace Learning to see the roundup or add your own post!
Here are 10 nonfiction picture books that ... February 7, 2019 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Well, I bet you came here expecting to READ a poem, but I’m going to ask you to write one. A fast one! A simple one!
This past Tuesday, my newest book came out, Snowman-Cold=Puddle: ... February 7, 2019 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 very glad you’re here.
Here’s an itty-bitty birdie I spied while walking around the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.
This image makes me ... January 31, 2019 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This month, Tanita came up with our challenge: a poem in the style of Marilyn Nelson’s “Minor Miracle,” about a small, miraculous thing you have seen or known. I’ll wait here while you read ... January 31, 2019 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 very glad you’re here.
Here’s another photo from my wanderings of the Smithsonian Gardens. This image makes me think of several things:
a ... January 24, 2019 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I recently opened an envelope to find an ARC of I’m the Big One Now!, a forthcoming poetry picture book by Marilyn Singer (one of my favorites) and Jana Christy (love the charming art). Thank you, ... January 24, 2019 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 very glad you’re here.
In Washington, I spent a lot of time wandering the Smithsonian Gardens. This image makes me think of ... January 17, 2019 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I’m thrilled to introduce you to my first spring title this year, Snowman – Cold = Puddle: Spring Equations (Charlesbridge, 2/5/19), with gorgeous art by Micha Archer. It’s a combination of equation poems and prose sidebars.
The ... January 17, 2019 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 very glad you’re here.
This is a sculpture from a museum in Washington DC. I believe (but am not certain) it was ... January 10, 2019 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This year, I participated in Tabatha Yeatts’ Winter Poem Swap for the first time. It was scary, as I had no idea what to expect. But I wrote my poem for Irene Latham (though postal catastrophes ... January 10, 2019 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 very glad you’re here.
Here’s a photo taken from our plane as we sat on a snowy runway in late November.
This image ... January 3, 2019 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Fantasy: As 2018 wound down, the Poetry Princesses thoughtfully pondered how to begin the new year…
Reality: Thankfully, Tricia emailed us all last week and said, basically, Ack! Let’s write a poem to one the ... January 3, 2019 Happy New Year!
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 very glad you’re here.
I love a good storm, but I did not get to experience this one. It’s just ... December 27, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
Thanks for making time to join our community during what is a very busy holiday week for many!
One ... December 20, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I’m back with my fourth and final poem from The Poetry of US, J. Patrick Lewis’ newest anthology with National Geographic. (You can find the other three here, here, and here.) In this poem, ... December 20, 2018 Welcome! This is 15 Words or Less Poems, a low-pressure way to wake up your poetry brain (guidelines here), and I’m very glad you’re here.
One brisk morning at NCTE in Houston, I was walking to the convention center when I saw that this big ... December 13, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
Here are some pinwheels that “grow” in a lovely garden near the Houston Convention Center.
This image makes me ... December 6, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This month, we needed a last minute change to our plans, and someone (I think Liz? It’s usually Liz who keeps us blessedly on track) suggested a list poem that had to use two ... December 6, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
This past few weeks have been full of highs and lows. I would prefer more highs and fewer ... November 29, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
I hope you all had a beautiful Thanksgiving weekend. Ours was lovely, and fun, and busy. We celebrated ... November 22, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) And HEY! There’s a giveaway for The Poetry of US happening on Goodreads. Don’t miss your chance:>)
My heart and mind are still overflowing from NCTE last week! One highlight was co-presenting with our Poetry Friday ... November 22, 2018 Happy Thanksgiving, and welcome! This is 15 Words or Less Poems, a low-pressure way to wake up your poetry brain (guidelines here), and I’m very glad you’re here.
Our younger daughter lives overseas doing volunteer work. She lives on practically nothing and works to make ... November 15, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
A couple of weeks ago, I won a copy of Kate Coombs’ new poetry collection, Monster School (Chronicle, 2018, illus. by Lee Gatlin) from a giveaway on Jama Rattigan’s Alphabet Soup. Kate is a lovely poet, ... November 15, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
Randy and I went on a wonderful tour of the Minnesota State Capitol building (a couple of blocks ... November 8, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
There’s a state office building near our place that has number sculptures out front. Many are on their side ... November 7, 2018 Hi, educator and writer friends! NCTE 2018 is almost here! I have a hotel room but have been so busy prepping for my sessions that I haven’t put in the time to find a roommate yet. Oops!
I have a hotel room at the Hyatt Regency ... November 6, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I’m back with a third poem from The Poetry of US, J. Patrick Lewis’ newest anthology with National Geographic. I originally wrote this poem for one of my books for teachers, Wacky, Wild, and ... November 1, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This month, our Poetry Princess challenge was to write a poem with an anaphora–a repeated, open-ended phrase.
Recently, Randy and I attended a concert by Lucia Micarelli, a wonderful violinist. (We saw her years ... November 1, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
I’m not a car person, but I saw this cutie parked in our neighborhood recently.
This image makes me ... October 25, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
As promised, here’s another poem from The Poetry of US, J. Patrick Lewis’ newest anthology with National Geographic. I was looking back to see a bit of my writing process. I knew right away ... October 25, 2018 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 very glad you’re here. If you tried to visit last week, or did visit in the brief window that the post was ... October 11, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I’m thrilled to be hosting today, as it’s almost my birthday, and I’m awaiting the arrival of The Poetry of US, J. Patrick Lewis’ newest anthology with National Geographic. It features poems about or ... October 11, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
This is a close-up of a dragonfly on one of the herons in La Crosse, WI.
This image makes ... October 4, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
So, this month, our Poetry Princess challenge was my choice! And I chose short poems (6 lines or fewer) about animals that had to include three words (or forms thereof): spike, roof, and shadow.
I ... October 4, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
I took this pic over the summer when Randy and I were getting new glasses. The optometrist was ... September 27, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
Okay, I try not to be too repetitive with images, but everyone had such fun with the chalk ... September 20, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
Here’s Randy in front of a dome near our old home. It’s used to create a wind tunnel ... September 13, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
We went to the Maple Grove Chalk Art Festival again this summer, and we were amazed as usual. ... September 6, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This month, Sara chose a cento as our Poetry Princess challenge. Not just a cento, but a cento collage, in which we would each choose one word from a set of lines Sara provided ... September 6, 2018 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 very glad you’re here. Happy first week of school for all your northern teachers!
While visiting my older daughter in La Crosse, WI, ... August 30, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
Okay, one last (this one a rare unfiltered one) photo from Cyprus. On our first full day there, ... August 23, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
Here’s another pic from our trip to Cyprus. Larnaca has a couple of salt lakes. They’re near the ... August 16, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
Another pic from our trip to Cyprus. This is from some kind of sculpture or monument, and I ... August 9, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
This is another pic from our Cyprus trip. Here’s a fountain by the ocean in Larnaca, in the ... August 2, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
You know, we Poetry Princesses organized our monthly challenges for this year at the end of 2017. And a sestina in July sounded just peachy. Really.
Then…real life. My husband and I moved on Monday, ... August 2, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
Here’s another photo from our trip to Cyprus. This lovely gent lives at the same camel park as ... July 26, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Janet Wong and Sylvia Vardell have done it again, creating another poetry anthology perfect for educators to use to grow readers who are excited about poetry. Great Morning! (Pomelo Books, 2018; hear a sample read here) ... July 26, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
Before today’s challenge, I want to share some lovely news from Elaine Magliaro (author of the glorious picture ... July 19, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Here’s my final poem I wrote for the Madness Poetry competition created by Ed DeCaria–this is the one that kicked me from the tourney in the Final Four, where it was beaten by a fabulous Cinderella ... July 19, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
While in Cyprus, we went to a camel park–and rode camels! I loved this handsome fellow.
This image makes ... July 12, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This week has been a rough week. I went to a celebration of life for the husband of a friend, and I’ve had a lot of stress both personally (moving in a couple of weeks!) and ... July 12, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
I really have a thing for airport art. Here’s a close-up of a piece of a mosaic:
This image ... July 5, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
You know what happens when you collaborate? You stretch. You grow. You learn. Even if it’s not always a comfortable process, it’s well worth it! This month, our Poetry Princess challenge was an Aphra ... July 5, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
Here in the United States, we celebrated our independence and freedom yesterday. (Hope you had a fun holiday!) ... June 28, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This might be an odd choice for the end of June(!), but I’m continuing along with sharing the poems I wrote for the Madness Poetry competition created by Ed DeCaria. This was for Round 3, and ... June 28, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
I love boats and water and bridges. I took this pic while we were on our Thames Rocket ... June 21, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I’m taking a break from sharing my Madness Poetry poems to ask you to go back and look at 1 or 2 student poems I shared earlier this week. I shared photos of 12 or so ... June 21, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
In the flat we stayed in in London (Canary Wharf area) for a few days, we could feed ... June 14, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Here’s the second of the poems I wrote for the Madness Poetry competition created by Ed DeCaria. My assigned word was “doling.” The background image is of two people I love on a rock by the ... June 14, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
Here’s a picture of the London Eye Ferris Wheel. I took it from my seat on a Thames ... June 7, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I thought that this month, I’d share the poems I wrote for the Madness Poetry competition created by Ed DeCaria. Here was my first-round poem, written with the assigned word “coordinates.” I wanted to play a ... June 7, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
We arrived in London very late at night, took the tube, and then walked to our flat in ... May 31, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This month, our Poetry Princess challenge was limericks around the theme of birds and bees. Take that them any way you like;>) This was Tanita’s pick, and I was so glad she picked something ... May 31, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
This lovely lady was along the Blackwater Basin near the flat we stayed in in Canary Wharf in ... May 24, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I just finished reading Traveling the Blue Road: Poems of the Sea, a powerful recent Lee Bennett Hopkins anthology. Wow. I love the ocean so much, and these poems about ocean voyages and voyagers really touched ... May 24, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
One thing we did while visiting our daughter in Cyprus was to to a few different beaches. The ... May 17, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Well, my Poetry Month efforts fell a little short this year. I am feeling kind of glum about that, but trying to just celebrate the effort, the process (more about my writing fail here). In that ... May 17, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
I feel so lucky to have visited a couple of non-English-speaking countries. It really opens my perspective. ... May 10, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Each year Jone MacCulloch’s students at Silver Star School in Washington state send out poetry postcards during National Poetry Month. I had signed up back in March and promptly forgot about it. April was busy, to ... May 10, 2018 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 very glad you’re here. Thank you for being such an active and kind community while I was out of town–out of the ... May 3, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
I’m still off the grid, so once again, I will not be able to comment. I’m hoping ... April 28, 2018
April 27, 2018
April 26, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
I’m largely off the grid this week and next, so I won’t be able to comment on ... April 25, 2018
April 23, 2018 Girls’ day out with my daughter, Annabelle. Last day I’ll see her before her move to La Crosse…
April 20, 2018 Score!
April 19, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
My older daughter Annabelle is moving to Wisconsin. I am going to miss her funny, loud, energetic, ... April 18, 2018 Just wishful thinking 🙂
April 17, 2018 Just got home from picking up a lovely pile of poetry books from my neighborhood library! I love the buzzing hum of activity that’s always there.
April 16, 2018 True story from Sunday:)
April 15, 2018 Just thinking about the moments when something terrible has happened but we don’t know it yet…
April 14, 2018 A little blizzarding, anyone? I remember a pillow fight when I was a kid, and the pillow ripped and the whole room just filled with white feathers. That’s what it looks like out our windows right now!
April 13, 2018 Not that this describes me, or anything…
Too funny. I was so scatter-brained that I didn’t publish this on April 13 but left it in draft form. Oops.
April 12, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Without Lee Bennett Hopkins and his books, I don’t think I’d be writing poetry for children today. When I first got the tiniest of inklings that I might like to dip a toe into the waters ... April 12, 2018 I was driving to the gym this morning when a beautiful white bunny zipped across the road in front of me. So glad the roads weren’t icy today!
April 12, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
Sometimes I think I have more accidental images on my phone than I do intentional ones!
This ... April 11, 2018
April 10, 2018
April 9, 2018 I love winter. Winter driving? Not so much.
April 8, 2018 It’s hard watching people you love age…
April 7, 2018 This one is from me and all my writer and artist friends who put our hearts into our books…and for all of you who gives books to others (teachers and librarians, I’m looking at you!).
April 6, 2018 I’m trying to be more tolerant, because I know I complain about the heat all summer long:>) But this is my rebellion against all the whining about snow! Our Minneapolis paper had this big story about how sick people were of snow, but (online at ... April 5, 2018
Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Well, I seem to be on a real tree kick lately! This month, our theme, chosen by Tricia, was to borrow a line from Elizabeth Bishop’s One Art and use it in a ... April 5, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
Here’s a photo from last summer:
I like roller coasters, but not things like this. So I ... April 4, 2018
April 3, 2018
April 3, 2018
So happy to be part of Irene Latham’s Progressive Poem! Here we go!
Nestled in her cozy bed, a seed stretched.
Oh, what wonderful dreams she had had!
Blooming in midnight moonlight, dancing with
Did you see the wonderful post with Heidi Mordhorst, Irene Latham, and ... April 2, 2018
April 1, 2018 Happy National Poetry Month, and Happy Easter if you celebrate Easter! I’m keeping things simple this year, because life is complicated (with moves, travel, work–mostly good stuff, just…complicated). In years past, I’ve done daily poems with unified visual elements, because I do love that. This ... March 29, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Did you see the poetry and other writing done by second graders here at Blog Tour Stop #7? If not, I hope you’ll hop over to comment. It was wonderful to hear kids sharing their families!
... March 29, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
I hope you’re not offended that I’m still using snow-related photo prompts, but you know March and ... March 22, 2018 Madness Poetry is down to just four matchups! My matchup with J.J. Close, who does very clever wordplay, goes live at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time here. I hope you’ll visit and vote for your favorite on all four pairs of poems. Thanks to those of ... March 19, 2018 Hi, teacher friends. I made it to Round 3 of Madness Poetry, where I had to write a poem for kids including the word “parlance.” Yeah… Anyway, voting is live, and if you’d go here to read the poems by Savannah Rogers and me and ... March 15, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
How is it possible that March is halfway over! I’m teaching at a Young Authors Conference today, which is always fun. (It’s fun when I’m feeling well. We’ll see how today goes, as I’m–hack, hack–feeling gross.) ... March 15, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
Here’s Voldetort the turtle, whom we were caring for for a month or so until we could give ... March 8, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This week, I’m sharing another calendar poem. My life at home has gone kinda crazy these past few weeks, and I’m not sharing these every week, so this one is from a couple of weeks ago.
My ... March 8, 2018 Howdy, folks! I’m taking part in Ed Decaria’s Madness Poetry this year, and today is the last day for voting in Round 1. I’m pitted against Lissa Clouser, and we both had to write poems using the word “coordinates.” Lissa’s poem is lovely, and we ... March 1, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I have two things today. First, Meet My Family published yesterday! I’m honored to be over at Kirby Larson’s Friend Friday, discussing how my own unusual family (ok, let’s be honest–my own weird ... March 1, 2018 Hello, and welcome!
It’s March 1, the book birthday for my new picture book, Meet My Family! It’s all about families, animals, and diversity. Of course, that’s super exciting for me, but I know NOTHING gets in the way of 15 Words or Less :>) ... February 23, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Today is the first day of my Meet My Family blog tour! And I’m so excited that educator Margaret Simon is hosting this first stop! The poetry her students write is amazing, and I can’t wait ... February 22, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
Last week’s photo, if you’re curious, was a filtered close-up shot of some bath salts my daughter ... February 21, 2018 Here’s my calendar poem this week–thank you to Jan Goodwin Annino for “jar,” Martha O’Quinn for “parasol,” and Leslie Leibhardt Goodman in Illinois for “airy.” (Would you like to suggest a word for me? Just go here!) I was thinking about all the ways books ... February 15, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
[My Classroom Connections posts will share a way to connect one of my books or poems to a classroom topic–often something timely that you might be covering in the next month or so. Please share this ... February 15, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
I’m not going to tell you what this one is. It’s whatever you make of it!
This ... February 12, 2018 Last week, I played a fun ABC word-association game with writer Traci Bold, and here are the results. I’m thinking about putting this on my website–probably more interesting than a traditional bio!
February 10, 2018 It’s February 10, time for 10 for 10!
Here are 10 nonfiction picture books about all kinds of families–perfect for storytime or your classroom unit on families. Enjoy!
<img style=”border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;” src=”https://laurasalas.com/poems-for-teachers/10-nonfiction-picture-books-families-nf10for10″” width=”1″ height=”1″ border=”0″ />
Todd Parr’s book just ooze love and acceptance. ... February 8, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I’m sharing another calendar poem this week. (Read what these are and suggest a word here.) This week’s calendar poem was written before last week’s–which I really struggled with! This one came a little more easily ... February 8, 2018 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 very glad you’re here. Would you like to suggest a word for one of my poems? I’ve had fun with “winter,” “cymbal,” ... February 1, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
So, this month, our Poetry Princess challenge was my choice, so it’s extra frustrating that I found it SO challenging. I chose tanka (non-rhyming form with a 5/7/5/7/7 syllable count) as our form, because ... February 1, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
Thank you for your poems last week! In case you’re wondering, that was a filtered picture of ... January 25, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
[My Classroom Connections posts will share a way to connect one of my books or poems to a classroom topic–often something timely that you might be covering in the next month or so. Please share this ... January 25, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
This image (which I’m not going to identify right now) makes me think of several things:
an avalanche
Santa’s ... January 18, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I wanted to give myself a new poetry challenge for 2018, and here’s what I decided to do. I had bought a Sierra Club desk calendar on clearance. Something about the empty spaces in their orderly ... January 18, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
I got so many beautiful holiday cards this year, and one of my favorites was from Poetry ... January 11, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I hadn’t planned to post today, but this past couple of weeks, death has been touching the lives of Randy and me a lot in various forms. The death of our beloved dog, the death of ... January 11, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
Last week’s image was a close-up of the pompoms I use whenever we watch Dolphins games:>) This ... January 4, 2018 Happy Poetry Friday, and Happy New Year! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
2017 ended on a low note for me, so I’m happy to be sharing poems with the Poetry Princesses today. We’ve decided to continue on our monthly journey of writing ... January 4, 2018 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 very glad you’re here.
Thank you, everyone who sent such nice thoughts of the death of our dog, Jackie. It’s been ... December 28, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
It’s the final Poetry Friday of the year, and I’m going to wrap up with a simple list of my favorite poetry picture books that I read for the first time this year. These are the ... December 28, 2017 We just got home from the vet, where we had to have Captain Jack Sparrow put to sleep. It’s been a hard, hard day. Here are a few poems I wrote with Jack in mind, plus a video I made a couple of months ago. ... December 28, 2017 Hello, and welcome to the final 15 Words or Less Poems of the year! This is a low-pressure way to wake up your poetry brain (guidelines here), and I’m very glad you’re here.
Walking to the mailbox with Jack is always an adventure. Trying ... December 21, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Now, before we get to Joyce Sidman’s beautiful poem, I have neglected to post my year-end wishes. So, here you go, with joy and gratitude that you are part of my book and poetry world ... December 21, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
So, the picture I posted last week was a filtered image (as usual) of some frosted glass ... December 14, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I have read so many wonderful books lately–many of which I heard about at NCTE. One of my favorites is Wet Cement, a fantastic book of concrete poems by Bob Raczka.
This is not a new book ... December 14, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
I took this pic in an airport a couple of weeks ago. Want to take a guess? ... December 7, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
So, last week, I shared a lai, which the Poetry Princesses tackled for December. I liked it and wanted to try another, so here’s a #poemsketch with another lai.
I had one with a font I liked ... December 7, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
Here’s a pic from a recent road trip. This image makes me think of several things:
an airport ... December 4, 2017 I can’t believe it’s almost the end of the year! Here’s a #poemsketch for you today:>) I love December and winter, and I enjoy the fresh start feeling of a new year (though fall always feels like the beginning of my year, personally). But when ... November 30, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This month, we Poetry Princesses wrote lais (a 9-line, aabaabaab poem) on the theme of hope, light, or peace. I had done the little drawing below before thinking about this month’s poem. Then ... November 30, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
If you didn’t see my note earlier, sorry about last week! Major blog/Wordpress fail, and I lost ... November 28, 2017 Apologies for those who visited last Thursday. I had several posts for Thanksgiving Thursday and Poetry Friday and one all about NCTE–and they have completely disappeared. :>(
OK, moving on…
There’s something about a farm silhouetted against the sky that always feels so nostalgic. As I’ve driven ... November 21, 2017 I have decided I really prefer the idea of typed text rather than hand-lettered. The watercolors are already very fluid and, uh, imperfect, and when I try to hand-letter, the whole thing just feels sloppy to me.
Also, I’ve tried a few of these watercolor ... November 20, 2017 I’m home from NCTE, which was lovely and overwhelming, as always! A little quiet time and a little nature (though it’s chilly here in Minnesota right now, so I’m mostly enjoying nature through the window!) always helps stitch my frazzled self back together!
November 16, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Today, I’m sharing a poem I wrote years ago, because on Michelle Heidenrich Barnes’ blog, my Lerner editor, Carol Hinz, challenged us to write poems about things not typically considered beautiful.
As someone who thinks about life ... November 16, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
The leaves are all gone now from our beautiful maple, so I’m enjoying it through photos retroactively:>)
... November 15, 2017 The Finalists for the AAAS/Subaru Science Books & Film Prizes have been announced, and I’m cheering to learn that If You Were the Moon made the cut in the Picture Book category! The longlist was announced last month, and now they’ve narrowed it down to ... November 13, 2017 I was thinking about writing a poem for Carol Hinz’ Ditty of the Month challenge–write about something not typically considered beautiful. (More info on this in my Poetry Friday post this coming Friday if you aren’t familiar with this.) I was thinking about bald heads, ... November 9, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Last month, I shared Kate Coombs’ gorgeous new picture book, Breathe and Be (Sounds True, 2017). I think a lot of you connected with that post and the book, and I’m happy to share a bit ... November 9, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
I want to say thank you to this community! On my school visits to Pinewood Elementary in ... November 2, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
So, this month, our Poetry Princess challenge was triolets using two of five words chosen by Liz (orange, fall, chill, light, change). I love triolets. They lend themselves to reflection because of the ... November 2, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
This guy, which we bought at the first Renaissance Festival we ever went to, shortly after moving up here ... October 31, 2017 You can never have too many autumn leaves.
October 30, 2017 Happy Halloween, almost! Enjoy the jack-o-lanterns!
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October 26, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
I love trains, and I’ve never been on a “real” train ride–just a couple of scenic rides ... October 24, 2017 Hello! I just realized it’s getting a bit late to share my poem about fall’s arrival, so I’d better hop to it! At the beginning of the month, I shared my hymn about fall from a dog’s point of view. A hymn about fall had ... October 23, 2017 I was playing with my watercolors, trying to learn how to do a wash, and I made this orangey one. Then I dropped a few drops of green to see what would happen. The little splotches reminded me of palm trees, so I added trunks.
... October 19, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Today is the National Day on Writing, and what better day to share Amy Ludwig VanDerwater’s new book for teachers, Poems Are Teachers? This amazing book features 50+ poems by different poets (some of whom are ... October 19, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
I usually filter my photos because I like the way that makes them a little surreal and ... October 17, 2017 It’s that time of year, when I’m taking down the deck planters and packing away summery stuff.
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October 16, 2017 Geese in a vee overhead is one of my favorite fall sights/sounds. But last week, a single goose flew overhead, honking mournfully. I know it’s just anthropomorphism, but it really sounded lost and sad to me.
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October 12, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Poet friend Kate Coombs sent me a copy of her new picture book, Breathe and Be (Sounds True, 2017). It came in the mail on a busy day (is there such a thing as an un-busy ... October 12, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
One of the visitors to the Minnesota Children’s Book Festival recently was this great horned owl.
This ... October 11, 2017 Yesterday, walking into my critique group meeting, I read a newspaper article about a young paramedic who was killed in a local road crash. She had the same last name as a librarian casual friend, so I did a Google search, hoping to discover the ... October 10, 2017 Here’s a #poemsketch from last week, inspired by a small turtle I saw while on a walk with my daughter. That combined with world news of devastation (both natural and manmade) to make this poem. I like doing the dripping lines and writing on them. ... October 9, 2017 Something about power towers always fascinates me, and rows of them automagically turn into double-Dutch jumpers. So I took a classic jump rope rhyme as the basis for today’s #poemsketch.
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October 5, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This month, our Poetry Princess challenge was to write a hymn using a hymn meter around the theme of fall. This was Tanita’s choice. She’s the beautiful singer in our group! I will ... October 5, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
While I was at the Anderson Center at Tower View for the Minnesota Children’s Book Festival a ... October 4, 2017 Irma inspired all sorts of light-related poemsketches. I think this is the final one.
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October 3, 2017 Playing Qwixx and other games by candlelight after Irma knocked out the power is a favorite hurricane memory. Just being in the storm with family instead of in our own place made it more adventure–less drudge/danger. Not literally, but in the way it felt.
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October 2, 2017 Once at my sister’s house in Orlando, I found electric lights extra fascinating because we were 99% certain we would lose power during Irma. Here’s a #poemsketch.
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September 28, 2017 Welcome, everybody! I’m excited you’re here for the Poetry Friday Roundup! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
A couple of weeks ago, I made a Facebook faux pas in replying to a comment on my phone that I thought was to me, but wasn’t. ... September 28, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
One of the things that surprises me every fall is how maple trees don’t turn color all ... September 27, 2017 We had three amazing days at the beach, but we left a day early to head inland. My sister was supposed to spend that last night at the condo with us, but instead we headed to my Dad’s up the coast for a quick visit ... September 26, 2017 This past month has been full of reading and writing goodness. Here are just a few highlights. Feeling very grateful for the fullness of my book-encircling life!
Little Free Library
My new Little Free Library is up! I was sad to leave our LFL behind at our ... September 25, 2017 Walking in the sand, we watched snowy egrets plucking up their impossibly skinny legs to stalk through the incoming tide. My poemsketches are generally done very quickly. Written in less than 5 minutes and drawn/painted in the same. If I screw up the drawing, oh ... September 24, 2017 Continuing our Florida adventures…I loved seeing bird footprints in the packed sand after the tide rolled out.
September 21, 2017 I passed this shovel half-buried in the sand on the beach two days in a row. It called to me for today’s #poemsketch. I have such lovely memories of collecting shells at the beach as a kid.
And it’s Poetry Friday! Visit Amy at ... September 20, 2017 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 very glad you’re here. Today is International Peace Day, so check out the #peaceday hashtag and also the Peace Padlet. It’s also, ... September 20, 2017 Tomorrow is International Peace Day! Poets Amy Ludwig VanDerwater and Margarita Engle have created a Peace Padlet that will go live tomorrow with all sorts of links to wonderful peace-related projects. Be sure to visit and follow the UN hashtag #peaceday!
I don’t talk about ... September 19, 2017 Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll share some poem sketches written earlier this month, on our trip to Florida. The day my husband and I flew down, we went to see my dad. When I went into the bathroom, I was struck by the ... September 18, 2017 Today’s #poemsketch is from my day at the State Fair a couple of weeks ago. Very fitting as it is now feeling fallish here in Minnesota, as if summer is disappearing into the distance, waving a deep-fried goodbye!
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September 14, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Today is International Dot Day, inspired by Peter H. Reynolds’ The Dot! You know, we got home from our Florida trip (which was quite a bit more “exciting” than anticipated, due to Irma) on Tuesday evening. ... September 14, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
I was in Florida for the past week, and before Irma hit, Randy and I spent several ... September 12, 2017 There’s nothing I like better than a gorgeous sunrise or sunset. I love that it’s a possibility every single day. You just never know when one will spring up!
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September 11, 2017 Here’s a #poemsketch from the State Fair. It was so awesome watching kids practically step right into If You Were the Moon!
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September 7, 2017 Here’s the “clumsy bug” from Wednesday’s #poemsketch that I showed the woman at the State Fair. I wrote it when I got home from a stressful walk one day last week. The Carolina locusts were everywhere! Flying into me. And I had on capri yoga ... September 7, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
Maddie took this photo in Dublin, at the Trinity College Library. Though it’s not immediately obvious due ... September 6, 2017 Today’s #poemsketch was inspired by a fun conversation I had with a woman at Read + Ride Day. We talked about Jaime Kim’s lovely art and showed each other pics on our phones of our own art attempts. Hers was a lovely, featherlight bird!
... August 31, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
So, this month, our Poetry Princess challenge was an ekphrastic poem to Sara’s choice of image. Here’s a picture she took while at a Highlights Foundation retreat (so jealous…someday!).
On the way home from ... August 31, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
I was at the Minnesota Zoo Friday night for an awesome Five for Fighting concert. He was ... August 29, 2017 Today’s poemsketch was inspired by a homeless man and his dog. I used my Jack as a model. Poor Jack. He’s already a bit unique looking, but my clumsy doodle-painting did not help his case!
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August 28, 2017 Today’s poemsketch was inspired by a line in something I read a few days ago–probably a middle-grade novel or novel in verse. Anyway, there was a line in there about a hug being the smallest mathematical circle, or something like that, and that stuck with ... August 24, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I’ve decided that, for a while, at least, I’m going to share my daily practice poems here when I don’t have another post scheduled. I write a practice poem almost every day. Just a quick thing. ... August 24, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
After last week’s beautiful but emotional poems, I was trying to pick something lighthearted for this week. ... August 22, 2017 Hope you all got to see part of the eclipse yesterday! Here in Minneapolis, not so much. But it’s still fun to have so much attention focused on the moon. In fact, yesterday I shared a poem about how thrilled the moon was to finally ... August 21, 2017 I found this old diamante of mine Saturday morning and shared it on social media, but here it is again. Happy eclipse-viewing to those of you lucky enough to be in (or be traveling to) the path of the full eclipse today!
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August 17, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
A couple of weeks ago, the Poetry Princesses shared poems written to the title “Statues in the Park.” I shared my poem and writing process (via time lapse video) in that post. Today, I thought I’d ... August 17, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
In Duluth a couple weeks ago, we went to the Lake Superior Marine Museum like we always ... August 10, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I won a giveaway of Too Many Friends, Kathryn Apel‘s latest novel in verse, from Robyn Hood Black (aka artsyletters) earlier this summer. Thanks, Robyn! I finally got to read it recently!
The main character Tahnee ... August 10, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
A nearby park has what the map describes as a maze–which I think is overstating it a ... August 9, 2017 I’ve never participated in this before, so I have no idea if I’m doing it right! And I’m a day early, because Thursday is 15 Words or Less Day here at my blog. But here are 10 rhyming nonfiction picture books I have loved. Some ... August 3, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
The Process
FEEL FREE TO SKIP DIRECTLY TO IMAGE POEM BELOW IF YOU LIKE!
This month, our Poetry Princess challenge (my choice) was a poem of any kind, mood, or topic to go with ... August 3, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
At Duluth Harbor last week, we got to watch a TON of sailboats come through the canal ... July 27, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
This is the City Hall clock tower in downtown Minneapolis. I took this pic from the roof ... July 20, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
A couple of years ago, an anthologist invited me to submit poems for a how-to anthology. None of my poems were accepted, but this one, which I wrote just to submit to the anthology, has been ... July 20, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
While walking Jack one evening, my husband and I saw this fearless kitty marching along a balcony ... July 13, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
My wheels have been spinning since Tabatha proposed a mac and cheese Poetry Friday. Why? Because macaroni and cheese is my favorite food. In my childhood, bbq chicken and macaroni and cheese was my birthday dinner ... July 13, 2017
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 very glad you’re here.
That’s the globe that used to be on ... July 6, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Well, it has been a chaotic, joyful, and sad summer so far. So when this month’s Poetry Princess challenge was a poem in the style of Byron’s “She Walks in Beauty,” I just ... July 6, 2017 Hello, poets, writers, noodlers–and welcome! This is 15 Words or Less Poems, a low-pressure way to wake up your poetry brain (guidelines here), and I’m very glad you’re here.
Thank you for keeping this community going while I’ve been on a semi-hiatus. Can’t believe ... June 29, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This weekend, my daughter and I were supposed to be on a poetry retreat, working on a collaborative project. 48 hours. 1 hotel room. It would have been intense, but we had to cancel. Health issues ... June 29, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
At that chalk festival, there were a few large-scale works on boards, so I made Randy stand ... June 22, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Last week, I went to Plainview Library in Plainview, Minnesota, for a poetry event. My sister Patty (up from Florida) and daughter Maddie (home briefly from Scotland) came with me on this mini-road trip.
It was ... June 22, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
I took this pic at the Maple Grove Chalk Art Festival two weekends ago. We went on ... June 15, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Last week, I shared my genre chant poem that appeared in JCL. By the way, in my newsletter for educators later this month or in July, I’ll be sending along a downloadable mini-poster of that poem, ... June 15, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
While my sister Patty was up this past week, we indulged in way too many sweet treats. Like ... June 8, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
The Journal of Children’s Literature has one of my poems in it in the spring 2017 edition. I initially wrote this poem to open a chapter on children’s literature genres in Terrell Young’s book, Children’s Literature, ... June 8, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
Saw this on the road the other day. This image makes me think of several things:
What if ... June 5, 2017 I had a lovely email a while back from a teacher who had my book, Heart of a Teacher, and wanted to know if she could use the poem “I Think You Should Try It Too) at a teacher appreciation event at another school in ... June 1, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
So, this month, our Poetry Princess challenge was to write a golden shovel poem. Tricia chose this prompt, and she also chose Gerard Manley Hopkins’ “Pied Beauty” as the poem we would all choose ... June 1, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
The Paris Catacombs are…overwhelming. So many bones. So many emotions: sadness, horror, reverence, acceptance, melancholy. We had ... May 25, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Earlier this month, I got to write poems with the Literacy L.I.F.T. Club: Linking Imagination Fun & Text at Evergreen Park World Cultures Community School in Brooklyn Center, MN. My daughter Annabelle came along as an ... May 25, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
At the Reykjavik, Iceland airport, this eye-catching statue dominates. I thought it was a berry, as I ... May 18, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
A couple of weekends ago, I spoke at the Minnesota Kindergarten Association annual conference. For an hour, I shared with 2-300 teachers why poetry matters, what the process is behind my poetry/science books, and other poetry ... May 18, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
Before we get to today’s picture, congratulations to Lauren McBride, longtime 15 Words or Less contributor, on ... May 11, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I don’t know about you, but I was totally overwhelmed (in a good way, but still) by all the poetry shared during Poetry Month. I so need to go back and catch up on some folks ... May 11, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
Last week, I shared a picture of Mont Saint Michel. In the little village nearby, several shops/restaurants ... May 4, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
It’s the first Friday of the month, so it’s Poetry Princesses Friday! This month was my choice, and I chose the Things to Do form with a seasonal angle. (See page 4 here ... May 4, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
Although the day trip itself was dreadful, one of the most beautiful things we saw in France ... May 3, 2017 Friends in the children’s literature community, I’m hoping you can help me. I have a picture book coming out that uses just a word or two in several different languages. I need to make sure, though, that I’m using the proper word that would be ... May 2, 2017 I’m honored that Water Can Be… is a nominee for the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award in the picture book category with many other books and writers I love! A Maryland school librarian contacted me to ask if I could make a little video to the ... April 30, 2017 Here are today’s #wonderbreak poems. I have two left, so I’m sharing them both.
Thanks, everybody, for following along this month. I struggled some days to find something small and concrete to focus on, and I really meant to not do quite so many nature ... April 30, 2017
Whee! It’s Day 30 of Irene Latham’s wonderful Progressive Poem (read more about this April tradition here).
I will admit to being a bit nervous about being the last line. But last year, I got to be the first line, so…I figured turnabout was fair play. ... April 29, 2017 Perhaps you were as saddened as I was by the recent death of writer Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Today has been named More for Amy Krouse Rosenthal day in an effort spearheaded by Kirby Larson, another lovely, generous writer, who is encouraging people to share love, ... April 27, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This Poetry Month, I’m sharing a brief poem daily celebrating little sources of wonder and joy in my life. Here’s today’s #wonderbreak :
I always think it’s funny how avid gardeners ... April 27, 2017 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 very glad you’re here. But because it’s National Poetry Month, I have a #wonderbreak poem to share, too! And it’s Poem in ... April 26, 2017 Whoo! It’s getting tough as the month winds down. I have a worm picture I’m trying to write a poem to, but I’m just not there yet. So here’s today’s #wonderbreak. [Want to learn more or join in by sharing your own poems about joyful ... April 25, 2017 Whoops! Sorry for the later-than-usual post. Home from visiting family in Florida, and my schedule is all off!
Here’s today’s #wonderbreak.
When I took this picture, there ... April 24, 2017 Here’s today’s #wonderbreak.
Hmm. That is kind of hard to read, which I didn’t realize until I saw it bigger. Sorry about that. I’m back home ... April 23, 2017 Here’s today’s #wonderbreak.
I love Mexican food. Especially tacos. That is all.
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April 22, 2017 Here’s today’s #wonderbreak.
Happy Earth Day!
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April 20, 2017
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This Poetry Month, I’m sharing a brief poem daily celebrating little sources of wonder and joy in my life. Here’s today’s #wonderbreak :
Now that we’re past the halfway mark, the ... April 20, 2017 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 very glad you’re here. However, because it’s National Poetry Month, I have a couple of other things to share, too:>)
I’m Reading ... April 19, 2017 Here’s today’s #wonderbreak.
This was really meant to be a poem about the scar on my knee/leg and how I don’t mind it. It’s a reminder ... April 18, 2017 Here’s today’s #wonderbreak.
Feeling grateful for being able to sit outside my home and feel peace.
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April 17, 2017 Here’s today’s #wonderbreak.
It would have been my Mom and Dad’s anniversary a few days ago. Mostly, I think of Mom with a smile on her ... April 16, 2017 Happy Easter! Here’s today’s #wonderbreak.
I was getting my sales figures last week for Water Can Be…, so that I could make my donation to WaterAid, ... April 15, 2017 Here’s today’s #wonderbreak.
I guess I might be kind of morbid, as I think about death quite frequently. But mostly the thought of death is a ... April 13, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
For Poetry Month, I’m sharing a brief poem daily celebrating little sources of wonder and joy in my life. Here’s today’s #wonderbreak :
There is a LOT of bad news in ... April 13, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
Iceland got a huge snowfall just before we arrived, so we saw lots of things buried in ... April 13, 2017 Here’s today’s #wonderbreak.
I am at one of my two main libraries pretty much every day, returning and checking out books. Not to mention being online ... April 12, 2017 Here’s today’s #wonderbreak.
Little signs of life in Minnesota amid a largely brown/yellow landscape!
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April 11, 2017 Here’s today’s #wonderbreak.
Saturday, it felt like early summer, with temps in the 70s and sun belting out its almost-summer song. Today it was damp and ... April 10, 2017 Here’s today’s #wonderbreak.
I love railroad tracks, even though I’ve never been on trains, other than metro commuting trains or short scenic railroads. They always remind ... April 9, 2017 Here’s today’s #wonderbreak.
March in Minnesota does not look like a beautiful spring picture book. It is sometimes snowy, which is beautiful. But if warmish temps ... April 8, 2017
For today’s #wonderbreak , I’m sharing some love for the delicious clementine. I don’t really eat oranges, but when it’s clementine season, I am there! This tiny gem that fits in my hand makes me feel like I’m already ... April 7, 2017 I’m a bit of a pyromaniac. I don’t start fires, but I do love them, and having a fireplace is one of the things I’ve loved most about moving this past year! I was warming up by the fire while the winds howled outside yesterday, ... April 6, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
So, this month, our Poetry Princess challenge was to talk back to a Rilke poem. I love the idea of poems in response to other poems. But Rilke? Sheesh. Talking back seems so impertinent! ... April 6, 2017 I do love me a good Mini Salted Caramel Truffle Blizzard. While savoring one, I started thinking about Dairy Queen and how it was the place to go after the girls’ soccer games, orchestra concerts, etc. Or, every once in a while, Annabelle and I ... April 6, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
One thing–OK, THE thing I most wanted to see on our February trip was the Northern Lights. ... April 5, 2017
I write most things on my laptop or phone (using a bluetooth foldable keyboard). But I am always jotting notes to myself–and occasional poems–in longhand, with a pen. I have two favorite kinds. Today, I’m celebrating pens in my #wonderbreak. [Want to learn more or ... April 4, 2017 Here’s today’s #wonderbreak.
Two days ago, I got a mug in the mail, a gift from Read Aloud Revival. The cardboard box it came in had the ... April 3, 2017
Today’s #wonderbreak celebrates the joy of petting a dog. Our beagle, Jack, is kind of barrel-chested. His ribs rise and fall excessively (it seems) when he is sleeping or very relaxed. I couldn’t get a pic that would ... April 2, 2017 Happy National Poetry Month!
Today’s #wonderbreak is about conkers, those big, round seeds that fall from horse chestnuts and conk you on the head.
Seeds always amaze me, how they have everything they need inside to make…whatever they ... April 1, 2017
Happy National Poetry Month!
Here’s today’s #wonderbreak.
I told you guys this month’s poems would celebrate little things I love. They might not always be literally this little, but I figured I’d start out with this small item.
I love ... March 30, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Today, I’m just sharing the five poetry picture books I’ve read and loved so far this year. If you’ve missed any of these, it’s time to order them or put them on reserve at your library! ... March 30, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
A favorite site in Iceland was the rift in Thingvellir National Park, where two tectonic plates meet. ... March 23, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Holy moley. Where has March gone? I know I have one more Poetry Friday post before National Poetry Month starts, but I thought I’d share my plans here a bit early in case anyone else has ... March 23, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
We went to the Eiffel Tower kind of on a whim, on our last day in Paris. ... March 16, 2017 Happy St. Patrick’s Day, and Happy Poetry Friday! (You probably know what St. Paddy’s Day is, but if you’re wondering what Poetry Friday is, click here.)
I’m wrapping up a week of Moon pictures, celebrating my If You Were the Moon launch party, which is happening ... March 16, 2017 Hello, and welcome! I’m interrupting the normal broadcast to let you know that Tina Cho has an interview with me today, which you can read here. Thanks, Tina!
It’s all moon, all week long, since my launch party is tonight for If You Were the ... March 9, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
For most of spring, I’m guessing, my pics will come from the wonderful trip Randy and I ... March 2, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This month, we returned to ekphrastic poems, and Tanita chose our image. I filtered it, but you can see the original here. I was looking at it on my phone, and I couldn’t ... March 2, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
Back a couple of weeks ago, game night had a toy theme, and I came across this ... February 23, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Hooray for Elaine Magliaro!
I am so happy to write this post, because it’s celebrating a book I have looked forward to for a long time! For many years, Elaine Magliaro blogged incredibly regularly about writing poetry ... February 23, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
Our maple tree has been bare for ages, except for one or two last, lonely leaves. This ... February 16, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
My sister Patty has always been the artist in our family. She is crafty and artistic, though ... February 13, 2017 Had a blast over the weekend playing games. The theme was 50 States, and Gary Nygaard organized the night. Our group has children’s authors, distributor reps, kidlit marketing specialists, my daughter Annabelle, a children’s librarian, a literacy coach, and a few assorted partners and other ... February 9, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I shared a couple of poetry postcards two weeks ago, and here’s another one. This one’s from Jone MacCulloch, who organized the whole exchange to begin with!
I love the simplicity of this image and poem. And ... February 9, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
Last night, as Randy and I were driving home from downtown, there was this cool contrail like ... February 2, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
So, last Saturday, I looked at our Poetry Princess challenge list for this year and discovered we were sharing villanelles this week. On the theme of brevity or shortness. Which was funny, because a ... February 2, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
A couple of weeks ago, Randy and I went to an exhibit called Martin Luther and the ... January 26, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This year, I participated in Jone MacCulloch’s postcardXchange for the first time. I know a lot of these kinds of interactive exchanges go on among the kidlit community. I’ve always been intimidated and too busy, so ... January 26, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
I often use filters, but this pic of the thin layer of ice on our street (which ... January 19, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
When I heard Michelle Heidenrich Barnes at Today’s Little Ditty was putting together an anthology, I was skeptical. What an enormous amount of work! The logistics alone of gathering poems from many poets published on her ... January 19, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
This is Captain Jack’s pawprint on our front sidewalk. Something about our weather cycle of snow, melt, ... January 12, 2017 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 very glad you’re here.
Here’s a pic of Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park, which I walked through several times a day at ... January 5, 2017 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
The Poetry Princesses are starting off 2017 with somonka, two combined Japanese tanka written in a love poem/response form. What better way to start off a new year than with some love?
Still, with ... January 5, 2017 Hello, and welcome to the first 15 Words or Less Poems of 2017! This is 15 Words or Less Poems, a low-pressure way to wake up your poetry brain (guidelines here), and I’m very glad you’re here.
At NCTE in Atlanta, walking back and ... January 3, 2017 I’m so happy to be continuing to write monthly with my Poetry Sisters–Liz Garton Scanlon, Kelly Ramsdell, Andi Sibley, Tanita Davis, Sara Lewis Holmes, and Tricia Stohr-Hunt. Our list of collaborations is getting kind of long, so instead of including it in my post on ... January 2, 2017 Each year, the Nerdy Book Club awards Nerdies to its favorite books in different children’s/ya categories. Have you seen the list of Poetry Nerdies yet, shared in a lovely post by Mary Lee Hahn? Some books I already know and love, and many more I ... December 29, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
I hope everyone’s holidays have been going great! Mine have, but today is Maddie’s last day at ... December 22, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
More fun from the Atlanta airport. There was a series of sculptures by a Zimbabwean (I think) ... December 19, 2016 I love evergreens draped in snow, and I took this pic a few weeks ago. This filter on it made the bare trees even more beautiful, though. So stark and sharp and delicate. I thought about how this filter emphasized light and pale colors, and ... December 15, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Last week, I shared about the awesome Risking Writing session at NCTE. Today, I thought I’d share my final poem in a more legible way. But if you’d like to hear about the session and see ... December 15, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
Going through the Atlanta airport for NCTE recently, I was enchanted by this ceiling in one terminal ... December 12, 2016 I’ll be posting sporadically for the rest of December as family fun and deadlines arm wrestle it out. I hope you’ll consider subscribing by email (just put your email in the box at the top of the right sidebar) to get notified be email when ... December 8, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I had something else scheduled for today, but this week, I noticed that several copies of my indie-published Heart of a Teacher sold in paperback (it’s also available in a Kindle edition). It dawned on me ... December 8, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
Before we start, I want to share something. Longtime 15 Words or Less participant and fabulous teacher ... December 5, 2016 I shared some photos from the NCTE Poetry Notables session in my Facebook NCTE photo album (you should be able to see the photos even if you’re not on Facebook).
In case you’re interested in the list, which was announced earlier this year and is full ... December 1, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Poem 2:
Ekphrastic Poem with the Poetry Princesses
This is Part 2 of my Poetry Friday post this week. If you didn’t see yesterday’s Part 1, I invite you to go check out ... December 1, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday–eerrr….Thursday. Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This week is a Poetry Friday two-fer. Somehow, whenever there’s an outside thing I’m participating in for Poetry Friday, it’s always the first Friday of the month. So, that means I’m juggling two poems ... December 1, 2016 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 very glad you’re here. Teachers, if I met you at NCTE recently, I’m glad you’ve come to visit!
This is actually my ... November 29, 2016 Reviews are a little nerve-wracking–like going to parent-teacher conferences if you have no idea how your child is doing at school.
But yay! Kirkus Reviews has reviewed If You Were the Moon (Millbrook, 2017) and had lovely things to say about it. Like: “In this inventive ... November 24, 2016 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 very glad you’re here. I shared 15 Words or Less poems with some educators at NCTE last weekend, and though probably none ... November 17, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
When I was at the Minnesota Children’s Book Festival back in…September? October?–anyway, when I was there, I ... November 10, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I recently read Finding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed Science, by Jeannine Atkins. Partially because I love her work, partially because finding wonder is my goal both in life and in writing, so how could I ... November 10, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
Here’s another pic from Duluth. It was a stormy early morning, and we were watching a 1000-footer ... November 3, 2016 It’s November, and the Poetry Friday Roundup is HERE! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
So, this month, our Poetry Princess challenge was the terza rima, Tricia’ choice.
Initially, someone threw the election out as a possible theme. No way. I ... November 3, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
While Randy and I were in Duluth for my birthday, we noticed this set of posts on ... October 27, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I was lucky enough to attend a Billy Collins event a couple of weeks ago for my birthday. I love his work, and he’s an excellent reader–wry, understated, and funny. My husband compared his delivery to ... October 27, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
A couple of weeks ago, Randy and I attended the Youth in Music marching band show at ... October 20, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I have a big fear of alligators. I grew up in Florida and have seen them up close (too close) and personal several times. Shudder. But I’m also fascinated by them. I’ve written a Putrid Poem ... October 20, 2016 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 very glad you’re here. [Also, subscribers, did you get an email notification this morning that this post was up? I didn’t, and ... October 13, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
In a couple of weeks, an anthology called One Minute Till Bedtime (Little, Brown), edited by former Children’s Poet Laureate Kenn Nesbitt, comes out. It’s already gotten a starred review from Kirkus (woohoo!), and I can’t ... October 13, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
I was walking Jack the other day and came across this one small mushroom in a huge ... October 10, 2016
The cover is up! At least, it’s up on Amazon, though not yet on Indiebound. Isn’t it beautiful? Jaime Kim has created gorgeous art for this book all about the different ways the moon behaves and affects our world. I was a little nervous about ... October 6, 2016 Happy October, poetry friends. I love autumn, and I’m actually enjoying, kind of, the ongoing process of unpacking and settling in. And my writing has gotten back on track, too. I wrote all summer, but it was a frantic, meet-the-deadline-while-doing-a-million-other-things kind of writing. I’m still ... October 6, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
There’s a cool metal horse sculpture at the Anderson Center in Red Wing, MN, where I was at ... September 29, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I’m excited for the upcoming publication of my friend Joyce Sidman’s Before Morning! It publishes on October 4, and it’s just gorgeous.
This winter poem is set to stunning illustrations by Beth Krommes, and it’s racking ... September 29, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
I was downtown in Minneapolis a few weeks ago having a food truck lunch with Randy, and the ... September 22, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
I took this picture at a drum corps rehearsal over the summer, and it makes me think of ... September 21, 2016 It’s our daughter Maddie’s 21st birthday today, and I want to share a poem again that I wrote a couple of years ago, when she was first heading overseas to learn about missions work. A few weeks ago, we once again made the teary airport ... September 15, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Since yesterday’s 15 Words or Less post was about the Hello/Goodbye doormat, I thought I’d share my “Goodbye, Hello!” poem again, which I was proud to have appear in Highlights last year:
Goodbye, Hello!
Goodbye, blue sky ... September 15, 2016 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 very glad you’re here. Thank you for continuing to tune in over the summer and participate, even though I’ve been largely absent. ... September 8, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
First off, love, love, loved the poems last week. And, if you’re wondering and didn’t see it in the ... September 1, 2016 Happy September, poetry friends. Last month, I had to sit out from the Poetry Princesses 1st-Friday-of-the-month posting. This month, although I’m not bringing much to the table, I did at least write a poem. I wrote it on the plane ride down to Florida, where ... September 1, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
Writer and educator friends, can you tell what this is? I’m not going to tell you right now, but ... August 25, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
Hello, writer and educator friends. As I’m clearing out loads of stuff, I keep coming across things full of ... August 18, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
Hello, writer and educator friends. My life grows ever more intense (I really didn’t think that was possible), and ... August 11, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
Hello, writer and educator friends. My life grows ever more intense (I really didn’t think that was possible), and ... August 5, 2016 Today is the first Friday of the month, so it’s Poetry Princesses day, but this month, I’m just spectating. I had hoped to participate last minute, but it
couldn’t happen. We have new and improved family drama that I haven’t even wrapped my head ... August 4, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
Thank you for your continued kindness and support regarding my mom’s passing. I wish my dad was online and ... July 21, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
Thank you for your continued kindness and support regarding my mom’s passing. I wish my dad was online and ... July 14, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
I want to thank you all for your kind Comments, emails, and messages regarding my mom’s passing. It is ... July 7, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I’m heading out to NCTE this morning in Boston! Hope I might get to see a few of you there!
I am always so pleased to have poetry in Cricket or any of the Carus literary publications. ... July 7, 2016 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 very glad you’re here.
I took this picture outside Dairy Queen after my event at Plainview Public Library recently. I always love heading ... June 30, 2016 OK, I’m not even gonna whine about procrastinating this month. July and August are filled with so many wonderful things…in the long run. In the short run, I’m overwhelmed. So it is what it is. This month, we Poetry Princesses wrote poems in the style ... June 30, 2016 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.
Randy took this pic while we were walking Jack. by the lake. The white edging on the trail is cottonwood ... June 23, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Earlier this week, I shared a note of thanks for my beagle, Jack. Today, I’m re-sharing a zeno poetryaction he inspired a couple of years ago.
Ah, Jackie…For more poetry fun, don’t miss the Poetry Friday Roundup, ... June 23, 2016 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.
Randy and I went downtown (Minneapolis) a week or two to attend a concert by Cantus, a choral group. The ... June 16, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Last week, I read Laura Shovan’s Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary, and I loved it! I’m happy to share a poem from it today, as well as my Goodreads/Amazon review:
What a wonderful novel in verse! ... June 16, 2016 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.
While Randy and I were walking Jack last week, we walked right by these mallards at the lake. Jack was ... June 9, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I realize this poem is not seasonally appropriate, but this week I’ve been reading about 2015’s disastrous Mt. Everest avalanche, and it made me think of this acrostic I wrote years ago.
Revenge of the White Dragon ... June 9, 2016 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.
Randy and I were killing time during a showing recently. We sat outside at a Freddy’s, and as I drank ... June 2, 2016 This is terrible. Two months in a row, I am setting this post up just days before, and I haven’t yet written my poem. With our house on the market, a daughter in the ER three times in one week, a week of Young Authors ... June 2, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Shoot! I forgot until this moment that this was the first Friday of the month, so it’s a Poetry 7 day! But I promised my Young Authors Conference writers last week that I would share our ... June 2, 2016 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.
I was picking up the yard before a showing last week, and I saw a flash of yellow on the ... May 26, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Hi poets and teachers–Over these last weeks of school, I’m sharing several poems from my new collection, The Heart of a Teacher. Today’s short poem is a sad one (but others are funny or sarcastic or ... May 26, 2016 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 taken from our family room. My husband recently converted the room from a theater room with a ... May 25, 2016 Monday, I shared a poem about balance, and I thought I’d share the other two today.
Can you tell I’m addicted to Canva lately? My graphic design skills are not great, but I love working with images and poems together. I will get better!
May 24, 2016 Here’s another poem from my new collection, The Heart of a Teacher.
This one was inspired by the sound of students writing. I love when I’m visiting a school, and I set them off on a quick-writing exercise. When I say, “Go!” and the pencils ... May 23, 2016 I received an email from first-grade teacher Erin Baker. She was preparing to teach a unit on balance to first graders and wondered if I had any relevant poems or could recommend any that related to the topic. I told her, “I have actually toyed ... May 19, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Hi poets and teachers–I’m sharing another poem from my new collection, The Heart of a Teacher, today. (And an educator just gave it a 5-star review on Amazon–so excited:>) About this time of year, lots of ... May 19, 2016 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 taken out my window.
This image makes me think of:
soldiers standing at attention
what it would feel like to ... May 17, 2016 I promised to share a few poems from my new collection, The Heart of a Teacher, over these last weeks of school.
Here’s one inspired by, well, you can probably guess.
Right now, the Kindle version only is listed on Amazon, but in a few days ... May 12, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Well. I have been sharing a WHOLE lot of my work lately. I love to do that, but it’s nice to feature other people sometimes, too! Today, I’m sharing a poem by one of my very ... May 12, 2016 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 in my “Fishing Room” on a school visit in southern Minnesota, which I blogged about ... May 11, 2016
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 ... May 10, 2016
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 ... May 5, 2016 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 ... May 5, 2016 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 ... May 2, 2016 It’s so fun to see how Irene Latham’s Progressive Poem ended up. I meant to keep up and read it every single day, but I fell short. I checked in periodically, but it’s just fabulous to read the entire thing, start to finish–head on over ... April 30, 2016 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 ... April 28, 2016 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 ... April 28, 2016 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 ... April 28, 2016 “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 ... April 27, 2016 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 ... April 26, 2016 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 ... April 25, 2016 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 ... April 24, 2016 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 ... April 23, 2016 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 ... April 21, 2016 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 ... April 21, 2016 Hello! We’re more than halfway through National Poetry Month, and I hope you’re having a splendid celebration! I’m happy you’re here — this is 15 Words or Less Poems, a low-pressure way to wake up your poetry brain (guidelines here)!
Here’s my next pic taken in ... April 21, 2016 Dr. Louis Pasternak Skullstench: Stealth Poet Poetry Assignment #21: A Poem Based on Research
Rabbits Recycle!
They sniff hay They chew it They poop it and then
They sniff at their poop and start over again
I made you queasy? Excellent! Here’s a rabbit poem for you! ... April 20, 2016 Dr. Louis Pasternak Skullstench: Stealth Poet Poetry Assignment #20: Poem Inspired by a Photograph
This Really Happened!
A Burmese python told the waiter, “I will try the alligator!” He opened wide to eat headfirst but got so full he felt he’d burst He ached and cramped, began ... April 19, 2016 Dr. Louis Pasternak Skullstench: Stealth Poet Poetry Assignment #19: The Persona Poem
One Fine Spine–For Now
I’m the spine of the book, the backbone, the side.
I stand like a soldier and act like a guide.
But as soon as you buy me, ... April 18, 2016 Dr. Louis Pasternak Skullstench: Stealth Poet Poetry Assignment #18: The Limerick
Lamar Didn’t Listen
There once was a pig named Lamar Whose mom said, “Don’t mosey too far.” But he wandered away on that sad, tragic day. Now his feet ... April 17, 2016 Dr. Louis Pasternak Skullstench: Stealth Poet Poetry Assignment #17: Concrete Poem
Bloody Memory
After math a velvet valentine as red as the blood from the famous 2nd-grade pencil sharpener accident waits on my desk like a bomb. My name is written on the front in ... April 16, 2016 Dr. Louis Pasternak Skullstench: Stealth Poet Poetry Assignment #16: Quatrains Cafeteria Duo Trio
1. Eddie’s Trick
See cool Eddie? He’s my hero He’s the only kid who knows How to make the cherry Kool-Aid Flow like rivers from his nose
2. So-Called Stew
The menu says stew but that ... April 14, 2016 Dr. Louis Pasternak Skullstench: Stealth Poet Poetry Assignment #15: Make-Up-a-Word Poem
My Mom, the Piandroid
When my mother plays piano the tendons in her hand jump up and down practically burst through her skin like the wires of the piano snuck out of their wooden coffin ... April 14, 2016 Dr. Louis Pasternak Skullstench: Stealth Poet Poetry Assignment #14: The Cinquain
Grandma’s Snakes
Old legs. Grandma’s dry skin has shiny blue veins that slither wriggle pulse bulge: Grandma’s pet snakes.
I never knew my family was so disgusting until I started writing poetry. Cool!
That IS ... April 14, 2016 Howdy! How is your National Poetry Month going? I’m happy you’re here and ready to celebrate with you! This is 15 Words or Less Poems, a low-pressure way to wake up your poetry brain (guidelines here)!
Here’s my next pic taken in March on the way ... April 13, 2016 Dr. Louis Pasternak Skullstench: Stealth Poet Poetry Assignment #13: The Diamante
Lemons Coming Out of My Pores
lemonade tangy, yellow clinking, drinking, chilling, summer, liquid, noon, basketball slipping, dripping, shaking clear, salty sweat
You said 2 opposite or related things work. Lemonade turns into sweat! It turns ... April 12, 2016 There are all sorts of days celebrating librarians (as well there should be!). Today is ALA’s National Library Workers Day. In honor of all my favorite librarians, I wrote a Can Be… poem about them. You can read my A Librarian Can Be… poem here, ... April 12, 2016 Dr. Louis Pasternak Skullstench: Stealth Poet Poetry Assignment #12: The Haiku
Don’t Look at Uncle Gary!
He wears a Speedo Like a plump water balloon Wears a rubber band
Nothing shocks you? I’ll find something…I know haiku has to be about nature, but we were at the ... April 11, 2016 Dr. Louis Pasternak Skullstench: Stealth Poet Poetry Assignment #11: The Acrostic
My Mom Doesn’t Always Embarrass Me
Mom, I would be an Orphan without you! Thank you for not Hugging me in public. Or private. Even when ... April 10, 2016 Dr. Louis Pasternak Skullstench: Stealth Poet Poetry Assignment #10: Hyperbole
Guaranteed to Make You Puke
If you ever need to make yourself sick the night before a test or a family portrait or dinner with Grandpa creep downstairs ... April 9, 2016 Dr. Louis Pasternak Skullstench: Stealth Poet Poetry Assignment #9: The Ballad
The Ballad of My Shameful Mother
Last Thursday my mom could not come to my game. I felt floods of relief and a trickle of shame.
My mom always hollered and screamed at the ... April 7, 2016 Welcome, all! I’m happy to be hosting a Poetry Friday Roundup during April–what fun! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) I continue my Poetry Month sharing of “The Putrid Poetic Ponderings of Louis J. Pasternak, AKA Dr. Skullstench” (see right sidebar for more info) ... April 7, 2016 Welcome to 15 Words or Less Poems Day! Are you ready to wake up your poetry brains with our weekly exercise (guidelines here)?
Here’s my next pic taken in March on the way home from South Bend, IN to Minneapolis, MN.
This image makes me think ... April 7, 2016 Dr. Pasternak: Stealth Poet Poetry Assignment #7: Rhyme
Head Cheese
It wiggles and shimmies and does a slight jig It’s gelatin pickled with pieces of pig
There’s a sliver of tongue and a big chunk of heart There’s a huge hunk of dark and mysterious pig ... April 6, 2016 Louis J. Pasternak Poetry Assignment #6: The List Poem
If You Accidentally Swallow Ocean Water …
you also swallow:
gloopy whale blubber broken starfish arms penguin poop dead fish sunken ships lobster shells
and all the pee of all the kids in the world, even kids in ... April 5, 2016 [Note from Laura: Hi, teachers and readers! If Louis were writing a gross poem about me today, it would be about head colds, congestion, crusty stuff, and maybe green stuff, too. :>( Yup, I’ve got a cold. And I’m glad Louis isn’t here to describe ... April 4, 2016 Louis J. Pasternak Poetry Assignment #4: Repetition
Pimple Popping
There’s a pimple on my cheek and I’m dying just to pop it I was picking at it yesterday ’til Marty hollered, “Stop it!”
It’s shiny and it’s white and I’m dying just to pop it Bran shows ... April 3, 2016 Louis J. Pasternak Poetry Assignment #3: Metaphors
My Grand Canyon Feet
Under a magnifying glass, my feet form a desert–
sandy, dry, cracked deep slices carved out: canyons
that held rivers a zillion years ago
in the ... April 2, 2016 Louis J. Pasternak Poetry Assignment #2: Similes
Lovebug Popcorn
Kamikaze lovebugs crowd highways, smash into our windshield, explode like splotchy white popcorn
Miss S – Did you see my simile? Lovebugs look like popcorn! How cool is that?
Louis, I am always devastated when I drive through swarms of ... March 31, 2016
Hello, and Happy Poetry Month–again! In a happy Perfect (Poetry) Storm, this is actually my third Poetry Friday post for Friday, April 1st! This one is because I am honored to be starting off Irene Latham‘s annual Progressive Poem. Irene, of Live Your Poem, invites ... March 31, 2016 Happy Poetry Month!
Last month, we Poetry 7 shared our sedokas. This month, we’re back to ekphrastic art. I decided not to worry about being totally uncouth when it comes to art this time. Plus, I got to choose the art (that does help:>) I took ... March 31, 2016 It Begins
Miss Sweetmallow said we had to write poetry.
I hate poetry. I like folding my eyelids back so you can see the wet parts underneath. I like playing basketball until I’m dripping in sweat and then shaking my whole body so everybody gets a shower. ... March 31, 2016 Welcome to 15 Words or Less Poems Day! Are you ready to wake up your poetry brains with our weekly exercise (guidelines here)?
Most of my pics seem to come from airports or planes lately! All this next month I’ll be using pics taken on the ... March 29, 2016 We are selling our house. That means people come through almost daily to look at it, and I have to leave the house. I work at home, and I’ve always prided myself on being able to write just about anywhere–during orchestral concerts, at theme parks, ... March 24, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Here’s a poem from The Putrid Poetic Ponderings of Louis J. Pasternak, AKA Dr. Skullstench, which I’ll be sharing in serial form right here throughout National Poetry Month. You can learn more here about the ... March 24, 2016 Welcome to 15 Words or Less Poems Day! Are you ready to wake up your poetry brains with our weekly exercise (guidelines here)?
Most of my pics seem to come from airports or planes lately! This one is in O’Hare.
This image makes me think of:
Charlotte’s web ... March 22, 2016 Hello, teachers! I can’t believe it, but Poetry Month starts a week from this Friday. Holy moley. For the past several weeks, I have been trying to figure out what to do this year. I waffled back and forth but finally made a decision.
I am ... March 21, 2016 Happy spring! Yesterday was the first day of spring, and birds were cheeping outside my window in the early morning, despite the frost on the ground. I celebrated by reading Amy Ludwig VanDerwater’s new rhyming picture book, Every Day Birds (Orchard, 2016). Have you seen ... March 17, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Life (both personal and professional) has been super busy lately, and I confess I wasn’t planning to post for Poetry Friday this week. But then…
I saw that Amy Ludwig VanDerwater’s Forest Has a Song, one of ... March 17, 2016 Happy St. Patrick’s Day, and welcome to 15 Words or Less Poems! Are you ready to wake up your poetry brains with our weekly exercise (guidelines here)?
Here’s a picture I took in the South Bend, IN, airport on my way home from the Young Authors ... March 10, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I got to meet Margarita Engle at NCTE last fall when we were signing books next to each other. What a lovely person! Have you read her Summer Birds, with glorious illustrations by Julie Paschkis?
I confess ... March 10, 2016 Welcome to 15 Words or Less Poems Day! Are you ready to wake up your poetry brains with our weekly exercise (guidelines here)?
Well, I’m kind of annoyed that there’s a person in my picture! The lens didn’t click fast enough, I guess. Oh well. When ... March 9, 2016
Usually in April, I’m doing lots of speaking. This year, partially due to my website contact form woes, I’m in town basically the whole month. So, I’m trying to figure out what to do for a poetry celebration. Should I share a poetryaction every day? ... March 3, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday!
Last month, we Poetry 7 shared our ekphrastic poems inspired by Picasso sculptures. I was not too happy with either the sculpture OR my poem. I’ll try to be less curmudgeonly this month:>)
This month, we wrote sedoka, and mine was kind of a ... March 3, 2016 Welcome to 15 Words or Less Poems Day! Are you ready to wake up your poetry brains with our weekly exercise (guidelines here)?
I was walking the track at my gym a few weeks ago, and looking out the window, I could see a big tractor-thingy ... February 25, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I’ve blogged about NCTE last fall, and one of the many enjoyable sessions was the Children’s Literature Breakfast, featuring Kadir Nelson. I was quoting Kadir in a talk about mentor texts that I gave last weekend ... February 25, 2016 Welcome to 15 Words or Less Poems Day! Are you ready to wake up your poetry brains with our weekly exercise (guidelines here)?
OK, hopefully I’ve finally got it right this week!
This is a picture of a gift given to me by Kim Doele, a 3rd-grade ... February 18, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I wanted to give Wealthy Elementary School a small thank you gift for having me spend a week sharing poetry and nonfiction excitement with its students. So, I decided to write a poem. It’s hard to ... February 18, 2016 Welcome to 15 Words or Less Poems Day! Are you ready to wake up your poetry brains with our weekly exercise (guidelines here)?
Sorry for the confusion last week–I had the settings to not allow comments (accidentally). We should be all good today, though! Thank you ... February 4, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday!
Last month, we Poetry 7 shared our crown sonnet about the Periodic Table–that was such a fun project to be part of! Now the good news is that we have renewed our vow to continue monthly poems through 2016. Yay! The bad news ... February 4, 2016 Welcome to 15 Words or Less Poems Day! Are you ready to wake up your poetry brains with our weekly exercise (guidelines here)?
Here’s a picture my friend Vida posted on Facebook and offered up for 15 Words or Less (thank you, Vida!). At first glance, ... February 2, 2016 I was honored to have a poem in Dragon Lode not too long ago.
Janet Wong wrote a great piece about diversity, and she included poems by both Margarita Engle and me. I keep some pretty great company, right?
Here’s my poem–in one of my favorite forms, ... February 1, 2016 Last Friday, I was part of a literacy event in Stewartville, MN, called Hot Reads for Cold Nights. Wow. There were 500 or so people there, and organizer Renita Irvin had so many things going on: book exchanges, food, storytellers, silent auctions, and a ton ... January 28, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Last week, I talked about how little I remember of the books I read. I was so grateful for those of you who chimed in and confessed similar experiences. And thank you, too, to Jane Heitman ... January 28, 2016 Welcome to 15 Words or Less Poems Day! Are you ready to wake up your poetry brains with our weekly exercise (guidelines here)?
Here’s a picture of a stuffed frog. It’s one of Jackie’s toys, and it’s pretty nasty. This image makes me think of:
Barney the ... January 27, 2016 Here’s one more poetryaction!
I am feeling more like a dreamer lately, wanting (but not having) more time for writing just for the heck of it—that’s a rare luxury for me. P. Zonka‘s daydreaming and its randomly beautiful results really touched me in this book. ... January 26, 2016 Here’s today’s poetryaction!
I’ve had this poetryaction for The Secret Life of Squirrels for a long time and am finally getting around to sharing it! I didn’t expect to like this book because, well, the cover looks a little cheesy to me. Then I read ... January 25, 2016 While I try to catch up this week, I’m going to share a few poetryactions. Hope you like them!
The flap copy of The Harvey Milk Story says, “In making history that day, Minnie Milk’s intelligent, energetic and courageous son showed the world that…” so ... January 21, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This week, I’ve talked about writing about hard topics, worrying about manuscripts turned in, and reading things twice. Since I’m in technology chaos right now, I think I’m just going to share a poetryaction I’ve shared ... January 21, 2016 Welcome to 15 Words or Less Poems Day! Are you ready to wake up your poetry brains with our weekly exercise (guidelines here)?
Here’s a picture from my basement clean-out. I’m gathering lots of arts & craft supplies into a pile to give to my daughter ... January 14, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
In thinking about my word of the year–essential–I realized I had written a poem not too long ago that connected with that. This was part of Carol Varsalona’s Autumn Palette Gallery–a collection of lovely images and ... January 14, 2016 Welcome to 15 Words or Less Poems Day! Are you ready to wake up your poetry brains with our weekly exercise (guidelines here)?
Here’s one last picture from the Bell Museum of Natural History . This is a cross-section of a tree from a fig-tree display ... January 13, 2016
I’ve been working (for many years, off and on!) on a poetry project with a main character who feels rejected in many areas of her life. She tries so hard to not want things like friends and invitations to birthday parties, because she doesn’t have ... January 7, 2016 Happy Poetry Friday!
It’s that time again–we Poetry 7 are sharing poems! In November, we wrote ekphrastic poems, which I struggled mightily with.
Now, we’re beginning 2016 by sharing our crowning achievement of 2015: a crown sonnet–hehe. One of the topics I suggested to the group (last ... January 7, 2016 Whee! It’s 2016, and this is the first 15 Words or Less Poems Day of the year! I’m glad you guys are here. Are you ready to wake up your poetry brains with our weekly exercise (guidelines here)?
I took this picture at the Bell Museum ... December 31, 2015 Welcome to the final 15 Words or Less Poems Day of 2015!
Ready to wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less? (guidelines here)
Here’s a picture I took at the Bell Museum of Natural History on Randy’s birthday last week.
This image ... December 25, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday, and Merry Christmas! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I’m sharing a favorite old Christmas song today. When I was growing up, this was one that my mom played on the piano, and that we sometimes did during our family Advent Sunday ... December 24, 2015 Hi, 15 Words-or-Less-ers! Merry Christmas Eve, if you’re celebrating!
Ready to wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less? (guidelines here)
Here’s a picture I took at the theater where we saw So You Think You Can Dance Thanksgiving weekend. It’s hard to tell in ... December 23, 2015
Last week, school librarian Karen Bentall shared a wonderful photo of a BookSpeak display in the Oak Ridge Elementary School library in Arlington, VA. Wow! It’s beautiful! I asked if I could share this cool artwork here and if she could tell me a little ... December 22, 2015 If you know me, you know that my husband, Randy, is always bragging on me, supporting me, and celebrating my writing. Today is Randy’s birthday, and I’m spending the whole day celebrating with him! He gets so short-changed, having his birthday right before Christmas. And ... December 17, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I’ve shared Janet Wong and Sylvia Vardell’s awesome Poetry Friday Anthology for Science here before, and now there’s a new edition. Teachers requested a non-grade-level-edition for kids, and Janet and Sylvia delivered.
Introducing The Poetry of Science: ... December 17, 2015 Hi, 15 Words-or-Less-ers!
Ready to wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less? (guidelines here)
Here’s a picture I took at the grocery store just before Thanksgiving.
These gourds were huge! Granted, that mini-pumpkin with the crow on it is pretty small, but it was between ... December 16, 2015 Well, you’ve probably already noticed it here, but my site has a whole new look! Even though I still have tweaks to make–my open house would never happen if I waited for everything to be just so–I wanted to welcome you all to drop in ... December 10, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Well, we’re going from fire to ice. Yesterday, I shared an image for 15 Words or Less that some of you wondered what it was. I thought it resembled frozen flames, and y’all saw fire, ice, ... December 10, 2015 Hi teachers and writers! I’m offering something new in January for people who want to write (published, pre-published, no desire to be published–you are all welcome!) but who aren’t getting the writing done that they want to. It’s a low-cost Closed Facebook Group that will ... December 9, 2015 Oh, my goodness. My writers’ group, the Wordsmiths, met yesterday for our holiday gathering. The laughing! The food! The good advice! Hope you are all enjoying some holiday gatherings with your teacher colleagues and/or writing friends, too!
Please, Mr. Panda is a quirky little book! To ... December 8, 2015 OK, I know a beach book and poem isn’t exactly seasonal, but…a five-minute imaginary trip to the beach might be just what you long for, now that we’re knee deep into December!
I used to be in a crit group with author Joanne Linden, and I ... December 7, 2015 Happy Hannukah to everyone celebrating!
This week, I’m going to be sharing poetryactions. Quick poems written in reaction to picture books. I hope you like them!
My house feels a little like The Nut House right now, mostly because of holiday stuff and book stuff. It’s all ... December 3, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday!
(Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I’m reflecting on groups today.
First up, the Poetry Princesses, aka Poetry 7, aka Poetry Sisters. We are Liz Garton Scanlon, Tricia Stohr-Hunt, Andi Sibley, Tanita S. Davis, Kelly Fineman, Sara L. Holmes, and me. And ... December 3, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
Here’s the key lime pie I shared yesterday from a Lerner author dinner during NCTE. Looks a little odd, but oh my goodness, it was heaven.
This picture makes me think of:
My frequent ... November 26, 2015 This villanelle isn’t about the holiday of Thanksgiving, but it is about how thankful I am for the wild world around me, even when I don’t get to explore that wildness very often. So I’m posting it today and leaving it up for Poetry Friday, ... November 26, 2015 Hello, and Happy Thanksgiving! I figure we have plenty of images of turkeys and cornucopias and all that other good holiday stuff, so I just go with whatever catches my fancy:>) I’m thankful, as ever, for this 15 Words or Less community. You’re an important ... November 19, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday!
(Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
One of my favorite poets is Amy Ludwig VanDerwater over at The Poem Farm. Besides loving her work, I just love how generous and warm and smart she is. You probably already know her fabulous blog, ... November 19, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
I usually share photos I take, but I couldn’t pass by this one that my husband emailed to me.
This picture makes me think of:
Shadows (again!) — I love them
Tiny elves holding a concert ... November 17, 2015 I recently wrote a poem called “2 Kinds of Cats,” comparing a housecat and a tiger. I wrote this poem on assignment, for the International Fund for Animal Welfare, and they wanted something that could be used in their magazine for 1st-graders. Here’s the first ... November 12, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday!
And happy Friday the 13th! No bad luck here today, unless you happen to be a starfish.
Last month, I shared my Sailing Stone poem from J. Patrick Lewis‘ anthology with National Geographic, the Book of Nature Poetry — which just won a ... November 12, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
I love trees and their shadows!
This picture makes me think of:
X marks the spot (of what?)
Could you climb a shadow?
Do shadows wish their casters would MOVE more so they could play together?
And, here’s ... November 8, 2015 Happy blogiversary, Irene Latham, and thank you for inviting us to share in your theme of WILD this year!
I live in the suburbs and have lived in the suburbs my whole life. I know it’s easy to trash talk about the suburbs, but, frankly, I’m ... November 5, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday!
It’s that time again–we Poetry 7 are sharing poems! Last month, we Poetry 7 wrote etherees, which I loved! This month, we tackled ekphrastic poems–all inspired by the same image. Tanita Davis shared this one, which caught our eyes and our imagination right ... November 5, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
I took this picture in Edinburgh Castle, I’m pretty sure. The swords and armor felt appropriate after all the cool costumes of Halloween!
This picture makes me think of:
I wonder if knights handed down ... October 29, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I know it’s almost Halloween, so most of us are likely sharing scary poems. But I’m going a different route. This week, I’m sharing a poem from a book that’s not even a poetry book. It’s ... October 29, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
I took this picture on an overseas flight a couple of years ago. There’s something about seeing clouds from overhead that makes me feel a lot safer while flying–totally irrational, but I can’t ... October 22, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
If you’re not a regular reader here, welcome! I share poetryactions, or poems written in reaction to picture books (usually) on a fairly regular basis. And I’m sharing one today!
In Mary’s Garden, a lovely picture book ... October 22, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
I took this picture in Ireland. I always picture sheep and cow barns as so warm and cozy, but the reality rarely supports that!
This picture makes me think of:
Waiting in line for my ... October 21, 2015
I had read Sandra Markle’s Toad Weather, and I was just in a mood to play with words, so I started jotting. Out came “toads” with “toes,” and “toads” with “roads,” and “herds” with “hurry.” I followed the syllable count of a cinquain here, but ... October 15, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
If you’re not a regular reader here, welcome! I share poetryactions, or poems written in reaction to picture books (usually) on a fairly regular basis. And I’m sharing one today!
One of my favorite things about Claire ... October 15, 2015 Hello, my fun 15 Words or Less community! Today, I’m driving home from a FABULOUS 4 days on the North Shore of Lake Superior. That’s one of my favorite places on earth, and Randy and I have been just hanging out, soaking up fall beauty, ... October 14, 2015
Deborah Freedman’s By Mouse & Frog made me think about the old adage of opposites attract, and how so often kids are indeed friends with their own opposites (haven’t you ever wondered, “What does my kid SEE in that kid?”). This gave me the idea ... October 13, 2015 The phrase “stitching earth to sky with invisible thread” is my favorite part of this absolutely beautiful Helen Frost book, Sweep Up the Sun (follow-up to Step Gently Out, shown below). I took that image, that metaphor of a bird’s flight holding together the earth ... October 12, 2015 Good morning! I’m going to share some poetryactions this week, because it’s been a while! Hope you like them!
Whale Trails, a fun and wonderfully structured book by Lesa Cline-Ransome made me think of the whale-watching trip Randy and I went on in 2010 when we ... October 8, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome to regulars and newbies alike–I’m glad you’re all here. I’m happy to be hosting Poetry Friday today, and I’m extra happy to be sharing a beautiful new anthology edited by J. Patrick Lewis. You probably remember the Book of Animal ... October 8, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
Howdy, 15 Words or Less-ers! I took this picture a couple of years ago at a high school. I was walking down the hall, and these hands were overhead! They make me think ... October 1, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! I am at the ITEM conference today chatting with media specialists and instructional technology folks (and seeing some writer friends, too). Hopefully, we will not be squabbling like the moon and sun are in my poems today! Last month, we Poetry 7 ... October 1, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
Good morning! I took this picture in Ireland, and though you can’t really tell, this shoe is hanging on a stone wall outside someone’s house. These flowers growing out of a hiking book ... September 24, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I saw an early version of Linda Booth Sweeney’s When the Wind Blows, and it was already a lovely, image-drenched story! It’s super exciting for me to seeit now in published form! Congratulations, Linda. ... September 24, 2015 OK, I think I have the Comment settings figured out so that it’s easier to Comment now. I just thought nobody was coming by!
And, today’s the last day of the 99-cent sale of the Kindle edition of Riddle-ku: Haiku for Very Close Reading.
Wake up your ... September 22, 2015 Hi, you guys! Since the Kindle edition (you don’t have to have a Kindle to read it, though) of Riddle-ku: Haiku for Very Close Reading, part of my 30 Painless Classroom Poems series, is on sale for 99 cents today through Thursday, Sep. 24, I’m ... September 21, 2015 Have you guys seen what ELA consultant Carol Varsalona does each season at Beyond LiteracyLink? She puts out a call for photopoems, gathers them all up, and then creates a gallery online of everyone’s photopoems! I know she puts a ton of time into each ... September 17, 2015 Hiya, everyone. If you are a subscriber to the blog, you should have received an email notification about this post. My awesome web designer worked with Wordpress Support yesterday and got everything straightened out. Thanks! And if you’re not a subscriber but you’d like to ... September 17, 2015
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
Well, I think I’ve used this photo before, but I honestly can’t recall…and if I did, it was several years ago. So, I’m going to use it! This sculpture called Maman, by Louise ... September 16, 2015 Pets Add Life, a non-profit awareness campaign about the joys of pets, is sponsoring a poetry contest for 3rd-8th graders. This is the eighth year for the contest, and teachers, if your student wins for his or her grade level, you win a $1,000 grant ... September 10, 2015
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
I went to a friend’s 40th-birthday party this summer, and here was her pinata. This picture makes me think of:
1) It’s unsettling to watch kids swing a bat at a human-formed pinata! 2) ... September 8, 2015 Hi, teachers! Everybody’s back to school by now, right? I’ve been on an erratic blog schedule this summer, but now things will settle down. My daughter Maddie is settled in in Scotland, where she’ll spend the next 2-3 years doing social justice work. It is ... September 3, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! Last month, we Poetry Sisters wrote classified haiku. This month…found poems! This past month has been chaos for me, as our younger daughter Maddie prepared to move to Scotland for 2-3 years doing social justice work. We’re so proud of her, but ... September 3, 2015
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
Here’s one more pic from St. Louis on my ILA trip. This, of course, is the Arch! I had fun zipping to the top of it. Nice to see at least ... August 27, 2015
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
Here’s a pic from St. Louis on my ILA trip. St. Louis doesn’t have a stock market, but this cool bull and bear battle each other outside a financial firm (sculpture ... August 20, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I love the whimsy of Oliver Jeffers’ books and the beauty and simplicity of his art. Sigh.
Lost and Found made we wish for a little more whimsy and excitement and surprise in my own life. Really, ... August 20, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Last week, I went with Maddie one day up to Duluth, a harbor town on Lake Superior, to take care of some stuff for her visa. She leaves for 2-3 years in only a ... August 19, 2015
Who could not love Bob Shea’s Ballet Cat and Sparkles the Pony? In The Totally Secret Secret, you will recognize real kid behavior and the negotiations of friendship. I can’t wait for the next one coming out in 2016. Anyway, I thought about the secrets ... August 17, 2015
Popcorn Astronauts is full of zany and delightful poems about food, and it put me in mind of one of my favorite desserts, bomboloni from Biaggi’s. My sister Patty and I always go get it when she comes up to visit from Florida. And we ... August 13, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Continuing my reliving of this past Father’s Day, we admired the big Eros sculpture outside of the Minneapolis Institute of Art. I could swear I featured a photo of this sculpture years ago, with ... August 11, 2015
For Wherever You Go,?I wondered how I would describe my own perfect path. And I wanted to use rhyme, which this book by Pat Zietlow Miller (beautifully illustrated by Eliza Wheeler) does in such a lovely way. I think it would be fun to have ... August 10, 2015
In Yard Sale, a lovely book by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Lauren Castillo, those cheery balloons at the yard sale, contrasted with Callie’s sadness about her family’s move to a smaller home and having to sell most of their belongings, really stuck in my ... August 6, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday!
Last month, we Poetry Sisters wrote poems in the style of e.e. cummings. Whew! I’m glad that is finished. For July, we decided to do haiku in the vein of classified ads. Two ancient forms–ha!
We were a bit behind this month and didn’t ... August 6, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
On Father’s Day, we also went to the Minneapolis Institute of Art to see the Leonardo daVinci codex exhibit. Amazing! Randy wanted to browse the Mark Mothersbaugh exhibit, too. Not so amazing–well, just not ... July 30, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I learned about Padlets recently when Amy Ludwig VanDerwater created a Favorite Poem Padlet and shared it at The Poem Farm. So. Cool.
I can see tons of ways that teachers could (and probably already are) using ... July 30, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
On Father’s Day, we went to the Smack Shack in Minneapolis (delicious), and I took this pic there and Waterlogued it. This image makes me think of:
1) summer backyard “bonfires”
2) a heat gun
3) MacBeth’s ... July 23, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
With all the excitement over a lion or other big cat roaming a Milwaukee neighborhood, I thought “My Cat,” by Valerie Worth, would be appropriate for today. It’s from the book Pug & Other Animal Poems ... July 23, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
When my sister Patty visited a few weeks ago, we went to an improv show (I love those!), and the mall had umbrellas all over.
This image makes me think of:
1) Mary Poppins
2) If it ... July 16, 2015 I’m on my way to St. Louis this morning for ILA 2015! Anybody else heading there? Would love to see you–leave a Comment here or Message me on Facebook or DM me on Twitter. Maybe we can meet up! Now… Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what ... July 16, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
The Gordon Lightfoot concert last month was at the beautiful State Theatre in Minneapolis. I always love looking at the architecture and embellishments inside. This (Waterlogued) picture is looking up at the ceiling.
This image ... July 9, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday!
In June, we Poetry 7, Poetry Sisters, Poetry Princesses (depending on what day you catch us) wrote “poems in the style of…”After much hemming and hawing and debating, we decided to each write a poem inspired by a specific e.e. cummings poem.
e.e. cummings ... July 9, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Randy and I went to see Canadian folksinger Gordon Lightfoot perform a couple of weeks ago. The stage design was very simple, with these long skinny triangles of fabric stretched taut in the background. ... July 2, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I love the ocean and its mysterious creatures. I really enjoyed the text of Mary Cerullo’s Giant Squid, but one of Clyde F.E. Roper’s photos is what inspired this poetryaction.
Alas, I didn’t create a Bookalikes, but ... July 2, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Randy and our older daughter, Annabelle, visited family in Atlanta a couple of weeks ago, and Randy sent me this sculpture of Marie Antoinette made entirely of cut paper except for the mannequin. Read ... June 25, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I love a poetry collection that’s a good mash-up, so Leslie Bulion’s latest, Random Body Parts (Peachtree, 2015), makes me squeal with joy! First, it’s poems about body parts. Yes, please. Annnd, it’s poems in a ... June 25, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Usually, I post pictures I find beautiful or spooky or engaging. This one just makes me smile. When we were in Dublin, we were signed up for the Irish Dance Party at the Temple ... June 24, 2015 I loved See What a Seal Can Do (Candlewick). It has delightful language, beautiful art, and clear, simple facts. One of the words early in the book inspired this poetryaction full of wordplay.
Check out my Pinterest boards of poetryactions and bookalikes if you’d like to ... June 22, 2015 I don’t usually post or write poems in response to current events, political issues, etc. It’s just not me. But last week, I wanted to write a poem using a random word from a Twitter or Facebook friend. I had decided to write a poem ... June 18, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
OK, I perhaps went a little overboard with Sandra Markle’s Snow School, which I loved! This book was so full of wonderful, vivid action, so my first poetryaction is simply a list of verbs. It’s my ... June 18, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
When I was up in the Arrowhead Region of Minnesota in late April, doing a two-week poetry tour, I visited this 36-foot statue of an iron miner in Chisholm a couple of times. It ... June 17, 2015 In Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise (Sean Taylor), I love the contrast between the dark, majestic language and the silly, everyday tone when Hoot Owl’s hunting methods don’t work. It makes me picture a kid pretending to be a superhero or something and talking all ... June 11, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Dot in ... June 11, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Honestly, nature blows my mind just about every single day.
This image makes me think of:
1) an alien eyeball
2) each little pappus (new word for me) could be a broom or feather duster
3) being tickled
And ... June 10, 2015 Yes, I know it’s almost summer, and therefore not the right season for Bob Raczka’s Santa Clauses. Too bad! I didn’t hear about this wonderful book until halfway through December, and I wish I’d seen it earlier! So I’m sharing this poetryaction way out of ... June 9, 2015 This picture book all about textures made me really think about how things feel. Couple that with the fact that I’ve been doing a mindfulness meditation recently that invites me to really think about how things feel against my body (the stool rung against my ... June 4, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday!
In May, we wrote odes. Over the top odes, free verse odes, perhaps ridiculous odes. But it was fun! The approaches of my Poetry Sisters (aka Poetry 7, aka Poetry Princesses–and, yes, we’re at work on a crown sonnet again, so the Princess ... June 4, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
My husband Randy took this pic out his window at work in downtown Minneapolis a few weeks ago. So cool!
This image makes me think of:
1) the giant climbing down the beanstalk after Jack
2) Hickory, ... May 28, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I loved Patricia MacLachlan’s untraditional biography of Matisse, The Iridescence of Birds. It made me feel like I knew the heart of Matisse, like I knew what made him tick. I have written several long biographies, ... May 28, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I can’t actually remember where I took this picture, even though it was in the past month or so. Oi. But even though it came out blurry, I kind of like it that way.
This ... May 26, 2015 You guys know Michelle Heidenrich Barnes’ Ditty of the Month Challenge, right? Where a poet issues a challenge based on a topic or form or writing process? (My challenge was water poems–last year.) This month, Michelle spotlighted fabulous poet Nikki Grimes, who issued a challenge ... May 21, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
I spent most of the last week in Florida, visiting family. That’s always an emotional time, so I’m choosing a lighthearted Poetry Friday selection!
Jamie Swenson’s picture book is an explosion of fun sounds and wordplay. I ... May 21, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I went to a Rush concert last week in St. Paul. Wow. I’m only a casual Rush fan (I love their smart lyrics, and I love the challenge of playing drums to Rush songs ... May 19, 2015 I love it when picture books can show a harder side of the real world but in a way that’s still comforting. I wrote this poetryaction from CJ’s point of view.
And in one of those weird convergences, I was suddenly seeing Nanas everywhere (in real ... May 18, 2015 Hello! I’ve finally created an online roundup and a pdf printable roundup of my Poetry Tips for Teachers posts from National Poetry Month. Enjoy!
Online roundup of Laura’s Poetry Tips for Teachers (Reading Poetry Aloud in the Classroom)
PDF version of Laura’s Poetry Tips for Teachers (Reading ... May 14, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
If you’re a regular visitor to the blog (and if you are, thank you:>), you know I love Rebecca Kai Dotlich’s poetry. She was one of the first poets whose work I fell in love with ... May 14, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Hi, everyone! I took this picture a few weeks ago in Grand Marais, MN, a beautiful little town on Lake Superior. It was a beautiful afternoon, and I got to walk along the lakeshore ... May 13, 2015 Kids are always told they’re too young or too small for just about everything they want to do. This picture book reassures kids that they are not small…and they are. It depends on how you look at things.
For this poetryaction, I borrowed a line from ... May 12, 2015 Sometimes I like to start a poetryaction by wondering what happened after the last page was turned. Has the main character changed? Are there hints in the book about what might happen in the future?
Check out my Pinterest boards of poetryactions and bookalikes if you’d ... May 11, 2015
Happy Monday! It’s been a while since I’ve shared some poetryactions and bookalikes, so I’m planning to share quite a few in the coming weeks!
I love how Catherine Thimmesh clearly explains how paleoartists study, make inferences, draw analogies?and how they also must come to terms ... May 7, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) I hope you had an awesome Poetry Month. I did. It was super busy with lots of visits to schools and libraries. However, I’m way behind on blog reading, and I especially am a bit ... May 7, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Hi, y’all! It’s great to be back after a VERY busy and social Poetry Month! Here’s some commissioned art outside the Grand Canal Theatre in Dublin. I believe our tour guide said these are ... May 5, 2015 Welcome to today’s tip in my month-long (even if it was last month) Poetry Tips for Teachers series. This is the last tip, and I thank you guys so much for stopping by to read throughout April and today! Later this month, once I recover ... April 30, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday!
I’ll have another tip Tuesday in my month-long Poetry Tips for Teachers series. For today, I already have two poems I need to share because of other folks’ schedules, so I didn’t want to overwhelm you with even more stuff!
For my first Poetry ... April 30, 2015 Welcome to today’s tip in my month-long Poetry Tips for Teachers series.
Tip #22: Fess up.
If you don’t feel comfortable with poetry (whether it’s the poetry itself or just the dramatic presentation of it), it’s okay to let students know that. In fact, they are often ... April 29, 2015 Welcome to today’s tip in my month-long Poetry Tips for Teachers series.
Tip #21: Focus on sounds.
If a poem features repeated sounds in it, emphasize those sounds as you read it so that kids will pick up on the repetition.
In the poem below, for example, which ... April 28, 2015 Welcome to today’s tip in my month-long Poetry Tips for Teachers series.
Tip #20: Mix it up!
I hear people advise teachers, “Just share poems you love!” I kind of disagree with that. I mean, of course, share the poems you love. But perhaps your poetry taste ... April 27, 2015 First of all, writer friends, I have a guest post up at Angie Karcher’s RhyPiBoMo series. I shared an excerpt from the book Lisa Bullard and I wrote together, Rhyming Picture Books: The Write Way. Take a peek if you’re interested!
And teacher friends, welcome to ... April 23, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday!
Welcome to today’s tip in my month-long Poetry Tips for Teachers series.
Tip #18: Let the poet read.
If you’re self-conscious about reading poetry aloud, one way to ease into it is let the poets themselves read! I love the Poetry Speaks to Children anthology ... April 23, 2015 Welcome to today’s tip in my month-long Poetry Tips for Teachers series.
Tip #17: Give a line some space.
One approach to reading poems aloud is to do a slight pause at the end of each line, whether there is punctuation there or not. That’s the identifying ... April 22, 2015 Welcome to today’s tip in my month-long Poetry Tips for Teachers series.
Tip #16: Add sound effects.
Have kids make sound effects appropriate to the poem. Kids love being sound effects experts, and it give pre-readers, especially, a great way to be part of a poem reading ... April 21, 2015 Welcome to today’s tip in my month-long Poetry Tips for Teachers series.
Tip #15: Echo read.
Try echo reading. You read a line, and then the students echo it back to you. This is great for helping students’ fluency, and I’m always amazed at how quickly and ... April 20, 2015 Welcome to today’s tip in my month-long Poetry Tips for Teachers series.
Tip #14: Make it a riddle.
Turn a poem into a riddle. Kids love riddle poems, and they are super fun to both read and write. (I had a blast with riddleku in National Poetry ... April 16, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday!
Welcome to today’s tip in my month-long Poetry Tips for Teachers series.
Tip #13: Turn out the lights!
Turn out the lights to help students focus. When you remove visual input, students are often able to listen more carefully. Fewer distractions. Something unexpected and new. ... April 16, 2015 Welcome to today’s tip in my month-long Poetry Tips for Teachers series.
Tip #12: Use a Prop
Use a simple prop to help share a poem visually. When I share Elaine Magliaro’s “Things to Do If You Are a Pencil,” I hold up–a pencil. And I point ... April 15, 2015 Welcome to today’s tip in my month-long Poetry Tips for Teachers series.
Tip #11: Focus on transition words.
In narrative poems that tell a story, emphasize transition words, like “then,” or “first,” or “next” to help kids follow the chronology and make sense of the series of ... April 14, 2015 Welcome to today’s tip in my month-long Poetry Tips for Teachers series.
Tip #10: Emphasize important words.
Sometimes when you’re sharing a poem, you might be talking about a specific aspect of it, whether that’s the rhyme or a repeated word or something else. I might include ... April 13, 2015 Welcome to today’s tip in my month-long Poetry Tips for Teachers series.
Tip #9: Speed it up.
Speed up a poem! When you’re repeating a poem that’s about a fast topic, speed up your reading. Often, we’ll start out reading the poem slowly, so they get to ... April 9, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday!
I’m so pleased to be hosting Poetry Friday today, and thank you for dropping in!
First, I’m going to continue my month-long series of Poetry Tips for Teachers.
Tip #8: Connect With the Poem
Help kids connect before reading the poem. Let’s take this poem from ... April 9, 2015 Tip #7: Walk and Stop
Walk around the room as you read, and then STOP moving at the most important, powerful part of the poem. Kids will naturally be following your progress, and when you suddenly stop, they will pay attention to what’s happening.
When reading the ... April 8, 2015 Welcome to today’s tip in my month-long Poetry Tips for Teachers series. [Addendum: I had a little issue with a disappearing blog post and rewriting it and–well, I’ll spare you the details. I apologize for having the same basic tip two days in a row, ... April 7, 2015 Tip #5: Make a face.
Keep an appropriate expression. Don’t grin during a sad poem or look serious during silly verse. If you were to smile while reading this poem, for instance, your students might be a little disturbed–or think you are!
April 6, 2015 Tip #4: Slow down.
Read slowly. Much more slowly than you would read prose. Poems are dense and compact and a lot to take in!
Here I am reading the poem–as slowly as I can:>)
April 2, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday!
I’m hanging out with the wild Poetry 7 again! This month we wrote raccontinos–say what? I’d never even heard of them! (Make sure to go to Tricia’s post, where she explains the form a bit.) Anyway, I was in Scotland and Ireland this ... April 2, 2015 Tip #2: Define it!
Is there one particularly difficult word in the poem? If so, define it for kids before you read the poem. That way, not knowing the meaning of the word won’t stop them from comprehending and enjoying the poem.
Before reading the poem draft ... April 1, 2015 Tip #1: Twice Is Nice
When you introduce a poem, read it twice. Poems are dense with language and images, and they often hold way too much info to absorb in a single hearing. Generally, read the poem through one time without any direction to your ... April 1, 2015 Welcome to National Poetry Month and Poetry Tips for Teachers! I’ve met lots of teachers who feel nervous or uncertain about performing poetry for their students. And I’m the first to admit that I’m no professional performer! But I’ve gotten better and lots more comfortable ... March 31, 2015 Thank you to all of you who stopped by during March to celebrate my launch of? A Rock Can Be…, my third and final Can Be… book with Millbrook Press! I had fun looking for rocks to fit your donated words, especially when I was ... March 26, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I have bad wrists, so I use these Perfect Push-Up things during yoga and when I do push-ups. This image makes me think of:
1) my old spirograph (one of my fav toys)
2) being hypnotized
3) ... March 19, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I took this picture in Scotland when I went in 2008, and I will be going there again soon! This time, though, I’ll pretty much be only in Edinburgh, not out in the highlands ... March 12, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Sigh. I wanted to show you Jack’s trick of sitting nicely with a treat balanced on his nose. I say, “Leave it. Leave it. Leave it. OK!” And when I say OK, he whips ... March 5, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday!
This month, we Poetry Princesses tackled sestinas. Huh.
Here’s what I wrote in the Google Doc where we shared our drafts. As you can see, I did not feel all lightness and happiness about this month’s project!
I hate long poems. I generally don’t like ... March 5, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I’ve been having glasses issues lately, so I’ve been to the eyeglass store several times. Sigh. I might or might not have a pair I can live with now. This image makes me think ... February 26, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! Usually, when I recommend poetry books–whether it’s to educators, kids, or aspiring poets–I recommend focusing on very current books. But Barbara Juster Esbensen is one of my favorites (see other posts where I’ve shared her work here and here and here), and ... February 26, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
It’s yarn–pretty yarn close-up. This image makes me think of:
1) split ends
2) Santa Claus
3) bird nest
And here’s my?first draft. I thought about how I find random bits of fuzz and fabric on the ground ... February 24, 2015 I am so excited to share the cool way that Catherine Flynn’s school, Sherman School in Sherman, CT, is celebrating Read Across America. You might remember that Catherine wrote the activity guide in my book Wacky, Wild, and Wonderful: 50 State Poems. Check out the ... February 19, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! I’m back with another why-ku–I’ve shared a few of these pairs over the past week, and it’s fun to look at them and remember just how much fun I had writing them! These are from my latest 30 Painless Classroom Poems book,?Why-ku: ... February 19, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I think this tree was near Niagara Falls…but I’m not sure! Just one of those random pics I’ve had squirreled away for a 15 Words or Less day! OK, what kind of tree is ... February 18, 2015
This wonderful nonfiction picture book by Miranda Paul just came out–don’t miss it! It really made me think about the power of a single person. This book is about a woman who makes a tremendous difference in an environmental way.? I took a single line ... February 17, 2015 Howdy! Today, I’m sharing (late, since I woke up and thought–Ack, did I do a post for this morning?) another pair of why-ku from Why-ku: Poems of Wonder About the World.
A Note from the Poet:
Sometimes you just have to let your weird brain take ... February 16, 2015 I have just finished creating the sixth (and final, for now, at least) book in my 30 Painless Classroom Poems series. Most of you probably already know my collaborator for this one, but if not, I’d like to introduce you to Mary Lee Hahn, who ... February 12, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! It’s been a busy week, and I’ve been under the weather. Sniffle, sneeze. Cough-cough-cough. But I’m pleased to share a pair of why-ku from my latest 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, Why-ku: Poems of Wonder About the World. Mary Lee Hahn wrote ... February 12, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I just got a nifty little macro-lens for my iPhone. The other day, I was filling our onion powder spice jar, using a funnel. When I set the funnel down on the stove, tip ... February 11, 2015
This is one of the best biographies I’ve read in a while. I really loved it. And I connected to it personally because my dad worked at NASA for most of his career. I find star stuff fascinating. We watched shuttle launches in person, and ... February 9, 2015
Happy Monday! In making this list poem poetryaction, I realized there’s really nothing like listing things that cheer me up to put me in a good mood:>)
Check out my Pinterest boards of poetryactions and bookalikes if you’d like to see more:>)
February 5, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday!
Well, it’s my 27th wedding anniversary, and I feel like I should be posting something more romantic. But here I am, with a villanelle about rocks, because the first Poetry Friday of each month is my Poetry Seven post. But Randy is my ... February 5, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
This image makes me think of:
1) a conch shell
2) a star
3) clingy people
And here’s my?first draft.
Brilliant
pale bony star
of conch
glows in
ocean-sky
Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
Now it’s your turn! Have fun and stick to 15 ... February 4, 2015
I often don’t like picture books that teach overt lessons. But this one was lovely, and I wanted to work the main point, the lesson, into my poetryaction.
Check out my Pinterest boards of poetryactions and bookalikes if you’d like to see more:>)
February 3, 2015
I don’t celebrate silliness enough, and I don’t know why. When I do read something silly that is expertly done, I like it. But then it will be many months before I look for more. I tried to borrow Juliette MacIver’s wonderful silly style for ... February 2, 2015
Yuck! Kids know how fun it is to be grossed out! This book shows the foods different young animals like to eat, and they all seem pretty disgusting. Then it ends with a reversal about what those animals think about human food. This made me ... January 29, 2015
I was excited to share on Wednesday about Water Can Be… making it onto the Charlotte Zolotow Award Highly Commended list. And one of the reasons it’s such an honor is because of the OTHER books loved by the award committee. Katherine Applegate’s Ivan: The ... January 29, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I love taking close-up pics with my phone. Just ordered a little macro lens–can’t wait to try it. Maybe I’ll be able to do non-blurry close-ups! This image makes me think of:
1) Easter
2) fairy ... January 26, 2015 Hi teachers! The last poem I’m going to share for now from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, Wacky, Wild, and Wonderful: 50 State Poems, is the one inspired by my home state, Florida.
Note: Florida Bay is an 850-square-mile estuary at the southern tip ... January 22, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! Here’s another poem from my latest 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, Wacky, Wild, and Wonderful: 50 State Poems.
Note: The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, are usually visible only in the far North. They can be many colors and shapes. Various Indian tribes ... January 22, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I love bells. I really like the big, gongy kind, but pretty much any curved metal makes me happy. This image makes me think of:
1) a jewel
2) the Seven Dwarves (not sure why, but ... January 20, 2015 I’m moving across the country for this poem from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, Wacky, Wild, and Wonderful: 50 State Poems. I didn’t know we had rain forests in the U.S. until I wrote a series of ecosystem books for Capstone several years ... January 15, 2015 Happy Poetry Friday! This week, I’m sharing a poem from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, Wacky, Wild, and Wonderful: 50 State Poems.
Note: Cape Hatteras is the outermost point of land on the Outer Banks Islands. These flat, sandy islands lie about thirty miles ... January 15, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I took this pic while Randy was washing Captain Jack Sparrow, who was just a teensy bit ripe! Maddie usually bathes him, but she’s been away since early September, so… Jack wouldn’t hold still, ... January 14, 2015 It’s time to introduce you to another collaborator for one of my?30 Painless Classroom Poems books. Readers, please meet Catherine Flynn, who created a completely awesome activity guide for Wacky, Wild, and Wonderful: 50 State Poems.
Catherine Flynn
Catherine Flynn has been a literacy specialist for the ... January 8, 2015 Hi, Poetry Friday peeps!
Last week, I shared my triolet, “Rowing to the Future,” the first in a series of monthly poems I’m writing along with my Poetry 7. This week, I thought I’d share the other triolet I wrote.
Broken Yolk
Each dawn spills from a fractured ... January 8, 2015 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I often take fruit to potluck gatherings so that I’ll have something healthy to eat (between cupcakes). I love the patterns of pineapples, both the outside and the inside, when I spiral cut them. ... January 1, 2015 Happy first Poetry Friday of 2015!
I’m excited for a fresh new year. 2014 was not a bad year in most ways, but I just like the feeling of moving forward. Even though the past several years seem to be moving forward all too quickly.
But–in a ... January 1, 2015
Happy New Year, my 15 Words or Less people! I hope your 2015 is full of joy and adventure!
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I took this pic in the cemetery next to my sister’s house on my recent trip ... December 30, 2014
The author uses a LOT of alliteration in this book–and I’m a fan of alliteration, but there were so many “s” sounds and words that I tried to avoid them in my poetryaction. Fail. All I really did was swap out “s” for “sh,” I ... December 29, 2014
I don’t usually remember specific plot points of books. Instead, I tend to remember flashes of small moments, images that, if a book is really powerful, come back to mind at seemingly random times. Caminar, which I just read, and Red Midnight, which I read ... December 25, 2014 Happy Poetry Friday! Maybe you overindulged yesterday and can relate to this book. I personally have a brickle hangover. And Captain Jack got sick yesterday and guess who was on clean-up duty. Yup, me. Ugh. Anyway…
We’ve all been the kid or sat next to the ... December 25, 2014 Merry Christmas if you celebrate Christmas. And whether you do or don’t, I’m glad you’re here! Our day has turned a little topsy-turvy, and I don’t know whether I’ll be able to stop back in later or not, but I’ll try. I hope you have ... December 24, 2014
They’re back! I loved Zebra and Moose in Z Is for Moose, and now they’re back in another adventure!
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Poetryaction: After reading a picture book, sometimes I jot down a quick poem based on something in the book. It could be inspired by the entire book, ... December 23, 2014
I love books that give me a new perspective, that help me see the bigger picture–and both Big Bug and Me and My Place in Space (an older favorite of mine) do that!
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Poetryaction: After reading a picture book, sometimes I jot down a quick poem ... December 22, 2014 Good morning, my wonderful kidlit community. I feel like we are a beautiful forest, stronger because we grow together. Thank you for being part of my kidlit world:>)
And now, for today’s Kidlit Combos:
I Am Cow, Hear Me Moo! is a wonderful rhyming picture book. So ... December 18, 2014 Happy Poetry Friday! I’ve been to DC for NCTE and to Florida to visit family in the past month, which makes me feel a little discombobulated. The art in these picture books makes me feel like I’m home and all is right with the world.
Here ... December 18, 2014
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Look at the beautiful bracelet Heidi Mordhorst gave me at NCTE. Aren’t totally unexpected gifts just the best. I don’t have the packaging with me as I write this, but it’s an Alex and ... December 17, 2014
The Baby Tree is a funny and clever picture book, but somehow when I wrote my poetryaction, my first draft (and, for these poetryactions, I usually only do one draft, or maybe a quick second one) came out kind of creepy. I felt like a ... December 16, 2014 Hi teachers! Here’s one more poem from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, A Need to Feed: Poems of Predators and Prey. This is the last one I’m sharing–at least for now. I hope you’ve enjoyed them!
Note: Lionesses do most of the hunting for ... December 15, 2014 Hi teachers! Here’s another poem from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, A Need to Feed: Poems of Predators and Prey.
Note: Chimpanzees like to poke anthills and termite mounds with a stick (from an arrowwood plant, not a hickory tree!). Ants run up the ... December 11, 2014 Happy Poetry Friday! I’m in Florida visiting family for a few days, and I’m a bit out of the loop–but I’m glad you’re here! Here’s another poem from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, A Need to Feed: Poems of Predators and Prey.
Note: In ... December 11, 2014
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Saw this display while grocery shopping (OK, it was really just a donut run) earlier this week. This image makes me think of:
1) crabgrass–hahaha!
2) barbed wire
3) coat of armor
And here’s my?first draft. I did ... December 9, 2014 I’m going to share a few poems this week and next from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, A Need to Feed: Poems of Predators and Prey. They may be a little too bloodthirsty for some of you, especially in this lovely holiday season. ... December 4, 2014
I shared Flight School before as a Bookalikes for Flat Rabbit, but I ended up doing a poetryaction for it, too:>) One of the things that can make a list poem interesting–more than a simple list, like a grocery list–is a twist. That briefly-flying penguin ... December 4, 2014 Starting your holiday shopping? If you’re looking for a nonfiction book, click here to see the signed, personalized books? (including a few rhyming ones, alphabet ones, and color-based ones) I sell through Amazon. Great gifts for teachers/classrooms:>) Thanks!
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words ... December 3, 2014
I didn’t want to rhyme here, but I did want a bit of a swingy rhythm…
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Poetryaction: After reading a picture book, sometimes I jot down a quick poem based on something in the book. It could be inspired by the entire book, the setting, a ... December 1, 2014
Two fun and funny books!
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Poetryaction: After reading a picture book, sometimes I jot down a quick poem based on something in the book. It could be inspired by the entire book, the setting, a character, or even just a tiny detail in a picture or ... November 27, 2014 Happy Poetry Friday! I hope you all had a terrific Thanksgiving! I’m very thankful for my online community of teachers, writers, and friends who gather around the cozy campfire we build of words and books and poems.
My husband is having kidney stone surgery today, so ... November 27, 2014 HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I’m thankful for this enthusiastic, brave, wonderful group who gathers to share poems and feedback every week. Whether you’re a regular or just an occasional visitor, thank you. I’m glad you’re here!
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s ... November 26, 2014 Starting your holiday shopping? If you’re looking for a nonfiction book, click here to see the signed, personalized books? (including a few rhyming ones, alphabet ones, and color-based ones) I sell through Amazon. Great gifts for teachers/classrooms:>) Thanks!
Now, on to today’s poetryaction!
I got this book ... November 25, 2014 NCTE was an amazing, overwhelming, exhausting time! Met, saw, heard so many fabulous poets, educators, writers, and editors. I’ll share some pics and highlights next week:>)
I like scary stories and dark and quirky picture books. I had fun thinking about what happens to my own ... November 24, 2014
I love how When the Wolves Returned shows how the entire ecosystem of Yellowstone is interdependent. Great text! (Images…not so much, in my opinion.)
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Poetryaction: After reading a picture book, sometimes I jot down a quick poem based on something in the book. It could be ... November 20, 2014 Happy Poetry Friday! This is the final poem of 2 weeks of sharing poems from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, Fairy Tale Garage Sale. You know, some days I’m having bad technology days. Like lately, when my car keys, website, and anything else ... November 20, 2014
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s Captain Jack on Halloween–he didn’t keep the hat on very long:>) But since he is Captain Jack Sparrow, it seems only fitting to celebrate his piratiness at least once a year! This image ... November 18, 2014 Hi, teachers! This week, I’m sharing Cinderella poems from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, Fairy Tale Garage Sale. Here’s one from the lady herself.
A Note from the Poet:
I love acrostics. They’re one of my favorite poetic forms. Usually, acrostic poems don’t rhyme, but ... November 18, 2014 So, I’ve introduced you to Ed Spicer, the awesome teacher who wrote the activities for What’s Inside? Poems to Explore the Park,? and to Marcie Flinchum Atkins, who wrote activities for Riddle-ku: Poems for Very Close Reading. I’ve been sharing poems from the third book ... November 17, 2014 Hi, teachers! This week, I’m going to share a few more poems from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, Fairy Tale Garage Sale. The book includes 7 fairy tales, each with an introductory poem and 3 poems from characters selling junk they don’t want/need ... November 13, 2014 Happy Poetry Friday! Today’s poem wraps up a week of poems from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, Fairy Tale Garage Sale. This one comes from Jack himself. As with every good horror story, this fairy tale ends with the seed (literally, in this ... November 13, 2014
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
It’s another pic from the Walker Art Center’s Outdoor Sculpture Garden. This image makes me think of:
1) a gigantic spiderweb
2) a gerbil in a gerbil ball
3) an alligator caught in a fishing net
And here’s ... November 12, 2014 Today’s poem from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, Fairy Tale Garage Sale, comes from the Ogre’s wife. They have a very traditional marriage, and she’s the one who has to do all the grocery shopping:>)
Note from the Poet:
When poets work on meter, we ... November 11, 2014 Today’s poem from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, Fairy Tale Garage Sale, comes from the Giant.
Note from the Poet:
Sometimes, I just have a gross sense of humor, and that’s what I’m showcasing in this poem. Can you imagine if a vicious giant had ... November 10, 2014 Hi, teachers! This week, I’m sharing poems from my new 30 Painless Classroom Poems book, Fairy Tale Garage Sale. The book includes 7 fairy tales, each with an introductory poem and three poems from characters selling junk they don’t want/need anymore. I’m going to share ... November 6, 2014 Happy Poetry Friday! Don’t miss Joyce Sidman’s wonderful new collection!
For ?more poetry fun, visit the Poetry Friday Roundup at Diane’s Random Noodling!
November 6, 2014
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I took this pic at the Walker Art Center’s Outdoor Sculpture Garden on my birthday. It’s been years since I’ve been there! This image makes me think of:
1) a classic “Once upon a time” ... November 5, 2014
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Poetryaction: After reading a picture book, sometimes I jot down a quick poem based on something in the book. It could be inspired by the entire book, the setting, a character, or even just a tiny detail in a picture or a single phrase from ... November 4, 2014
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Poetryaction: After reading a picture book, sometimes I jot down a quick poem based on something in the book. It could be inspired by the entire book, the setting, a character, or even just a tiny detail in a picture or a single phrase from ... November 3, 2014 I’ve been around those kids who take over a room with explosive voices and actions, and so I was totally sympathizing with the nervous classmates in Dinosaur vs. School, by Bob Shea.
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I’ve been doing something new. After reading a picture book, sometimes I jot down ... October 30, 2014 Welcome to Poetry Friday (and happy Halloween)! Joyce Sidman has a new poetry collection coming out Tuesday, and it is glorious. It’s a companion book for Dark Emperor called Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold (HMH, 2014). I love Joyce’s work, nature, and ... October 30, 2014
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Usually, I post my own pics, but it’s almost Halloween, and I like this kinda creepy hand picture. This image makes me think of:
1) a scary funhouse
2) a cross between a demon and a ... October 28, 2014 To say that The Flat Rabbit, by?Bardur Oskarsson, is an odd picture book is an understatement, since it’s about a rabbit that is…roadkill. Ugh. But, somehow, this ends up being a kind of sad, beautiful statement on life and what we do for each other, ... October 23, 2014 Happy Poetry Friday! I’m sharing another poetryaction today. I sometimes have trouble sleeping. Lately, my back has been aching–I don’t know why. Long car trips to blame? Anyway, I felt bad for Barney Saltzberg’s Chengdu and wrote this cinquain in his honor.
Here I am reading ... October 23, 2014 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
After eating a tasty vanilla mini-cupcake the other day, I thought the empty liner looked kind of sad and lonely. This image makes me think of:
1) what do the other cupcakes think when they ... October 22, 2014 My little nonfiction book group is talking about some of Dorothy Hinshaw Patent’s books today, and one I read and loved was Super Sniffers: Dog Detectives on the Job. Very. Cool. Nonfiction. Book.
I decided to do a poetryaction for it, and at first I was ... October 21, 2014 I love the concept of Take Away the A, by Michael Escoffier. It pairs words together, showing what one word becomes if you take a letter out of it. ?
One of the pairs in the book (the “i” pair) turned “stair” into “star.” I especially ... October 20, 2014
Look what I got for my birthday! More on my Little Free Library next week!
And here’s another poetryaction, this one inspired by a beautiful book that Mary Lee Hahn at A Year of Reading raved about, Fall Leaves.
After I read this gorgeous book, I brainstormed ... October 16, 2014 Happy Poetry Friday! I’m sharing another poetryaction today. In this one, I just was intrigued by the monkey that’s pictured in much of the book, and I went off on a little tangent imagining how much trouble one monkey could make. So this is a ... October 16, 2014 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I had an amazing time in Sheboygan for the Children’s Book Festival. Will share a few highlights next week. Meanwhile, here’s a pic I took at Bookworm Gardens, my new favorite place!? This image ... October 14, 2014
I’ve been doing something new. After reading a picture book, sometimes I jot down a quick poem based on something in the book. It could be inspired by the entire book, the setting, a character, or even just a tiny detail in a picture or ... October 9, 2014 Happy Poetry Friday! In person today, I’m sharing poetry and picture books with students at two Sheboygan, WI-area schools–fun! Tomorrow, I’ll be presenting at the Sheboygan Children’s Book Festival. If you are going, I hope you’ll find me and say hi!
I’m sharing a riddle-ku today:
This ... October 9, 2014 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s a pic I took while walking the dog the other day. This image makes me think of:
1) a cemetery
2) hiding places
3) lying on the floor by a Christmas tree
And here’s my?first draft.
Hidden Worlds
stolen????????? ... October 8, 2014 I already mentioned that the second book in my 30 Painless Classroom Poems series is going to be Riddle-ku: Haiku for Very Close Reading. You might remember that I shared these poems here during National Poetry Month earlier this year. What was cool as I ... October 7, 2014 A couple of weeks ago, I introduced you to Ed Spicer, the awesome teacher who wrote the activities for What’s Inside? Poems to Explore the Park (that book is free TODAY only on Kindle, by the way–just asking for an honest review in return). I’m ... October 6, 2014 I’m super-excited to tell you that the next book in my 30 Painless Classroom Poems series will be an updated version of the Riddle-ku that I shared here during National Poetry Month earlier this year. I got several comments and emails suggesting that they should ... October 2, 2014 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s a pic I took when we were in New Orleans in May for the International Reading Association conference. I loved the architecture there. This image makes me think of:
1) a swan at night
2) ... October 1, 2014 Here’s a poem by J. Patrick Lewis from the collection Voices from the March on Washington (Wordsong, 2014), which publishes TODAY! The collection contains poems by both Lewis and George Ella Lyon, and it’s a gripping, complex collection that puts you in the minds of ... September 30, 2014 I’ve been sharing a lot about me, me, me lately, so this week, I want to share poems from some books I’ve mentioned here before but want to remind you of.? First up is a poem from Dear Wandering Wildebeest, Irene Latham’s fabulous new poetry ... September 25, 2014 Happy Poetry Friday!
I’m making this post live on Thursday night for all you early-birds. Please put your links in Mr. Linky at the bottom of the post. And also click on Mr. Linky to see and visit all of the other Poetry Friday posts. I ... September 25, 2014 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s a pic from the bakery. I love frosted cookies! But scarecrows…hmmm. I think I’ve seen too many horror movies/TV shows where a scarecrow comes to life. This image makes me think of:
1) The ... September 24, 2014 I’ve been sharing poems the past couple of weeks from What’s Inside? Poems to Explore the Park. I’ll be officially announcing the book later this week, but first, I want to introduce the fantastic educator who has written classroom activities to go with my poems.
When ... September 23, 2014 Hi, teachers! Here’s the answering quatrain to yesterday’s What’s Inside couplet!
?
Ninth-Inning Win
?
A bull’s-eye of cork helps you punish fast pitches?
and rubber and yarn add some bounce from within
all tucked below zippers of tight ruby stitches
This ball holds a breathtaking ninth-inning win!
A Note from the ... September 22, 2014 Hello, teachers! Here’s another couplet from my What’s Inside? Poems to Explore the Park project. Most of the poems in this collection, which I’ll be announcing on Friday, are about natural items, but there are some manmade items, too, like this baseball. Stay tuned tomorrow ... September 18, 2014 Happy Poetry Friday! I don’t often write poems or verses for specific people. Well, I do, occasionally, but I don’t give it to them–I’m too self-conscious to do that. I’ve written poems for/about both my daughters but don’t think I’ve ever shared them. However, inspired ... September 18, 2014 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s a pic from a chandelier in our hotel on our recent drum corps trip to NY. This image makes me think of:
1) Bubbles in the sea
2) a super-fancy necklace (hey, anybody remember the ... September 17, 2014 Hi, teachers! Here’s the answering quatrain to yesterday’s What’s Inside couplet!
Petals like velvet, the color of blood,
that fill up the breeze with a soft sweet perfume
will flow down the hill in a flowerful flood
as sunshine uncurls, unfurls each bloom
A Note from the Poet:
My favorite words ... September 16, 2014 Hi, teachers! Here’s another couplet from my What’s Inside? Poems to Explore the Park project. Stay tuned tomorrow for the answering quatrain:>)
What’s inside of a tightly closed bud,
this tip of this stick sticking out of the mud?
A Note from the Poet:
I love assonance, which is ... September 11, 2014 Happy Poetry Friday! Today I’m sharing a What’s Inside question couplet and its quatrain answer. This is a bit out of a forthcoming poetry collection I’m putting together for teachers.
Egg Like a Gem
What’s inside of this shell, blue and sleek?
This egg like a gem in ... September 11, 2014 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s a pic from our amazing overnight Niagara Falls stop that Randy and I made on our way home from drum corps championships in Rochester, NY. (I shared more pics on my Water ... September 10, 2014 Hi, teachers! Here’s the answering quatrain to yesterday’s What’s Inside couplet!
Changing to Moth
?
Caterpillar started out, spring green and bright,
It’s changing to moth, it’s arriving quite soon
With pale wings to flutter through silvery night
And flash in the path of the cool distant moon
A Note from the ... September 9, 2014 Hi, teachers! I’m working on a new project, to be unveiled soon, and I’m going to be sharing bits of it here over the next couple of weeks. Here’s a couplet question. Stay tuned tomorrow for the answering quatrain:>)
What’s inside of this tiny cocoon?
This soft, ... September 4, 2014 Hi, poetry people! I’m over at Teaching Authors for my Poetry Friday post and my farewell to Teaching Authors. I hope you’ll stop by and read the lovely Lilian Moore poem I’m sharing.
September 4, 2014 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I took this picture while riding somewhere in outstate Minnesota, through farm country. I don’t even know exactly what it is, but I’d love to see it in action! This image makes me think ... August 28, 2014 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
When I was walking Captain Jack the other night, the sun shining on these weeds caught my eye. This image makes me think of:
1) a UFO shining down
2) butterflies in chrysalises, waiting to fly
3) ... August 21, 2014 I sold this poem to Highlights several years ago, and I’m so excited that it’s finally in the magazine! When I was a kid, I looked forward to the start of the school year SO much! Sure, I liked the free time of summer, but ... August 21, 2014
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Randy and I went to the American Idol concert last week, and I took this picture of a lamp in the lobby.?It makes me think of:
1)?butterfly wings
2)’sunrise
3) shuffling a deck of ... August 15, 2014 Hi, Poetry Friday friends! I’m over at Teaching Authors today with a Poetry Friday poem as well as some thoughts about writing by hand versus keyboarding. Hope you’ll hop over there and join me:>)
August 14, 2014
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s a pic I snapped in Vegas last spring. It makes me think of:
1)?a’deck of cards
2)?gila monsters and how their bacteria-laden saliva is what kills their prey
3) standup paddleboarding
And here’s my?first ... August 7, 2014 I love Ubiquitous, by Joyce Sidman, and here’s one of my favorite poems from it! I wish you could see the delicate, beautiful art that goes with this poem.
The Mollusk That Made You
Shell of the sunrise,
sunrise shell,
yours is the pink lip
of a ... August 7, 2014
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s a little prop from our?Minnesota Brass show this season, Supernova!?It makes me think of:
1)?a shooting star
2)?a squid
3) New Year’s Eve
And here’s my?first draft:
Comet
I arc above
Stars applaud
my sparkling wake of
dust and ... July 31, 2014
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Our drum corps, Minnesota Brass, rehearsed at a middle school over the weekend, and this interesting sculpture was hanging in the corner. It makes me think of:
1)?a dandelion
2)?Freddy Krueger (there’s a ... July 25, 2014 Hi, Poetry Friday peeps! I’m over at Teaching Authors today with a Poetry Friday poem as well as some thoughts about my recent reading. Hope you’ll hop over there and join me:>)
July 24, 2014
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s a picture I took during my nature-poetry-writing workshop in Bemidji, MN, earlier this summer.?This image makes me think of:
1)?cauliflower
2)?Alice in Wonderland
3) s’mores!
And here’s my?first draft:
When I Eat S’mores, I Taste…?
smoky ghost stories,
crisp Superior ... July 17, 2014
Today’s poem comes from the fabulous Poetry Friday Anthology for Science, edited by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong.
This latest offering in their Poetry Friday Anthology series is chock-full of poems exploring everything from physics to scientific methods to nature to machines to scientists. There’s ... July 17, 2014
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s a forgotten photo I found on my phone . This is a sculpture in an art gallery in one of the skyways in downtown Minneapolis.?This image makes me think of:
1)?the Jetsons
2)?how would you ... July 10, 2014
Today’s poem comes courtesy of the lovely Irene Latham, who is just as delightful in person as she is in her books and on her blog. I’m proud that she is a housemate now, as her newest book (out August 1) is with Millbrook Press, ... July 10, 2014 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Happy Thursday, and if you’re visiting as a result of Mary Lee Hahn’s kind shoutout at nErDcamp MI, welcome! We love having new people drop by and give this a try–or use it with ... July 3, 2014
Happy Fourth of July! I’m sharing a poem today by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, from her wonderful book, Lemonade Sun?(Wordsong, 2001).?
I could take or leave fireworks, for the most part, but this poem makes an explosion in my brain–a beautiful, noisy, poetic burst. When I ... July 3, 2014 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Surprising nature images are my favorite poetry prompt, but?everyday stuff works, too! Here’s?our upstairs hall light.?The image makes me think of:
1)?an invisible creature watching (one eye is the light; the other eye is the ... June 26, 2014
I’m sharing a poem today by Kurt Cyrus, the poet and illustrator of one of my top five poetry collections, Hotel Deep (which I blogged about here). This one is from Your Skeleton Is Showing: Rhymes of Blunder from Six Feet Under (Disney-Hyperion, 2013, illustrated ... June 26, 2014
Today is the second and last day you can download Getting Published: How to Access Editors for free! This Kindle ebook is by Lisa Bullard and me, and it’s part of our Children’s Writer Insider Guide series. It covers a couple of basic tips as ... June 19, 2014
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I had such a great time at the Bemidji Library Book Festival! I led a two-hour nature-poetry writing workshop and did a storytime presentation. At the nature-poetry session, we took yarn circles ... June 12, 2014
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Look at what Patty,?my sister visiting from Fla., spotted as we walked Captain Jack (who totally ignored it). Here’s what this turtle makes me think of:
1)?moving boxes (which they don’t have to ... June 5, 2014
I’m sharing a poem from Fiddleheads to Fir Trees: Leaves in All Seasons?(Mountain Press Publishing, 2013),??by Joanne Linden, a friend of mine and former crit group buddy. The glorious artwork by Laurie Caple (cover image below does not do it justice!) combined with lovely poems ... June 5, 2014
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I took this picture at drum corps rehearsal last week. The little medians inside a parking lot had this tall grass that made it look like a miniature meadow!
1)?ocean waves (of course)
2)?tiny ... May 29, 2014
My Poetry Friday post is up at Teaching Authors today–enjoy!
May 29, 2014
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here are some Velcro?balls we’re throwing at targets all this week at a Young Authors Conference. I’m sharing the poetry activity here next week, so if you’re curious, stay tuned. Meanwhile, here ... May 28, 2014 I had a lovely surprise when the presenters at an IRA session performed one of my poems! The session was The Power of Poetry to Provide Teachable Moments, and the presenters had no idea I was in the audience (until my friend Janet Fagal told ... May 22, 2014
I’m sharing S Is for Sea Glass today (Sleeping Bear Press, 2014), by Rich Michelson, and it’s completely different from his YA poetry collection that I shared here (wonky formatting–imported post).
The poems, in A to Z order,?range from light-hearted to serious, and they’re mostly, but ... May 22, 2014
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I just realized I still had this?pic from Vegas. It is just a little thingamajig that was on the floor of the High Roller observation wheel we rode in. I was intrigued ... May 15, 2014
J. Patrick Lewis and Douglas Florian–TOGETHER? Yep! They have a new funny car poetry collection out called POEM-MOBILES! It’s full of whimsical, punny poems by Pat and Douglas–because what else would you expect when these two madly funny men (funny madmen?) get together? And it’s ... May 15, 2014
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
One last pic from Vegas! Here are?3 things this photo makes me think of:
1)?the evil trees in various tales, like Wizard of Oz
2)?bonsai trees
3) blown glass–I love individual pieces, but when I ... May 12, 2014 National Poetry Month was so fun! I thought it might be helpful if I posted one page with links to all the riddle-ku, so that if you’re new to them entirely or if you want to return here and use them again, you can use ... May 8, 2014
Hi, poetry fans! My Poetry Friday post, in which I share a gorgeous, short, seasonally-inappropriate poem by Adelaide Crapsey, is at Teaching Authors today. See ya there!
May 8, 2014
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s another pic from my trip to Las Vegas recently. Here are?3 things this photo makes me think of:
1)?SCUBA diving and the bubbles that float up
2)?blowing bubbles at a wedding
3) tiny fish ... May 5, 2014
How To Cross a Pond
by Marilyn Singer
ill by Meilo So
I shared a beautiful poem called ?Rain Forest? by Marilyn Singer on Friday, and here are a few of my thoughts while reading it.
All her beautiful language really gets me. The ground as a sponge ... May 1, 2014 ?
Photo: Laura Salas
National Poetry Month is over, and I had so much fun with riddle-ku! Thank you for all of you who stopped by to read, comment, or share these poems with kids. I really appreciate it!
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or ... April 30, 2014
THANK YOU for joining me for National Poetry Month, and I hope you’ve had fun with my riddle-ku! I’d love to hear your feedback, and I’d be thrilled to hear about or see how you used these little poems in your classroom this month. Please ... April 29, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
My tail whisks my nose
when I lie round as a dime
I wish you were home
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
?
?
HINT 2:
.aLL
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas (model: Captain Jack Sparrow:>)
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
DOG
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire ... April 28, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
??
?
?
I’m smarter than you
My answers fly like jet planes
But I feel?nothing
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
?
HINT 2:
.aLL
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
COMPUTER
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions for ... April 27, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
I dive into milk
It’s my start-the-day routine:
Swimming with my friends
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
?
HINT 2:
.aLL
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
CEREAL
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions for using ... April 26, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
??
?
?
I’m the mountain’s crumb
hard and old, jagged or smooth
Broken???????? Beautiful
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
?
HINT 2:
.aLL
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
ROCK
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions for using ... April 25, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
?
?
?
Big drum, wooden, waxed
I wait for your feet to beat
a loud romping song
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
?
HINT 2:
?
.aLL
Photos by?Randy Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
GYMNASIUM
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions for ... April 24, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
?
?
Oh, no! Don’t shoot me!
I like to gather, not hurt?
pigtails, papers?please?
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
?
HINT 2:
?
.aLL
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
RUBBER BAND
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions ... April 23, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
??
?
I feel you watch me,
wanting my hands to point to
lunchtime or recess
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
?
HINT 2:
.aLL
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
CLOCK
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions ... April 22, 2014
Educators, if you’re on Twitter, tonight I’ll be part of the #SharpSchu Book Club (along with Kate Messner!). Would love to answer your questions about LEAF CAN BE… and WATER CAN BE…. Click here for all the details! Hope to see you there! Now…back to ... April 21, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
??
?
When I’m up, light rules
When I’m down, darkness descends
My moods switch often
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
?
HINT 2:
.aLL
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
LIGHT SWITCH
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get ... April 20, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
??
I hold cold inside
Unfold me out, make a spout
I’m a white mustache
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
?
HINT 2:
.aLL
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
MILK CARTON
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get ... April 19, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
?
?
Without me, a door
is an unmoving, flat wall
I’m a simple twist
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
?
HINT 2:
.aLL
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
DOOR KNOB
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions ... April 18, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
?
I don’t see faces
Only back pockets and legs
introduce themselves
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
[Addendum: Revision inspired by Michelle’s joke in the Comments:
?
We dance cheek to cheek,
but I never see your face.
You rest on my legs.
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved]
?
HINT 1:
?
HINT 2:
.aLL
Photos ... April 17, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
Suck up! Make me a
mini milk vacuum cleaner
Sip soda?Slurp?Burp!
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
HINT 2:
?
.aLL
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
STRAW
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions for using these ... April 16, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
?
My yellow explodes
in the middle of summer
like daytime fireworks
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
?
HINT 2:
.aLL
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
FLOWER
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions for using these ... April 15, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
?
?
I grow when sun’s low,
stretching silently away
I am ground’s darkness
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
?
HINT 2:
.aLL
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
SHADOW
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions for ... April 14, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
?
?
I’m a vast jungle
to ladybugs and earthworms?
a backyard carpet
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
?
HINT 2:
.aLL
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
GRASS
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions for using these ... April 13, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
?
?
I connect hand to dog
in an endless tug of war
I’m always well s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
?
HINT 2:
.aLL
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
LEASH
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get ... April 12, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
?
I’m a sleep launchpad
Your dreams, like rockets, blast off
while I cushion you
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
?
HINT 2:
.aLL
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
PILLOW
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions ... April 11, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
My halves–soft and rough?
????????? hold hands with their sticky grip
I will not let go
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
?
HINT 2:
.aLL
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
VELCRO
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to ... April 10, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
Alone, I drift down
With friends, I lift, high and swift
I make robins fly
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
HINT 2:
.aLL
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
FEATHER
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get ... April 9, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
I chase dirt all day
My bristles race trash to the
dustpan finish line
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
?
HINT 1:
HINT 2:
.PhotosPPhPho
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
BROOM
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions ... April 8, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
I’m over your head
and under your jumping heels
We dance together
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
HINT 2:
.PhotosPPhPho
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
JUMP ROPE
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions for ... April 7, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
I’m a secret wand
I wave over blank paper,
make words?worlds?magic!
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
HINT 2:
.PhotosPPhPho
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
PENCIL
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions for using these ... April 6, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
I sail the sky-sea
Fluffy ship blowing above
My anchor is rain?
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
HINT 2:
.PhotosPPhPho
Photos by Laura Purdie Salas
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
CLOUD
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions for using ... April 5, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
I wave like a flag
that calls in a green-breeze voice:
?Summer is coming!?
?
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
HINT 2:
.
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
LEAF
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions for using these riddle-ku ... April 4, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
I am wrapped-up sun
Boxed inside stone and metal
Tied with flame ribbons
?
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
HINT 2:
.
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
FIREPLACE
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions for using these riddle-ku with ... April 3, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
This merry-go-round
spins upside down: I’m singing
the room full of breeze
?
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
HINT 2:
.
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
CEILING FAN
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions for using these riddle-ku with ... April 2, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
I’m a pencil crop
writing love notes on the ground–
erasing the sky
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
HINT 2:
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
FOREST
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions for using these riddle-ku with ... April 1, 2014
Riddle-Ku of the Day
I’m a metal snake
whose flickering silver tongue
bites into your lunch
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
HINT 1:
HINT 2:
TITLE (AND ANSWER):
FORK
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions for using these riddle-ku with your ... March 27, 2014
Hi, Poetry Friday friends–I’m over?at TeachingAuthors.com today with a gorgeous Rossetti poem! Hope you like it:>)
March 27, 2014 ?
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I’ve been taking pictures lately for my National Poetry Month Riddle-ku feature, and here’s one of my rejects!?Here are?3 things this photo makes me think of:
1) a tree in winter
2) an x-ray ... March 20, 2014
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
For Christmas, we gave our nephew a glow in the dark ant farm, and the ants finally arrived last month during a “warm spell” (aka above freezing). Nifty!?Here are?3 things this photo ... March 13, 2014
Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong have done it again! This time, their Poetry Friday Anthology is focused on science, and there’s a K-5 edition as well as individual grade-level student editions–illustrated! These books are fantastic, and I’m proud to have a number of poems in ... March 13, 2014
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
On our plane ride home from Florida Sunday, I was behind this girl wearing her doll in a backpack. I was half amazed and half horrified. How cool! How creepy!?Here are?3 things ... March 12, 2014 I’m excited about April, National Poetry Month! I can’t remember if I’ve ever done an original poem a day for April, but that’s what I’m going to do this time. I’m going to be sharing some riddle haiku–or riddle-ku. I know. Riddle-kulous, right? Anyway, I ... March 6, 2014 view cop(R(.
Today, I’m appearing in my first post at TeachingAuthors.com, where I’ll be a temporary member-whee! My post is about writing rituals, and I mention Roald Dahl over there, so I thought I’d share a Dahl poem here. As with his other writing forms, Dahl ... March 6, 2014
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
When Randy and I went up to the North Shore (of Lake Superior, in Minnesota) last month, this is one of the oversized side-of-the-road things we saw. There was also a Voyageur ... February 27, 2014 view cop(R(. I’m sharing an unpublished poem today, one I originally wrote as part of the collection that became BookSpeak! Poems About Books (Clarion, 2011).? I hope you like it!
Ocean Tales
Each book is a drop in an ocean of choices, A glimpse of a ... February 27, 2014
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
This was?a cool scene during a color guard winter show recently.?Here are?3 things this photo makes me think of:
1)? The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (anyone remember that old movie?)
2)? a butterfly?eager ... February 24, 2014
Forest Has a Song
by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater, illus by Robbin Gourley
Clarion, 2013
I shared a poem from this book for Poetry Friday?in celebration of its Cybils win in Poetry. (YAY!)?The words themselves are so simple, but there’s a lot going on. Here are a few things ... February 20, 2014 view cop(R(.Last year, I’shared a poem from Amy Ludwig Vanderwater’s stunning Forest Has a Song (Clarion, 2013)?here before, and today, I’m sharing another in celebration of its Cybils win! Yay! Um, and not bragging or anything, but guess who nominated Forest for the Cybils? Yup, ... February 20, 2014
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
This was part of some wall art at The Smack Shack in Minneapolis, made, according to the server, by making molds of real lobsters. Ick.?Here are?3 things this photo makes me think ... February 17, 2014
Words with Wings
by?Nikki Grimes
Wordsong/Boyds Mills, 2013
I shared a poem from this book for Poetry Friday.? I love that this poem is all about the power of words. In the very first line, poet Nikki Grimes says “Say the word…” . It’s not the actual ... February 13, 2014 view cop(R(.I shared a poem from Nikki Grimes’ wonderful?Words with Wings?(Wordsong, 2013) here before, and today, I’m sharing another in celebration of the Coretta Scott King Honor this book just won! Woohoo! There is nothing I like more than seeing fantastic writers and books and ... February 13, 2014
Photo: Randy Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I took this picture a few days ago on the North Shore of Lake Superior. I was gathering lots?of images of water in various forms to use in materials related to my ... February 10, 2014
A Meal of the Stars: poems up and down
by Dana Jensen, ill by Tricia Tusa
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012
Thinking About a Poem
On Friday, I shared a poem from this book for Poetry Friday. That kite poem is one of my favorites from?A Meal of the Stars. ... February 6, 2014 A Meal of the Stars: poems up and down
by Dana Jensen, ill by Tricia Tusa
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012
Happy Poetry Friday! Here’s my very favorite poem from this collection, and on Monday, I’ll share a bit more of my thoughts about it in my There’s No ... February 6, 2014
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I took this pic downtown (Minneapolis) because I liked the way the mirrors made it look like there were bowls holding these decorative balls, when there were really only half-bowls. Here are?3 ... January 30, 2014 I’ve got a poem up as poem of the day?at PoetryMinute.org, the site started by U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate Kenn Nesbitt that features a children’s poem every day. Today, starting at 7 a.m. and for 24 hours, my poem “Blush” from Stampede! Poems to Celebrate ... January 30, 2014
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I took this pic while walking Captain Jack Sparrow by the lake. I love these tracks leading off into the distance.?Here are?3 things this photo makes me think of:
1)?tightrope walker
2)?the Yellow Brick ... January 23, 2014
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I took this pic inside the Luxor hotel?in Vegas last year. When I’m looking for interesting pictures, I often look up. We tend to ignore what’s overhead most of the time. At ... January 16, 2014
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)! This is a closeup pic, and?here are 3 things this photo makes me think of: 1)?Shampoo commercial 2)?Rope swing 3) Hangman’s noose And here’s my first draft. I had ... January 9, 2014
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Hi, everyone–sorry if you got an incorrect email of this post yesterday (and it was probably still last week’s post, anyway). I’m switching over servers, and it’s a big honking mess! Anyway. ... January 3, 2014 I wasn’t planning to post today, but Betsy’s Michigan poems inspired me when I stopped by to check out the round-up. So for my daily poem this morning, I wrote Song of the Ice Storm.
Song of the Ice Storm
winter storm swoops inon silent wings,but it ... January 2, 2014 ??
?
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
Happy New Year!
I mentioned earlier this week that I’ll be making some pretty major changes to the blog this year, but 15 Words or Less will not be going anywhere:>) I ... December 26, 2013 ??
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas yesterday if you are a Christmas celebrator! I did, and I totally forgot about today’s post. Oops! Sorry. Anyway, belatedly, here we go.
Last ... December 19, 2013 Happy Poetry Friday!
First, please check out my online holiday card, ?featuring another adorable snowman, for all of you, my online friends! Ok, thanks:>) Now, I wrote this poem back in 2007, inspired by Mike Wohnoutka’s art for Grace Lin’s Robert’s Snow auction.?Isn’t that such a ... December 19, 2013 ??
?Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
I hope you saw my online card earlier this week–I consider this 15 Words or Less community one of my very favorite things about my online life! Here are 3 things ... December 12, 2013 Happy Poetry Friday! Today I’m sharing a poem from I Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery (Eerdmans, 2012), written by Cynthia Grady and illustrated by Michele Wood.
At the NCTE Notables session in Boston, Cynthia and I were two of the author panelists. I ... December 12, 2013 ??
?Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
I had a looooong wait in the Boston airport as I was leaving NCTE last month, so I hung out with this handsome bull (Brahmin bull?) for a while.?Here are 3 ... December 5, 2013 Happy Poetry Friday! I’m sharing another poem today from?Joyce Sidman’s?new book, What the Heart Knows: Chants, Charms & Blessings (Houghton Mifflin, 2013). I was at Addendum Books recently for Indies First day,? and while I was there I picked up two copies of this book ... December 5, 2013 ??
?Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here).
Snow is falling hard and fast right now, so maybe by next week, I’ll have a gorgeous snowy image. But for today, it’s a picture from my physical therapy place!
3 things this ... November 28, 2013 ??
?Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
Happy Thanksgiving! Well, I was trying to figure out what picture to post on Thanksgiving. I wanted it to be something I’m thankful for, but didn’t think you guys would be ... November 21, 2013 ??
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
Three things this photo makes me think of:
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Elmo escaping Sesame Street
A kid in time-out having to watch a fun class party go on without him
And here’s my first ... November 19, 2013 You know how writers are always saying that publishing a book is like giving birth to a child (but without the epidural and blood)? And you know how teachers and parents (well, parents who are honest) can usually sum up their kids in just a ... November 14, 2013 Happy Poetry Friday!
Here’s a poem from one of my favorite anthologies–the oldie but goodie Once Upon Ice?(Wordsong/Boyds Mills Press, 1997, edited by Jane Yolen, with stunning photos by Jane’s son, photographer Jason Stemple. The poems in the anthology were written in response to the photo. ... November 14, 2013 ??
?Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
I missed you guys! Glad to be back this week! Three things this photo makes me think of:
1) Rockets2) Umbrellas3) Post-hurricane destruction
And here’s my first draft!
Waterproof? Yes. Windproof? No.
Umbrella is batteredUmbrella ... November 7, 2013 Happy Poetry Friday! I’m sharing a poem today from one of my favorite poets, Joyce Sidman. Her new book, What the Heart Knows: Chants, Charms & Blessings (Houghton Mifflin, 2013)?is a treasure from front to back. There’s so much beauty inside of it, equally from ... November 7, 2013 ??
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
Three things this photo makes me think of:
1) Medusa2) Mermaid castle3) Duck feet
And here’s my first draft!
Floor Plans
Beaver architectpulls soggy floor plansfrom fur coveralls,gnaws thoughtfullyon a pine pencil
–Laura Purdie Salas, all ... November 4, 2013 I’m super excited and humbled to be in the Fall 2013 issue of the Journal of Children’s Literature, co-edited by Miriam Martinez,?Jonda McNair,?and?Sharon O’Neal! And look at the TOC image below to see which other poet whose work I so admire is in there with ... October 31, 2013 ??
Photo: Randy Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
Happy Halloween! Part of my birthday present from Randy was going to see the ballet Giselle. I’ve never seen anything but The Nutcracker (yawn). This was so cool! And, this photo ... October 24, 2013 This week, I had mice on the brain. I recently shared Rebecca Kai Dotlich’s wonderful “Winter Home,” from Lee Bennett Hopkins’ Sharing the Seasons, with a group of librarians. And I read one of my favorite Billy Collins poems, “The Country,” which is hysterical. So ... October 24, 2013 ??
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
Three things this makes me think of:
1) Bacteria in a petri dish2) Fishing nets full of jellyfish3) Pods. Pods with monsters in them
And here’s my first draft!
Fishing Net
Strainer of the ... October 17, 2013 Last week, I shared a sad and serious pantoum I wrote?as part of?the Poetry 7’s latest shenanigans. This week, I’m sharing a slightly (ha!) more lighthearted pantoum.
Otter’s Winter Song
The frigid air sings–
time to tumble and dive!
I’ve got better things
to do than survive.
Time to tumble and ... October 17, 2013 ?
??
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
Three things this makes me think of:
1) The Wizard of Oz2) Calla lilies3) Doing India ink calligraphy with my big sister
And here’s my first draft!
Weekend Visit Home from College?She brought ... October 10, 2013 Happy Poetry Friday!
I’m making this post live Thursday evening for all you early-birds. Please put your links in Mr. Linky at the bottom of the post. And also click on Mr. Linky to see and visit all of the other Poetry Friday posts. I am ... October 10, 2013 ?
??
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
Three things this makes me think of:
1) Mermaid family reunion2) Sculptor who wants his statue to live3) Giant who skips boulders across a lake
And here’s my first draft!
On the Way ... October 3, 2013
OK, I usually don’t take part in memes and blog hops and such. It’s not because I’m anti-social (although I am) (oops, did I type that out loud?)?or because I have an aversion to chain letters (although I do)–it’s because I’m having enough trouble keeping ... October 3, 2013 ?
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
Three things this makes me think of:
1) Cruise2) Pet rocks3) Traction
And here’s my first draft!
What My Pet Rock Can’t DoMom: Bark. Pee. Bite.Me: Wag. Beg. Love.–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights ... September 26, 2013
Today’s poem comes from Nikki Grimes’ most recent work of excellent poetry. In Words with Wings, Gabby, an outsider and daydreamer, finds a way to make her daydreaming work for her with the help of a fantastic teacher. Here’s one of my favorites:
Nothing New
One or ... September 26, 2013 ?
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
Three things this makes me think of:
1) Kindergarten2) Pelican pouch3) Baby bird with its beak gaping
And here’s my first draft!
Hunger
Body small as your palmBeak gaping like Grand CanyonMade of emptiness ... September 20, 2013 I usually share a kids’ poem, but today I’m sharing one by Billy Collins from his forthcoming Aimless Love. It’s available on Kindle now and in print next month. It includes selections from many of his collections, including Nine Horses, The Trouble with Poetry, and ... September 19, 2013 ?
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
I’m so excited! Have you heard about PoetryMinute.org, the daily children’s poetry site started by U.S. Poet Laureate Kenn Nesbitt? Every day, a poem for kids is posted–kind of like Poetry 180 for a younger crowd! And today, starting at 7 a.m. ... September 13, 2013
Photo: NASA
I’ve missed you guys! It feels so good to be back for Poetry Friday here at my new blog! I’m sharing a quick first draft I just wrote upon reading articles about Voyager One, which scientists say has left our solar system and will ... September 12, 2013 ?
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
Three things this makes me think of:
1) Sand castles2) Death mask3) Optical illusions
And here’s my poem first draft:
Dream MonsterEmpty eyes,sunken foreheadknock at 2 a.m.,coffin holdingiron screams
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights ... September 5, 2013 ?
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
Welcome to my new blog! I’m still decorating and organizing, but I hope to start posting again next week!
Here’s what this picture makes me think of:
1) Joysticks2) Razor stubble3) Buttons
And ... August 8, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
I’m on hiatus for a month or so, but I’m posting pictures on Thursdays so you all can still participate if you want to:>)
Here’s what?this picture?makes me think of:
1)?Bumper ... August 1, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I’m on hiatus for a month or so, but I’m posting pictures on Thursdays so you all can still participate if you want to:>)
Here’s what?this picture?makes me think of:
1)?The incredibly strong ... July 25, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I’m on hiatus, but I’m posting pictures on Thursdays so you all can still participate if you want to:>)
Here’s what?this picture?makes me think of:
1)?A log cabin
2) The ball pit at McDonald’s ... July 18, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I’m on hiatus for a month or so, but I’m posting pictures on Thursdays so you all can still participate if you want to:>)
Here’s what?this picture?makes me think of:
1)?A cloud that ... July 11, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I was downtown (Minneapolis) for a food truck lunch with Randy recently, and these window cleaners were hard at work. Here’s what they made me think of:
1)?Those circular swing rides at ... July 4, 2013 Check out the cool printable that the Poetry Friday Anthology folks created for my cinquain poem, “Fire!” As we?already know, and as sad national news is proving more than ever this week,?firefighters are truly heroes who risk their lives for our safety.?(This printable was created ... July 4, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Happy 4th of July! I don’t know if anyone will stop by today, but I’m posting just in case:>)
Isn’t this pretty??Here’s what?this picture?makes me think of:
1)?A blue-jay feather
2) A snow wake ... June 20, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I did a young authors conference in Winona, MN, recently, and snapped this pic there. Here’s what it makes me think of.
1)?You are what you eat
2) A swan with feathers made ... June 13, 2013 I’m sharing a poem from a new-to-me poet, Nancy Bo Flood. This poem, “Woolly Rider,” is from Cowboy Up!: Ride the Navajo Rodeo?(Wordsong, 2013). When I did a young authors conference for a week recently, the theme was hooking your reader with a great beginning. ... June 13, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I was driving home from a school visit in outstate Minnesota when this hay-filled truck passed by. Took a few pix without looking, and this one came out ok.?Here’s what?this picture?makes ... June 6, 2013 I have a special treat today–a poem by?U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis. He tells me tomorrow (June 8) is World Oceans Day, so here’s?his haunting poem about one of the most gorgeous, mysterious ocean animals.
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On the Death of Blue Whales
The zeppelins of the ... June 6, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Oh, my funny brother-in-law and sister-in-law. When we went to their house for games shortly after Easter, they stashed this Easter decoration in the tub so that I almost had a ... May 30, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I love this sculpture?inside a building in downtown Minneapolis. I don’t usually like art of people, but abstractions like this are fun. It makes me think of:
1) Decorated skulls and bones ... May 23, 2013 I’m trying something new today, inspired by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater’s post at Author Amok during Laura Shovan’s Techno-Verse celebration.?I recorded a poem starter audio using SoundCloud, which I’d never tried before. Thanks, Amy and Laura, for showing me this tool. It took me a while ... May 23, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Last week’s photo: That was a set of plastic Easter eggs, opened, and placed on top of my open laptop. We recently went to a Gordon Lightfoot concert at the State ... May 16, 2013 I mentioned earlier this week that I’ve been writing a lot of assessment materials. I wish there was a lot less assessing going on in our schools, but I’ll confess right now that I usually have a great time writing poems for assessment companies. Poems ... May 16, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I think you’ll know right away what this is, but I’m not going to say in case anyone doesn’t know. It’s fun to write poems inspired by an ambiguous image! Here’s ... May 9, 2013 At one of my school visits last month, the kids who walked in front of the crowd while the projector was going did what came naturally–they made shadow puppets.
Photo: churchfun.com
Here’s a lovely poem by Mary Cornish…
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Hand Shadows by Mary Cornish
My father put his hands in ... May 9, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I took this pic at a winterguard show (the activity color guards’do over the winter, performing with flags, rifles, sabers, and other props) a few weeks ago.?Here’s what it makes me ... April 30, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party. It’s the last day of April, and it’s been quite an adventure doing these Poem Starter Videos. I’ll share more about the process later, but I have to say it was very ... April 29, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party.
Today’s poem comes from The Monsterologist: A Memoir in Rhyme
(Sterling, 2009), by Bobbi Katz.?The premise of the collection is that a kid finds his uncle’s (shoot, I think it’s his uncle–I don’t have ... April 28, 2013 You know, I love poetry games. The idea of making poems up on the spot based on words randomly assigned makes me happy. Writing group poems with 1st through 6th graders, never knowing what they’ll come up with, makes me happy. Adding a line to ... April 28, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party.
Today’s poem comes from Gone Fishing: A novel (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013), by Tamera Will Wissinger.?I love this novel in verse with a boy main character and aimed at second through fourth ... April 27, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party.
Today’s poem comes from M IS FOR MISCHIEF: An A to Z of Naughty Children(Dutton, 2008), by Linda Ashman. Linda is such a fun and creative rhymer. As
with Douglas Florian, one of ... April 25, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month and Happy Poetry Friday! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party. I’m?making this post live Thursday evening fo all you early-birds.?Please put your links in Mr. Linky at the bottom of the post. I have been out of town ... April 25, 2013 For all you 15 Words or Less folks, your mission is to watch the Poem Starter Video and take on its challenge in, yes, 15 Words or Less. And I’m out doing school and library events today but will get back to read your poems ... April 24, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party.
Today’s poem comes from The Poetry Friday Anthology (Common Core K-5 edition): Poems for the School Year with Connections to the Common Core?(Pomelo, 2013), edited by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, one of ... April 23, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party.
Today’s poem comes from The Poetry Friday Anthology (Common Core K-5 edition): Poems for the School Year with Connections to the Common Core?(Pomelo, 2013), edited by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, one of ... April 22, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party. We’re winding down into the last full week–I hope you’re having a great month!
Today’s poem comes from Water Sings Blue (Chronicle, 2012), by?Kate Coombs. Kate is a magical writer–I hope you seek ... April 21, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party.
It’s a guinea pig weekend! Yesterday’s poem started came from a book called Guinea Pig Town, and today’s poem is “Guinea Pig,” by Lisa Wheeler, queen of wordplay. Lisa’s
brand new book, The ... April 20, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party.
Today’s poem comes from Guinea Pig Town and Other Animal Poems?(Walker Books Australia and New Zealand, 2013), by?Lorraine Marwood. Lorraine is a new-to-me poet whose work I need to explore more!?I’m someone who’s ... April 18, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party.
Today’s poem comes from A Stick Is an Excellent Thing: Poems Celebrating Outdoor Play?(Clarion, 2012), by Marilyn Singer.?Marilyn is the queen of fun poetry
book concepts, and she and librarian Barbara Genco created ... April 18, 2013 For all you 15 Words or Less folks, your mission is to watch the Poem Starter Video and take on its challenge in 9 lines or less. SHORT lines. :>)
And TODAY is Poem in Your Pocket Day!?Educators, here are four short poems from The Poetry ... April 17, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party. Hey, don’t forget tomorrow is Poem in Your Pocket Day! Here are four short poems from The Poetry Friday Anthology your students can use, and here are loads more ideas for the ... April 16, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party. Hey, don’t forget this Thursday is Poem in Your Pocket Day! Here are four short poems from The Poetry Friday Anthology your students can use, and here are loads more ideas for ... April 15, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party. Hey, don’t forget this Thursday is Poem in Your Pocket Day! Here are four short poems from The Poetry Friday Anthology your students can use, and here are loads more ideas for ... April 14, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party.
Today’s poem comes from?Revenge of the Lunch Ladies: The Hilarious Book of School Poetry?(Meadowbrook, 2007), by funny-poem guy Kenn?Nesbitt. As a mom who has taken the kids back-to-school shopping for many years, I ... April 13, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party.
Today’s poem comes from GUYKU: A Year of Haiku for Boys?(Houghton Mifflin,?2010), by Bob Raczka. This fantastic book of haiku combines boys and nature to fantastic effect. I love that it’s a boy-friendly ... April 11, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party.
Today’s poem comes from?City I Love
(Abrams, 2009), by the person who has done more than anyone else to spread a love for and knowledge of children’s poetry. Not only is Lee Bennett Hopkins ... April 11, 2013 For all you 15 Words or Less folks, your mission is to?watch the Poem Starter Video and take on its challenge in 15 Words or Less (but you only have to include your sound effect at least two times).?
Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping ... April 10, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party.
Today’s poem comes from Pirates?(Wordsong, 2012), by David L. Harrison. This collection is probably one of my top five picture book poetry collections of all times. It is full of drama and conflict ... April 9, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party.
Today’s poem comes from Poetrees?(Beach Lane Books, 2010), by poet and artist?Douglas Florian. One of the best rejection letters I ever got (I know–writers are weird) was from an editor who said my ... April 8, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party.
Today’s poem comes from In the Sea?(Candlewick, 2012), by David Elliott. I love his?trilogy of animal poetry collections,all illustrated by Holly Meade. They are just
gorgeous in both word and art.?I have a ... April 7, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party.
Today’s poem comes from??Lizard Lou: A Collection of Rhymes Old and New (All About Reading Level Pre-1, Volume 2)?(All About Learning, 2011), by the talented and theatrical Renee LaTulippe of No Water River.?Renee ... April 6, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party.
Today’s poem comes from?Joyce Sidman‘s (click to check out her snazzy new website) amazing Newbery-Honor-winning collection, Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night?(Houghton Mifflin, 2010). Joyce is one
of the most fantastic ... April 4, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party.
Today’s poem comes from?The Poetry Friday Anthology (Common Core K-5 edition): Poems for the School Year with Connections to the Common Core
(Pomelo, 2013), edited by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong.?It’s one of my ... April 4, 2013 For all you 15 Words or Less folks, you have two choices: Watch the Poem Starter Video and take on its challenge in 15 Words or Less, or write a totally different poem with the title “Moonlit Raccoon,” also in 15 Words or Less. You ... April 3, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party.
Today’s poem comes from?Grumbles from the Forest: Fairy-Tale Voices with a Twist?(WordSong, 2013), by Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Jane Yolen. I’ll tell you a secret. I
have an unpublished collection of fairy tale-related ... April 2, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party.
Today’s poem comes from Leslie Bulion‘s clever collection, At the Sea Floor Cafe: Odd Ocean Critter Poems?(Peachtree, 2011). The humor and wordplay in the terrific little book will really draw readers in, and ... April 1, 2013 Happy National Poetry Month! And welcome to my monthlong extravaganza of posting a Poem Starter Video every day!
Here’s the scoop. I decided to start sharing Poem Starter Videos to give teachers a quick and simple poetry activity for the classroom. These are quick and casual ... March 28, 2013 1) Monday will begin National Poetry Month, and there will be all sorts on kidlitosphere poetry fun! I hope to feature a Poem Starter daily, with poems by lots of my favorite poets!
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.2222)?? 2) This week, my poem is “Shades of Red,” from my book? ... March 28, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s a shot from outside The Luxor in Las Vegas, from my NCTE trip. This sphinx makes me think of:
1) Riddles, of course!
2) Having a root canal (something about that ... March 21, 2013 1) If you’re a published poet with an in-print children’s poetry collection available in a printed version, and you’re interested in having a poem used in my Poem Starter series, please see my post from Tuesday!
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2) March Madness Poetry continues, and today, voting is live ... March 21, 2013 It’s March Madness Poetry time and the Sweet Sixteen poem matchups should be live soon. Visit, read, and vote:>)?
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I took this picture of a quirky-looking fruit, though I can’t remember where ... March 14, 2013 There’s a crazy poetry battle going on, and it’s March Madness Poetry, created by Ed DeCaria! I had to use the word “fickle” in my poem, and I decided to write about the shape-shifting pufferfish (aka blowfish). I’m battling it out in Round One right ... March 14, 2013 It’s March Madness Poetry time! Voting is now live on Round 1 Poems. My matchup is here–my pufferfish goes up against Walt Disney. I hope you’ll go check both poems out and vote for your favorite…and then browse through all the other match-ups, too!
Photo: Screen ... March 7, 2013 This week, my poem is “Ordinary,” a cinquain from my book?Do Buses Eat Kids? Poems About School?(Capstone, 2008).
.
Ordinary
Pencil
Black tube hiding
Inside yellow wrapping
Leaves grey trail of letters, stories,
Magic
–by Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
Teachers, if you’re looking ... March 7, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s a ginormous snowman I saw on my way home from a school visit a few weeks ago. It was huge–10-15 feet tall!?It makes me think of:
1)?What would a snowman carry ... February 28, 2013 I’m trying something new–poem starters!
I’ve been trying to figure out what I can offer of value to teachers and young writers, and poem starters seems to be something lots of them are looking for. So I’m going to give it a try. I’ll be trying ... February 28, 2013 Poetry Lovers, I need your help with two things!
I’m looking for a children’s poem about perseverance, and I need it by the end of today. Ack! It doesn’t need to actually be about it, but it has to demonstrate it. I have to read ... February 21, 2013 It’s a triple-scoop Poetry Friday today!
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1) I was listening to Writer’s Almanac on NPR on my way to school visits last week, and I learned that both Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin were born on Feb. 12, 1809. I’m excited to share this beautiful poem, ... February 21, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Aren’t tickets fun? They mean something is going to happen!?Here’s what this image?makes me think of:
1)?Magic show
2)?Bag filled with memories
3) The old tickets Disney World had when I was growing up ... February 14, 2013 Well, my head is still spinning from the lovely news yesterday that BookSpeak has been given the Cybils award for Poetry! I had a specific book in mind that I thought would surely win it. When I got up at 5:30 and turned on my ... February 14, 2013 Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh. BookSpeak has been given the Cybils award for Poetry! I am so honored that my peeps–poetry book-lovers of the kidlitosphere–chose BookSpeak for this, especially when all the?Finalists are such fantastic collections/ anthologies that I love. (And I’m super thrilled that Wonder, which I just ... February 7, 2013 Two items for Poetry Friday today!
1) Since it’s the start of Black History Month and the time of year that baseball springs to life again, I thought I’d share ?The Slugger? from J. Patrick Lewis? newest collection When Thunder Comes: Poems for Civil Rights Leaders.This ... February 7, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s a seedhead from fall. I love how odd and prickly they look!?Here’s what this image?makes me think of:
1)?Brillo pad
2) Spiderweb
3) Hair going grey
And here’s my poem first draft:
Cinderella’s Beauty?
Cracked skin
red, ... January 31, 2013 I’ve finished highlighting the picture book poetry books?on the CYBILS shortlist now. What a great bunch of books!
Now I wanted to share a poem from A Little Bitty Man, which I read a while back.
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The style of poems in this book actually isn’t?the kind that’s ... January 31, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s the atrium ceiling from the cruise ship we were on in late December. I love glass ceilings! Here are a few things this one makes me think of.
1)?The carapace of ... January 30, 2013 I’m excited to have a poem in Cricket Magazine.?It’s one I wrote a number of years ago, back when we had old double-paned windows with bad seals.?Every winter, the hot air from the house would meet the cold air outside and, between the two panes, ... January 24, 2013 I’m highlighting poetry books?on the CYBILS shortlist–the ones that?I’ve read?but haven’t shared?here yet. Last week, I shared a poem from?Kate Coombs’ Water Sings Blue, and the week before that one from Douglas Florian’s UnBEElievables: Honeybee Poems and Paintings. These week I’m sharing one from In ... January 24, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here are the roots of a cool tree in the Bahamas–I think this was at a beach in Freeport. Here’s what this image?makes me think of:
1)?Knotted shoelaces
2) Mermaid hair
3) Medusa
And here’s ... January 17, 2013 I’m highlighting poetry books?on the CYBILS shortlist–the ones that?I’ve read?but haven’t shared?here yet. Last week, I shared a poem from?Douglas Florian’s UnBEElievables: Honeybee Poems and Paintings. These week I’m sharing one from Water Sings Blue: Ocean Poems, by Kate Coombs, beautifully illustrated by Meilo So ... January 17, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s what this image?makes me think of:
1)?Glasses of juice
2) Sunset
3) Tropical Lifesavers
And here’s my poem first draft:
Sunrise
She squeezed Sun,
caught each drop in
morning’s clear glass…
served the Eastern sky.
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights ... January 16, 2013 I don’t think I ever had a chance to share this last fall. The NCTE‘s Journal of Children’s Literature featured one of my poems!
I was so excited that they wanted to share a poem from BookSpeak!
Part of what made it even more pleasing was that ... January 10, 2013 Just updated my What’s New page for January. If you’re interested in what I’m excited about and what I’m not excited about in my writing life this month, feel free to drop by! And share what’s on your excited/not excited list in your comment:>)
Photo: Laura ... January 7, 2013 I miss taking part in poetry challenges and games, and I’m going to try to do better in 2013. At David Harrison’s blog, J. Pat Lewis has a Careerhymes challenge up. Go read the hysterical examples and try your own! Here’s mine:
Why You Can Never ... January 3, 2013 I hope you had a wonderful Christmas if you celebrate it, and that everybody had a terrific New Year’s. I am sick with the flu and wasn’t planning to post today. But, I’m so excited that BookSpeak has made the shortlist for the CYBILS Poetry ... January 3, 2013
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
The lion in the MGM lobby at NCTE in Vegas was in a boxing ring to promote some upcoming big boxing match. It was an arresting image, this gold lion in ... December 20, 2012 I’m sharing a poem today on the theme of light. Recent news events have been so sad and scary. I sometimes feel guilty that I don’t follow them more closely, but I find my best way to combat them, to try to change the world, ... November 16, 2012 To celebrate NCTE’s conference in Vegas, I went looking for a Vegas poem. Here’s one by Minnesota poet Robert Bly.
Driving West in 1970
By Robert Bly
My dear children, do you remember the morning
When we climbed into the old Plymouth
And drove west straight toward the Pacific?
We were ... November 9, 2012 I usually share single poems from collections here, but today I want to share a bit of Think Big!, Liz Garton Scanlon’s latest beautiful picture book (Bloomsbury, 2012).
This is a fantastic celebration of all forms of creativity, told in terse verse.
The art shows kids preparing ... October 29, 2012 Gathering Books’ current theme is Books about Books and the River of Words, and I was so excited with Myra’s lovely feature on?BookSpeak Friday. Gathering Books gathers books (obviously) but also book lovers, and it really touched me to read her thoughts on BookSpeak and ... October 25, 2012 I was in Wisconsin last week, leading (with Lisa Bullard, my Mentors for Rent partner), the Redbery Writers’ Intensive. It was definitely intense, and we had a terrific time working with five fabulous writers. More on that in a later post. After the retreat, we ... October 19, 2012 I shared this book once before, but I wanted to share Last Laughs (Charlesbridge, 2012, by J. Patrick Lewis and Jane Yolen) again as Halloween is closing in, since it’s the perfect time to enjoy a little ghoulishness!
Barracuda’s Bite-size Demise
My teeth were vicious;
my bite was ... October 15, 2012 ?I am SO excited to announce that BookSpeak! Poems About Books (Clarion, 2011) was awarded a Eureka Gold Medal for excellence in nonfiction. This award from the California Reading Association is for?every book that is not expressly fiction.?Yay!
And Dare to Dream…Change the World (Kane Miller, ... October 12, 2012 A few weeks ago, I shared an anthology edited by J. Patrick Lewis, U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate,?called Book of Animal Poetry. I promised to come back and share a lighter poem this time, and here it is!
Sea Jelly
It’s not made of jelly; it isn’t a ... October 11, 2012
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
This week’s image makes me think of:
1)?Scuba diving
2) Bat wings
3) Wading in Lake Superior and feeling the sharp rocks right through my water shoes
And here’s my poem first draft:
My Feet
need gentle ... October 4, 2012 Poetry Friday is?here, and I’m starting off with a quick favor request (ack–that is probably not the proper hostess way to begin!). If you’ve read BookSpeak! Poems About Books, would you be willing to go to its Amazon page and either rate it via stars ... September 28, 2012 J. Patrick Lewis, U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate,?has yet another new book out, this one a glorious anthology for National Geographic called Book of Animal Poetry.
Where do I begin? Well, the poems, of course. There are 200 of them, by classic poets, modern poets, names you’ll ... September 25, 2012 I love to get a sneak peak of forthcoming poetry/novel in verse books, because anticipation is half the fun!
Tamera Will Wissinger was a student in an online class Lisa Bullard and I taught, and she’s a graduate of Hamline University’s MFA program. I was so ... September 21, 2012 You’ll see lots of Poetry Friday regulars in The Poetry Friday Anthology (Common Core K-5 edition): Poems for the School Year with Connections to the Common Core, a new?offering from Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong (of PoetryTag Time fame:>) Here’s one of several terrific poems ... September 14, 2012 It seems like only yesterday that I was sharing Jane Yolen and Pat Lewis’ Take Two: A Celebration of Twins. Well, they’re back and better than ever.
Their new collaboration is Last Laughs: Animal Epitaphs (Charlesbridge, 2012). If you have a somewhat morbid sense of humor ... September 7, 2012 Last Friday, I shared a poem I wrote about Rachel Carson. That poem appeared in Cricket Magazine. Today, I’m sharing the second Rachel Carson poem I wrote (this is when I was working on poems for Dare to Dream). I always knew that a time ... August 31, 2012 While working on poems to submit for Dare to Dream, the fantastic new anthology edited by Jill Corcoran, I wrote two poems about environmental pioneer Rachel Carson. Jill chose a different poem, but I’m excited to say that both my Carson poems will be shared ... July 27, 2012 Madeleine L’Engle is one of my very favorite writers (have you met my daughter Madeleine:>), and today’s poem comes from her collection The Weather of the Heart. Many of the poems are religious and/or serious, but I’m sharing this whimsical one.
from “The Dragon,” by Madeleine ... July 6, 2012 I got a review copy of Pigmares: Porcine Poems of the Silver Screen (Charlesbridge, 2012) by Doug Cushman’recently. Warning: Scary creatures and hoggy puns coming your way!?The clever premise is that a young pig watches monster movies before bed and then has terrible nightmares, all ... June 22, 2012 Last week, I shared lyrics, and this week, a song about kids, assessment, and our educational system popped into my inbox. Doesn’t sound that poetic, does it? But the song More Than a Number (words by Poetry Friday regular?Amy Ludwig Vanderwater and music by Barry ... June 15, 2012 I was sharing one of my favorite songs, “100 Years,” by Five for Fighting (John Ondrasik) with a friend this morning. I’ve shared those lyrics here before, so I’m going to share another Ondrasik song instead.
World
Got a package full of wishes
A time machine, a magic ... June 11, 2012 I hope you’ll take three and a half minutes to listen to this public radio interview with poet David Harrison. Not only to hear excerpts from and learn more about Goose Lake, his lovely e-collection that I reviewed here, but also because it’s really wonderful ... June 8, 2012 I usually share stand-alone poems on Poetry Friday, but this week, I’m featuring a rhyming picture book called What’s Looking At You Kid?(Sleeping Bear Press, 2012). J. Patrick Lewis has a new take on riddles, one of his favorite forms, judging by Spot the Plot ... May 18, 2012 My drum corps family lost a member this week. He was support staff, someone I don’t think I had even met before. Last year, it was all I could do to hold myself together and survive the season–everyone else was kind of a blur.?But at ... May 11, 2012 U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis has a couple of new books that I just read, and today I’m sharing a poem from one of them, Edgar Allan Poe’s Pie: Math Puzzlers in Classic Poems (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012). Each poem is a remake ... May 4, 2012 The Poetry Sisters and I did a quick collaboration a couple of weeks ago. I am out the door in three minutes, so I’ll just share the verse. To see who’s who and read a bit of the background, please visit Andi Sibley and show ... May 1, 2012 TeacherDance, that is! Literacy Coach Linda Baie discusses BookSpeak at her blog TeacherDance?today. Her post took me back to my own teaching days, when I got to talk daily with kids about books they loved (and hated). When students would gather around to describe to ... April 30, 2012 mittens and sunscreen
vacation mates in coach class–
leaving Chicago
Whew! Day 30–I did it! Happy Poetry Month!
April 29, 2012 retrievers frolic–
make friends with Lake Michigan,
forgive its coldness?
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
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I had a wonderful poetry event at the Evanston Public Library today celebrating the winning poets of the Jo-Anne Hirshfield Memorial Poetry Award. It was just so cool to see a room full ... April 28, 2012 Quarters rub shoulders.
Plastic ice cream bucket swings
in homeless man’s hand.
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
April 27, 2012 Gutter ball dinner
Potato chips weigh heavy–
Greasy bowling ball
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
Not a thing of beauty, is it? Dinner last night did not turn out well, and I ended up eating some noodles and a bunch of potato chips. Ugh. Now my stomach is ... April 25, 2012 each darkling drop–
even distant curling current–
fuels ocean’s tides?
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
There is so much poetry deliciousness going on right now, and I’m missing most of it. That makes me partly sad, but it also gives me such a feeling of abundance, that there’s ... April 24, 2012 black ink jumps off page
somersaults, bounces, leaps high–
royalty statement!
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
I just got my April royalty statement, and attached was the first royalty check I’ve ever gotten. It’s not a big check, mind you. A week of working at Target would pay ... April 23, 2012 papery waves roll,
dip and swell on forest floor–
curling storms of birch
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
I love birch trees, and the North Shore, where we spent the weekend, is full of them. Birch bark on the ground inspired this haiku.
Also, I have a guest post ... April 22, 2012 fence-top weathervanes
flash metallic sunbeams–
line dance to breeze-beat
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
Randy and I went up to the North Shore (of Lake Superior) this weekend, and it was wonderful! A lot of people sell arts, crafts, homemade sausages/jerkies, etc. One house’s post-and-rail fence was topped ... April 21, 2012 Birch bark learns to curl,
yearns to sparkle like fireworks–
crackles in campfire
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
April 20, 2012 sun climbs all morning
perches at sky-top: burns, sweats–
declines rest of day
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
Happy Poetry Friday!
Two pieces of news:
1) I’m on Your Daily Poem today! Do you know YourDailyPoem.com? I love it, and I was so thrilled when they took my poem “Unwrapped.”? ... April 19, 2012 Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Photo by Paolo Costa Baldi. License: GFDL/CC-BY-SA 3.0
I love this panoramic view of the Colosseum. It makes me think of:
1.?Gladiators, of course
2. Lions
3. The lens of a microscope
Here’s my poem first draft, in haiku ... April 18, 2012 on riser’s top row
first-grader flashes?white smile
sun lights up the gym
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
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That one is for my beautiful niece, Lily, whose first-grade music show last night was fantastic!
Poem in Your Pocket Day is next Thursday, April 26. What poem will you be carrying ... April 17, 2012 honeysuckle buckles,
tucks green shoots and?fuschia buds?
through warm, weathered fence
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
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I’m visiting Irene Latham’s blog today (she of the progressive poem brilliance) and talking about metaphor in poetry, in 2 of my BookSpeak! poems in particular. I hope you’ll stop by and ... April 16, 2012 pink, red, blue daisies
dance and sway to draw your eyes–
dying for drama
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
Plants in their natural state are always gorgeous, but I do love the totally fake and cheerful colors of dyed daisies! So, that’s where I got my haiku from ... April 15, 2012 atop your shoulders,
taller than I hoped to be,
I see other worlds
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
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Cue sappy poem music. But BookSpeak! won the Minnesota Book Award (Children’s Literature category) last night, and I’m in a floaty/sappy mood today! And in that banquet hall full of ... April 14, 2012 crumpled index cards
abandoned confetti scraps
after the awards
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
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I’m jotting a couple of notes on an index card for the Minnesota Book Awards banquet. I don’t expect BookSpeak! to win, but when Stampede was a Finalist, I panicked when they started the ... April 13, 2012 crab dances on beach
tickling sandy ivories
???? playing summer’s song
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
Happy Poetry Friday! This haiku was inspired by a crab running across the beach on Survivor this week. Those tiny pointy legs that run so lightly across the sand always surprise ... April 11, 2012 (for J.P.)
Her hand winds through air.
Her mind stretches toward sun–
Reaching for meaning.
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
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Great news! BookSpeak! Poems About Books is on the Bank Street’s Best Books of 2012, Ages Five to Nine. Woohoo! At least, that’s what I’ve been told. I can’t ... April 10, 2012 Crisp brown stalks project,
Tall tombstones?among new green–
Daylily graveyard
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?
April 9, 2012 Beagle’s Easter treat:
forbidden Gobstoppers.
Dread resurrection.
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
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One of my goals for 2012 was to put some videos online. Videos of me reading poems.?A few clips from school visits or public events. Bits with me and Lisa Bullard answering some writers’ questions on ... April 8, 2012 storm rises from ground…
sand dispenses dust to sky…
clouds tan leather sun
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
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I almost wrote today’s haiku about our beagle getting into the Easter candy, but then I read this great interview with David Harrison about his?new collection, Cowboys. It’s at Sylvia ... April 7, 2012 new pen ink rushes
like snowmelt from spring mountains–
quenching winter’s dry throat
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
April 6, 2012 I’m over at poet Amy Ludwig Vanderwater’s The Poem Farm today, sharing the story behind “This Is the Book,” one of the poems in BookSpeak! And sharing thoughts on using the poem as a mentor text with young writers…
April 5, 2012 she waves her red stick–
goalie in matador pads–
welcomes charging bull
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
Happy Poetry Friday! My daughter Maddie had lacrosse tryouts recently, and she’s going to be goalie for the varsity team. Yikes. It’s nerve-wracking watching her defend the goal–but she loves ... April 5, 2012 I interrupt this regularly scheduled 15 Words or Less post to direct you to David Harrison’s blog, where he is featuring BookSpeak today–thank you, David!
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Sorry for the delay, you earlybirds–computer issues this morning!
Photo: Dietrich ... April 4, 2012 regal lion suns,
soaks spring from weathered veldt:
beagle on the deck
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
I love watching our beagle, Captain Jack Sparrow, sun on the deck right outside the window where I’m writing. He just soaks up the sun out of the planks of ... April 3, 2012 eyes–dry, sandy beach
packed down by day’s heavy feet–
welcome high tide’s sweep
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
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I know more and more poets (including me) are at least thinking about e-publishing as print publishers buy fewer and fewer poetry collections and anthologies. Terrific poet David L. ... April 2, 2012 leafy whiskers sprout
on beech’s smooth, pale bark chin–
no shaving ’til fall
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
I’m also at Laura Shovan’s Author Amok blog today with a villanelle and a post about my poetry-writing rituals. Hope you’ll drop by and say hi!
April 1, 2012 pond wears white swan gown
velvet folds, feathers flutter–
dragonfly pin shines
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
April is always a busy month for me, and this year that’s truer than ever. But I hate to see National Poetry Month just slide by without doing something ... March 16, 2012 Ed DeCaria at Think Kid, Think has got the March Madness Poetry Tournament going in full swing.
So today for Poetry Friday, I’m sharing the poem I wrote in a slight foggy panic Wednesday night after two days of school visits (which were wonderful, but exhausting).
But ... February 24, 2012 I love Edgar Allan Poe. So much of his work is melancholy and haunting (both literally and lyrically). For Poetry Friday today, I’m sharing a section from IV of “The Bells.” Earlier parts of the poem get shared often, but I rarely see the entire ... February 17, 2012 My sister, JP, the one closest in age to me, had a medical emergency Wednesday night at work. She was rushed to the ER, where they did cranial surgery to relieve pressure. She’s in a medically-induced coma. I’m in shock. She’s in Florida, unconscious, and ... February 14, 2012
Photo: Midori
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Today, the Cybils winners are announced, so get ready to show some love for some great books!
It was fun and educational to be a final round judge in Poetry this year. I’ve been a first-round judge several times before–totally different experiences!
We had ... February 9, 2012 OK, this isn’t Goose Lake. But Poetry Friday IS here. I’m happy to be hosting today and to be sharing?David Harrison‘s?Goose Lake, an e-collection I recently received. David is a poet, writer, educator, blogger–he does it all. He has many wonderful poetry books out. In ... February 6, 2012 My husband Randy and I have been married 24 years today, which is pretty hard for me to believe!
I am not good at love poems to people (somehow?it’s much easier to write a love poem to a cranberry bush or a snowman or a pencil), ... February 2, 2012 Steven Withrow (founder of PACYA and creator of Library of the Early Mind) has a newly revised’digital poetry collection called Crackles of Speech. I don’t see it on Amazon.com, and as far as I can tell, he’s giving it away as a pdf free! Which ... January 27, 2012 I got the book Disenchantments: An Anthology of Modern Fairy Tale Poetry for Christmas, and I just cracked it open last night. I have an unsold collection of kids’ fairy tale poems, and?it’s such a rich field to plow.
I’ve only read a few of the ... January 2, 2012 Yay! The Cybils First-Round Panelists have announced the finalists for each?category of these online book bloggers’ annual awards. I’m a Second-Round Judge in Poetry, and we are eagerly starting our discussions! Here are the Poetry Finalists:
Cousins of Clouds: Elephant Poems
Dear Hot Dog
Emma Dilemma: Big Sister ... December 30, 2011 This week, poetry broke my heart.
And isn’t that what it’s supposed to do sometimes?
I was reading Paul B. Janeczko’s Requiem: Poems of the Terezin Ghetto (Candlewick, 2011). These poems told in the voices of people at the Czech concentration camp during WWII offer moments of ... December 28, 2011 In a few days, the Cybils finalists will be announced, and I’ll have six weeks to talk poetry books with my delightful co-judges! I’m excited to learn?which books?the first-round judges selected.
Meanwhile, it was fun to have BookSpeak! Poems About Books named as a Poetry Nerdies ... December 19, 2011 Robyn Hood Black did a great interview with poet David Harrison on Friday, featuring his new poetry e-book, Goose Lake: A Year in the Life of a Lake?(which I will be downloading after New Year’s to read). The post has poems and inspiration to spare, ... December 16, 2011 I feel kind of out of the poetry loop this past few months. I’ve been a first-round poetry judge for the CYBILS several times, and that means Oct-Dec=reading all the great children’s/ya poetry that I missed throughout the year. This year, I’m a second-round judge, ... December 9, 2011 Janet Wong writes such beautiful poetry, and I was re-reading her book Twist: yoga poems yesterday.
Janet was on my mind for a few reasons (besides having just had fun seeing her at NCTE). First, though I don’t know her all that well, she generously made ... November 11, 2011 I love Ralph Fletcher’s writing books for kids, and this?one is no exception:?A Writing Kind of Day: Poems for Young Poets (Wordsong, 2005). I have not had much time for actual writing lately–just lots of writing-business-related tasks. Ugh.
So I’m feeling like my ideas and neglected ... November 4, 2011 Welcome to Poetry Friday! This is my first time hosting here at my new (and still being decorated) bloghome on Wordpress, and I’m happy you’re here!
Here’s a poem I wrote earlier this year. It’s part of a batch of seashell poems I wrote to submit ... October 27, 2011
It is a well-documented fact that J. Patrick Lewis can write a poem about anything! And so today, in honor of National Chocolates Day (who knew?), our U.S. Children's Poet Laureate shares this poem about chocolate-covered ants. I was looking for a photo to put here, but ... October 25, 2011 Today is the pub date of my second poetry collection with Clarion!
Happy Birthday, BookSpeak!
In BookSpeak!, 21 wild, wacky, and winsome poems showcase the magic on a single bookshelf. Characters plead for sequels, book jackets strut their stuff, and a raucous party starts when the lights go ... October 21, 2011
Stories told in haiku often don't work for me because in needing to move the plot forward or summarize a lot of stuff in one short poem, the haiku become prose-y and very distant from the qualities I love about them–their photo-of-an-instant feeling and their ... October 14, 2011
Marilyn Singer's latest free verse poetry collection, A Full Moon Is Rising (Lee & Low, 2011), is framed by a set of lovely poems about a girl watching the "Broadway Moon" from New York City. In between the opening and closing poem, customs and celebrations and dreams of ... October 6, 2011
Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, pioneers of spreading kids' poetry via e-books, are at it again. Their last outing was Poetry Tag Time, which I posted about here and shared my poem from here. Their latest Kindle release is p*tag, another poetry anthology, this ... September 30, 2011
Marilyn Singer comes up with the best ideas. Hello! Reverso fairy tales in Mirror Mirror? I often read her books and think, I wish I'd thought of that.
I just read Twosomes: Love Poems from the Animal Kingdom (Alfred E. Knopf, 2011). Each poem is ... September 21, 2011 My youngest daughter turns 16 today. I can't believe it! I thought about writing her a poem, but I stink at writing poems for people I love. I wrote one for Randy a few years ago and put it in his birthday card, and he ... September 21, 2011 I wanted to play in The Miss Rumphius Effect poetry stretch this week, which was about scale and magnitude. My dog, Captain Jack Sparrow, was sick last night, and it made me go into worrying mode. Here’s a poem that swam around my head as ... September 20, 2011 Saturday night we had a surprise party for my almost 16-year-old daughter. Yesterday, I read the poetry collection A Dazzling Display of Dogs, by Betsy Franco, illustrated by Michael Wertz (Tricycle Press, 2011), guaranteed to make any dog lover smile (and probably most non dog-lovers, ... September 16, 2011
Keepers (Lothrop, Lee and Shepard, 1996) is an older poetry collection that I have and just love. Alice Schertle is a wizard!
As the weather turns cooler, spiders are invading the house. Bigger ones than usual, too. In honor of them, I'm sharing ... September 14, 2011 I've been working on a fiction shared reader of fewer than 150 words. It has to be a journey, use a certain phonetic sound throughout, rhyme, and include the basic shapes. Whew! What a puzzle to work all that in. I turned in a draft ... September 9, 2011
Sad news: ALA has decided not to include the fabulous Poetry Blast in 2012 at their annual convention. Marilyn Singer and Barbara Genco have always worked so hard to put on this amazing event (which I featured video clips from in several recent Poetry ... August 26, 2011
In case you, like me, missed Sylvia Vardell's fantastic series of clips from the ALA Poetry Blast (organized and hosted by Marilyn Singer and Barbara Genco), I'm posting links here. She shared the text of Marilyn's lovely introduction for each poet along with a ... July 26, 2011
A new anthology from Lee Bennett Hopkins is always cause for celebration. I Am the Book (Holiday House, 2011, illustrated by Yayo) is even more so because the poems are all about books!
This anthology feels a little younger than many of his anthologies–partially because there are more ... July 22, 2011
In case you, like me, missed Sylvia Vardell’s fantastic series of clips from the ALA Poetry Blast (organized and hosted by Marilyn Singer and Barbara Genco), I’m posting links here. She shared the text of Marilyn’s lovely introduction for each poet along with a ... July 15, 2011
In case you, like me, missed Sylvia Vardell’s fantastic series of clips from the ALA Poetry Blast (organized and hosted by Marilyn Singer and Barbara Genco), I’m posting links here. She shared the text of Marilyn’s lovely introduction for each poet along with a ... July 1, 2011 Happy Poetry Friday! Last week, I shared “Get Smart With the Periodic Table,” which recently appeared in KNOW Magazine, a Canadian science magazine for kids. The theme for the issue was the elements, and here’s the other poem I had included in that issue.
Golden Possibilities
Labeled Au ... June 24, 2011 Happy Poetry Friday! I thought I’d share my light verse poem that recently appeared in KNOW Magazine, which is a Canadian science magazine for kids. The theme for the issue was the elements, and I had fun poring over the periodic table for the first time ... June 17, 2011 My summers haven’t really been carefree since I was about 10. And I don’t like hot weather, so I prefer being outdoors in other seasons. In summer, I soak up the air conditioning, mostly! Still, I love poems celebrating summer and all its outdoor magic. ... May 20, 2011 Here’s another one from the fantastic Poetry 180 site. It reminds me a little bit of the summers I was 11-12-13, growing up in central Florida. I was not old enough to be working full-time in the summers yet, though I did lots of babysitting. But ... May 6, 2011 I usually feature poetry for kids or teens, but this week, I’m sharing a poem about poetry by Don Paterson. It’s one of the many I’ve been marking up in my Poetry 180 book. I just love it, and I hope you do too.
from Poetryby Don Paterson
In ... April 29, 2011
Leslie Bulion is such a fantastic science poetry writer! She has fun with it and imparts tons of information at the same time. Last year, I shared a poem from her Hey There, Stink Bug collection. This year, I’m happy to share a poem from ... April 25, 2011 Friday, I posted my poem "After the Storm" from PoetryTagTime, the fun, inexpensive (99 cents!), teacher-friendly e-anthology of the 30 poems from Sylvia Vardell’s Poetry Tag feature for National Poetry Month.
Yesterday, at the PoetryTagTime Tips blog, Sylvia posted some great teaching tips for teachers to use with my acrostic poem, ... April 22, 2011 Roger Sutton recently posted about Poetry Tag Time, the e-anthology brilliantly created by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong to try to make poetry more accessible and get it into more classrooms. 30 fun and fantastic kids’ poems for only 99 cents!
So I thought I’d share my ... April 14, 2011
I’m excited that my found poem (kinda), "How to Talk to a Girl," is up at GottaBook as part of Greg’s fabulous 30 Poets/30 Days celebration. I hope you’ll go visit!
Diane at Random Noodling has the Poetry Friday Roundup!
April 8, 2011
I met Debbie Levy at the ALA Poetry Blast in 2010, and her son and her mother, Jutta, were with her at the dinner afterward. That’s where I first heard about The Year of Goodbyes (Disney-Hyperion, 2010), a collection of free verse poems telling the story of ... April 5, 2011
Tag–you’re it!
I’m so excited to be part of PoetryTagTime, a poetry e-book! It’s a groundbreaking project from Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong.
As so many of us despair about getting poetry published, getting it into the hands of kids, Sylvia and Janet took action and ... March 24, 2011 ??
While I was in New York this past week (more on that soon), I went to The Strand bookstore. I really wanted to buy a book, so of course I?headed to the poetry section, where I spotted Tracie Vaughn Zimmer’s newest collection, Cousins of Clouds: ... March 11, 2011
A student of Sylvia Vardell, professor as well as poetry ambassador blogging at Poetry for Children, let me know recently she was creating a review of BookSpeak!, my poetry collection coming out from Clarion this fall. Sylvia gave her an f&g, and the student (not ... February 25, 2011
I’ve shared before that one of my favorite poems of all time is "Seal Lullaby," by Rudyard Kipling. Today, I’m sharing another Kipling poem. On NPR this morning, they were discussing outsourcing and the effect of computerizing and digitalizing on our economy. I went looking this ... February 18, 2011
If you’re a fan of J. Patrick Lewis’ poetry for kids (and if you’re not, what on Earth is wrong with you?!), I hope you’ll enjoy digging into his recent collection for adults, Gulls Hold Up the Sky (Laughing Fire Press, 2010).
To me, the hallmark ... February 15, 2011 Yesterday, the Cybils were announced! A huge congratulations to all the winners–you can find the complete list of winning books here. It was a treat to be on the Poetry Panel, and I want to give a special shout-out to the winner in the Poetry ... February 4, 2011
My anniversary is Sunday, but we’ll be cleaning and cooking for the Super Bowl that day and having people over, so Randy is taking today off work so that (after a couple of errands and can’t-skip tasks) we can spend time celebrating our 23 (gulp) ... January 28, 2011
On Facebook last week, Aimee Jackson asked what were our favorite things about winter, and it reminded me of this poem I originally wrote to promote a Lauren Stringer snowflake in the fundraiser Robert’s Snowflakes. I barely recognize it, but 3-1/2 years later, it does ... January 21, 2011
I love Jessica Swaim’s Scarum Fair, another one of our Cybils Finalists in the poetry category! I hope it doesn’t get categorized as a Halloween-season-only type book, because chills and scares are fun all year long. (In fact, chills and scares on a -20-degree morning ... January 13, 2011
Welcome to Poetry Friday!
Last week, I mentioned that I would feature Cybils Finalists on the next several Poetry Fridays. Who knew that today I would be doing that while celebrating a Newbery Honor for one of the poets I look up to most, and whom ... January 11, 2011 I am SO excited that Joyce Sidman won a Newbery Honor for her Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night (see my post here for an excerpt). Joyce is a warm and generous person and a genius poet! I’m also thrilled to see poetry recognized in ... January 7, 2011
Sharing the Seasons, one of Lee Bennett Hopkins’ several wonderful 2010 anthologies, is a Cybils Finalist and one of my favorite poetry books of the year. It explores all the seasons, and after a cross-country ski outing this morning, I need to share a lovely ... January 5, 2011 I mentioned recently that I had ordered Billy Collins’ Picnic, Lightning and a couple of other poetry books as my own Christmas gifts. And in a separate post, we chatted about writing in books and whether it’s a sign of love or a desecration (most, ... January 4, 2011 It was fun being on the Cybils panel again this year–and it was a surprise how many wonderful children’s poetry books I missed reading when they came out. We had little debates over how much to emphasize kid appeal (my vote was A LOT), whether ... December 24, 2010 My poem this week for Poetry Friday is actually the haiku I wrote yesterday for my online holiday card:
Whatever you celebrate this holiday season, I believe the power of poems can be part of it. Words matter. And so do all the people we connect ... December 17, 2010
One of my favorite Christmas collections is Do Rabbits Have Christmas? (Henry Holt and Co., 2007), written by Aileen Fisher and illustrated by Sarah Fox-Davies. The poems here are deceptively simple, they’re filled with great imagery, and they really bring the joy and wonder of ... December 10, 2010
At my writing group last week, tundra swans came up, and they made me think of this poem from Jack Prelutsky‘s The Carnival of the Animals. I like Prelutsky’s beautiful verse more than his wacky stuff, and I love this poem.
The SwanThe stately and beguiling ... December 3, 2010
I confess I’m not much of a fan of pop culture-themed haiku collections. I’ve read ones based on hockey, pirates, and zombies lately, and none of those did much for me. The haiku part was always just a gimmick. And if you took away the ... November 19, 2010
Think Again (Kids Can Press, 2010), by JonArno Lawson, explores love from the point of view of a teen boy and girl. Forty-three very short rhyming poems reveal longings and questionings and regrets in poetry, and the line drawings (by Julie Morstad) show a vague story arc. The ... November 12, 2010
In the Wild (Candlewick, 2010) is a delightful collection from David Elliott and Holly Meade, who also did last year’s On the Farm. I’d like to share a poem that captures the feeling of our Minnesota weather right now. Even though we don’t have snow ... October 29, 2010
In honor of Halloween, I’m sharing this poem from Something New Begins, an out of print Lilian Moore collection that Elaine Magliaro, I think, first recommended to me. Love, love, love this book!
This poem is originally from Moore’s collection, See My Lovely Poison Ivy.
The Witch’s ... October 22, 2010 I’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the freelance life lately, and discouraged by my writing career–where it’s at, where it’s going, how long I can keep up the work necessary to satisfy both the family budget and the writing I love to do. I know some things ... October 15, 2010
I’ve just read Monologue of a Dog, by Polish poet Wislawa Szymborska. I’ve loved several of her poems over recent years, but this is the first time I sat down and read an entire collection. Wow.
My favorite poem in the whole book is "Return Baggage," but it’s ... October 8, 2010
A couple of weeks ago, I shared how I came to write some found poems recently.Last week I shared another found poem ("I’m Sort of Sorry About What Happened While I Was Walking My Dog"), again aimed at about 4th-5th grade.
Today I’m sharing one last ... September 30, 2010
Last week, I shared how I came to write some found poems recently.This week I’m sharing another found poem, again aimed at about 4th-5th grade.
Today’s found poem is called "I’m Sort of Sorry About What Happened While I Was Walking My Dog," and the ... September 23, 2010
I wrote some found poems to submit for an anthology a couple of months ago, but the way I do found poems is a little different–I like to find an article or song or whatever and use it kind of like a word bank to ... September 16, 2010
Joyce Sidman’s newest collection, Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night, is gorgeous. It shows how Joyce uses a scientist’s eye and a poet’s heart as she approaches each topic. I had a hard time choosing which poem to share because there are so ... September 2, 2010
I’m only a third of the way through Borrowed Names (Henry Holt, 2010), Jeannine Atkins‘ beautiful poetry/biography collection focusing on three women–Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C.J. Walker, and Marie Curie–and their relationships with their daughters.
These poems are so conversational they almost feel like prose poems. ... August 13, 2010
I’ve been reading Naomi Shihab Nye’s latest anthology, Time You Let Me In (Greenwillow, 2010), featuring 5 poems each by 25 young poets. It’s a wonderful book, and I love the idea of getting to read several poems by each poet. Many times in an ... July 23, 2010
This week, I wanted to choose a poem for my daughter, Maddie. She was at camp a few weeks ago, and she loved it so much that this week she’s back there as a S.W.E.A.T. That stands for a lot of really nice stuff, but ... July 16, 2010
I love this poem. The spaceship notebook and the turtlenecks always make me laugh. It’s not only perfect advice for the beginning writer, but also a reminder to tired, jaded, uninspired writers. Or people in general. Family health issues and other things out of my ... June 18, 2010
I received a box from The Creative Company last week, and the first treasure I opened was Skywriting: Poems to Fly, a new collection by J. Patrick Lewis. Pat is one of my favorite poets, and this beautiful collection, filled with his trademark humor, really made ... June 11, 2010
Congratulations to Alice Schertle, whose wonderful Button Up! Wrinkled Rhymes was one of the winners in the K-3 category of the 2010 Paterson Prize for Books for Young People. I blogged about Button Up! here and it’s such a terrific poetry collection. And Stampede! Poems to Celebrate ... May 28, 2010
I started reading Jane Kenyon: Collected Poems recently, and was shocked when part of one of the poems described a landmark of my childhood, The Langford Hotel, in Winter Park, Florida.
My family had a membership to the pool, and my dad put on pool/diving shows ... May 20, 2010
I’m posting this on Thursday night, because I know some of y’all will be chomping at the bit to add your links! How great is that eagerness to participate in a poetry gathering!
My offering is short and sweet this week: a fourteener (14 ... May 17, 2010
There’s a new e-newsletter in town, the 4:00 Book Hook!
Each month, the free Book Hook will recommend children’s books, from preschool through young adult titles. You can read all about it and learn how to subscribe here. The newsletter targets people who share books with kids–teachers, librarians, ... April 21, 2010
Today is Day 4 of my week of school visits in southwestern Minnesota, and today I get to spend ALL day at one school. It’s a luxury!
One thing I love to emphasize with kids is the fun of reading poetry aloud. Check out Marilyn ... March 31, 2010
So many people are doing so many cool things across the kidlitosphere in honor of National Poetry Month! I need to find a centralized list to share. (Addendum: Laura Evans at Teach Poetry K-12 has a comprehensive list in the righthand sidebar–check it out!) Meanwhile, ... March 22, 2010
I see that Britain’s poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, has written a poetic tribute to David Beckham, the soccer superstar who tore his Achilles tendon (ouch!) in a game last week. She said she was moved by images of Beckham on the sidelines, in tears ... March 18, 2010
Last Friday, I participated in a reading of some of the finalists for the Minnesota Book Awards. Just ahead of me, poet Dobby Gibson read some selections from his collection Skirmish.
I really enjoyed the poems he read, and I bought the book afterward. I haven’t ... March 12, 2010
It’s been a while since I’ve participated in a Poetry Stretch at The Miss Rumphius Effect. In fact, I haven’t been doing daily poems, either. I had to put that ritual and several others on hiatus this winter in order to meet deadlines. ... March 9, 2010
I found out yesterday through Google Alerts that my poetry book A Fuzzy-Fast Blur: Poems About Pets has been shortlisted for the 2011 Beehive Award (Utah’s Children’s Book Award). Woohoo! Libraries will acquire as many books as they can (it’s a pretty dang long shortlist, ... March 4, 2010
So, every once in a while, I get to write poems with the Poetry Princesses, which is an intimidating thrill. First, we did the crown sonnet. Next up was the villanelle. And then, with barely time for a deep sigh of relief after we posted those ... February 19, 2010
I’ve been reading lots of animal and nature poetry books for kids lately, and here’s a poem from Nest, Nook & Cranny, by Susan Blackaby, illustrated with charcoal drawings by Jamie Hogan (Charlesbridge, 2010). These are poems about different habitats and the lives led in them. ... February 15, 2010
What a Valentine’s Day treat! Yesterday, the winners of the 2010 Cybils Awards were announced, and it’s a sweet group. A special congratulations to Joyce Sidman (Red Sings from Treetops) and Liz Garton Scanlon (All the World) for their wins in the Poetry and Picture ... February 12, 2010
OK, I feel kind of dumb not doing a love poem on the Friday before Valentine’s Day, but I’m guessing all the other Poetry Friday bloggers have this covered!
Although I like to look at birds, especially raptors, I’m not a very good birdwatcher. I ... January 29, 2010 I’m dashing out the door to present at a Young Authors Conference today, and my workshop involves writing poems about your fears and hopes. So I thought I’d share this poem that I wrote and shared back in 2007 about my biggest fear–a knock at ... January 26, 2010 One book I’m loving right now is The Cuckoo’s Haiku (Candlewick, 2009), poems by Michael J. Rosen (illustrated by Stan Fellows). In keeping with my mini-blogging vow for the present, I’ll just share one haiku.
Dark-eyed Junco
phased like tilted moonshalf shadow, half reflectionjuncos cross the snow
–Michael J. ... January 22, 2010
Like Liz at Liz in Ink, who by the way is hosting the Poetry Friday Roundup today, I’m hoping to post more of my poems on Poetry Fridays. Mine will be mostly poems I do for various online poetry stretches, so they aren’t actually finished ... January 15, 2010
I love lots of Mary Oliver’s poetry. She sees and describes nature in a way that puts me RIGHT there with her. And of course her poems are never just about nature–there’s always something to tie the poem into our daily lives–the goals we set, the decisions we ... January 8, 2010
I kept reading about the book The Tree That Time Built: a celebration of nature, science, and imagination, poems selected by Mary Ann Hoberman and Linda Winston. Elaine at Wild Rose Reader blogged about it. An SLJ blogger raved. Oh! And I see Mary Lee at A ... December 22, 2009 Today is my husband’s birthday! Since I love many song lyrics as poetry, I wanted to share an old-school Billy Joel song that we almost chose to have sung at our wedding (we went with Onward, by Yes, instead). Happy birthday, Randy. You’re my home. ... December 18, 2009
My friend poet/writer/reviewer Carol-Ann Hoyte sent me some links to poems and readings by Scottish poet Jackie Kay. I finally got around to listening to her poems and interview the other day while I was doing some brainless puttering. Wow. I must get her ... December 14, 2009
Nikki Grimes’ latest picture book, Voices of Christmas (Zonderkidz, 2009), is one of those books that makes me go, Why hasn’t someone done this before? It’s a collection of poems that together tell the story of the birth of Christ. Each spread introduces the character ... December 11, 2009 Last Friday, a group of seven of us, led by Liz Garton Scanlon of Liz in Ink, posted original villanelles.
I had wanted to do something other than a nature poem, because those feel like home, and I wanted to push myself out of the comforts ... December 4, 2009 OK, you know Liz Garton Scanlon, of Liz in Ink? You know how she’s always so enthusiastic and passionate about stuff? Well, a month or so ago, she emailed our group that wrote the crown sonnet a year and a half ago (that long?). And ... December 2, 2009
Maybe you’ve heard that Lee Bennett Hopkins, gifted poet and anthologist, was officially awarded NCTE’s Excellence in Poetry for Children Award the weekend before Thanksgiving? I couldn’t attend the Philadelphia conference because I was in Atlanta for a joyful family wedding, and it sounds like ... November 13, 2009
OK, I have poems about scary things on my mind this week. I just finished reading The Grizzly Maze: Timothy Treadwell’s Fatal Obsession with Alaskan Bears (excellent book, by the way) and I’m also working on a lesson plan about fear and hope and ... November 6, 2009
The House (Creative Editions, 2009) is a gorgeous poem/picture book by J. Patrick Lewis, stunningly illustrated by Roberto Innocenti (love that name).
The house, built in 1656, is the main character of this story. The rhyming (but definitely not silly) poem tells the story of what the ... November 4, 2009
Button Up: Wrinkled Rhymes, by Alice Schertle and illustrated by Petra Mathers, is adorable! A book full of mask poems, which I love, all told from the points of view of different articles of clothing.
I was going to share "Tanya’s Old T-Shirt," but Tricia already ... October 29, 2009
Since it’s almost Halloween, I’m doing a scary Poetry Friday post. The pic above is me with my husband, Randy. Randy’s a newspaper editor/reporter, and he got to be a zombie for the night at a local Halloween attraction and write about it. Then he ... October 27, 2009
Who could resist a title like Food Hates You, Too (Disney-Hyperion, 2009)? Not this picky eater! With poems and illustrations by Robert Weinstock, this collection shows off a wry, sly sense of humor. "Ferris-Wheeling" is one of my favorites in the book.
Ferris-Wheeling
Ferris-wheeling is appealingwhen your stomach ... October 26, 2009
OK, nothing’s really on tour. But the leaves are golden or on the ground (or both), it’s almost Halloween, and my book Shrinking Days, Frosty Nights: Poems About Fall, the first book I wrote in the Capstone series I did, had two nice mentions recently.
First up, it’s ... October 15, 2009
Happy Poetry Friday!
I’ve been re-reading Words with Wrinkled Knees: Animal Poems, an old collection by Barbara Juster Esbensen (who also wrote one of my favorite poetry collections ever, Swing Around the Sun). Here’s one poem I love:
You must readthis word under waterunderwavering nets of coollightA ... October 12, 2009
I didn’t really do a concentrated blog tour for Stampede…more like a mosey or a meander. And now I just wanted to have all the stops listed together in one blog post ... October 9, 2009
I felt like sharing a Billy Collins poem this morning, and "Picnic, Lightning" won the Poetry Friday lottery. I really love the tiny dark unmoored ship and the ending images of immersing yourself in the now, the ordinary moments that make live so vivid.
Picnic, Lightning
"My ... October 2, 2009
J. Patrick Lewis has a new poetry book out this fall. OK, really, he has 2 or 3 or maybe even 5! And this one, Spot the Plot, has the cleverest premise ever. Each poem is a riddle full of clues to a children’s book. ... September 25, 2009
Today, I have a poem and a question to share with you. First, the question. I’m looking for recommendations of poetry journals for adults featuring accessible, mainstream poetry. I love Billy Collins, Kay Ryan, Jane Kenyon…so you can see I don’t really go too much ... September 18, 2009
I took a wonderful poetry class at the Loft in Minneapolis last spring. One of our exercises was to write a poem with the word "rancor" in the title. Most of my poems are NOT actually about my personal experiences, though people often think they are. ... September 10, 2009
All week, I’ve been sharing school-themed poetry books I love. And of course, I couldn’t leave out School Supplies, a Lee Bennett Hopkins anthology. Here are just a couple of the poems I love from this book:
Homework
It rustles itshifts with no windin the room tomove ... September 9, 2009 I’ve been posting this week about school-themed poetry books I love, and I guess I would not be living up to my promotion commitment if I didn’t sneak in a mention of my own two books. I’ve shared poems from both before, so I’ll just ... September 9, 2009
It’s the second day of school, and I’m continuing to share some of my favorite school-based poetry collections. This one, Lunch Money and Other Poems About School, is by Carol Diggory Shields. It’s more than 10 years old and is one of the first children’s ... September 8, 2009
During summer, I’m counting the days until school begins again, but for most kids, it’s the opposite. Prolific, wonderful poet J. Patrick Lewis knows that and has created a new collection called Countdown to Summer: A Poem for Every Day of the School Year (Little, ... September 3, 2009
Still counting down to the start of the schoolyear with a week’s worth of unpublished school poems. Here’s a poem I wrote based on my time as an 8th-grade teacher. I had a couple of students who would always be at school early, helping me out ... September 2, 2009 I’m celebrating the last week of summer with poems about school! Here’s poem #3.
#2 Wand
PointedEnds write lettersNeat–Caging magicIn Lines onSheets
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
And Stampede! got a nice mention on the PlanetEsme Plan. Yay!
September 1, 2009
Thanks, you guys, for all your empathy (both here and on FB) over my editorial news. I really appreciate your encouragement!
And, in a stroke of good timing, on the day I shared my bad news, I got word yesterday that an editor at a different house ... August 14, 2009
LJ’s giving me fits this morning, so I’ll try this super quick to see if it works! The Poetry Stretch at the Miss Rumphius Effect this week was to write poems about articles of clothing. Early in the week, I wrote two for my daily poems–totally ... August 11, 2009
One book I’m loving right now is The Monsterologist: A Memoir in Rhyme, ghostwritten (ha!) by Bobbi Katz and illustrated by Adam McCauley. I met Bobbi at ALA in Chicago and bought this fun collection at her signing. The premise is that a person who ... August 5, 2009 The Poetry Stretch this week at The Miss Rumphius Effect is to write a dictionary poem. I love cold weather and think it gets a bad rap, so I decided to define cold through the seasons.
Is This Cold?
cold?kold n.
[from Old English cald; huddled next to ... July 9, 2009
Shhh! Don’t tell the Poetry Friday police! I’m posting a day early because I leave tomorrow morning at 5 a.m. for the airport to head to Chicago for ALA.
This week’s Poetry Stretch at The Miss Rumphius Effect is all about recipe poems. On Monday and Tuesday, ... July 3, 2009
Summer is my least creative time of year, so I’ve been extra grateful for the Poetry Stretch challenges at The Miss Rumphius Effect recently. This week’s challenge was to write an acrostic (where the first letter of each line forms a word when you ... June 11, 2009 This week’s Poetry Stretch over at Miss Rumphius Effect is about fairy tales. My WIP is actually a collection of poems all with a certain hook and related to fairy tales, but I can’t share one of those here. So here’s a different one, for an ... June 3, 2009
Last year, at Wild Rose Reader, I won a copy of Falling Down the Page: A Book of List Poems, the new Georgia Heard poetry anthology with a poem in it by Elaine Magliaro. Publication got pushed back a year, and I was so delighted to ... May 18, 2009 OK, not the plagiarism part, but an effect of it.
Just recently, my husband was asking if I worry about people taking poems I post online and posting them elsewhere or publishing them as their own. The reality of that crosses my mind occasionally, but I ... May 8, 2009
Look what came to my house while I was out of town on school visits last week! I’d been eager to see Joyce Sidman’s newest poetry book, and here it is! Red Sings from Treetops: a year in colors(illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski).
Joyce, along with teacher ... April 17, 2009 ?
Ever since I started blogging, I’ve been secretly envious of all the wonderful interviews posted at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.
Well, guess what? Today, I’m there?in an interview fabulously conducted by Jules.?If you have time to grab a coffee or an orange juice and read ... April 3, 2009
Talented poet Tracie Vaughn Zimmer has a new collection out called Steady Hands: Poems About Work! What a terrific glimpse into people’s working life. From Janitor to Babysitter, Organizer to Surgeon, this collection takes jobs and shines a light on them, making you see them ... March 27, 2009
A couple of weeks ago, Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect participated in a challenge and shared her favorite D things, a letter assigned randomly to her by Julie Larios, who had praised P.
Well, cool. I emailed Tricia to get a letter, and she sent ... March 20, 2009
Two weeks ago, I posted J. Patrick Lewis’ poem for the Peace Project, and last week, I posted mine. This week, to complete the trifecta of Peace Project Poems featured here, I share with you this fabulous poem by Arnold Adoff, whose award-winning work over the years ... March 6, 2009
Earlier this week, I posted about the Peace Project Judy Fisk Lucas is putting together. The prolific, terrific J. Patrick Lewis shared his submission for the project with me and graciously agreed to let me post it here.
The Rules of History The fatter the king, ... February 27, 2009
I headed to southern Minnesota for two days of school visits, which went great. Part of my presentation involves sharing with kids how I was always reading as a kid, even when my parents insisted I go outside to play and get fresh air. I ... February 20, 2009
Each week, I say to myself, I need to do the Poetry Stretch at The Miss Rumphius Effect. And then somehow the week is gone.
But yesterday, I forced myself to commit a few minutes because the form this week is short–sijo–and I’ve written ... February 17, 2009
Diamond Willow, by Helen Frost, has won the 2009 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award! This award is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Center for the Book, the University Libraries, and the Pennsylvania School Librarians’ Association. It comes with a boatload of honor and $1,000 from Lee ... February 6, 2009
Animal Poems of the Iguazu, a bilingual collection of poems by Francisco X. Alarcon and illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez, gives voice to the animals of the Iguazu National Park in South America. Here’s one of my favorites from the collection:
Jaguarete
some sayI’m now almostextinct in this ... January 30, 2009
We went to a Killers concert a couple of weeks ago, and I thought I’d share some lyrics for Poetry Friday. This is the opening of "Bling," (lyrics, I assume, by Brandon Flowers, but I can’t find proper credit on their site).
"Bling (Confession Of A King)" ... January 28, 2009 Last night, I was working on materials for an online class I’m teaching, and my husband walked in. "I opened a package for you by mistake," he said. He gets tons of packages every day, so when UPS, FedEx, DSL, et al. come calling, the ... December 17, 2008 I’m trying to find the time to participate in the Poetry Stretch each week at The Miss Rumphius Effect. Tricia always has great ideas, and I always want to give them a try, but often the week is gone before I realize it. I’m trying to ... December 12, 2008 I love to write acrostics–they’re fun and they often come fairly easily. But not always. Stop by Kid Magazine Writers to see my Meter Readers column, Acrostics: Poetry, Top to Bottom. In it, I share my process and also some of my struggles
And here’s one ... December 4, 2008 OK, I admit I’m feeling distressed today at all the layoffs, firings, and restructurings in the children’s publishing world. I’m not a big businessperson, and I don’t really know all the implications of yesterday’s bloodbath at HMH, S&S, etc. But I’m waiting to hear whether ... November 28, 2008
My Thanksgiving went MUCH better than expected yesterday, and we all had a really fun day. Yea!
I wanted to find a poem that had a surprise in it for today, since yesterday was a lovely surprise, and I wanted it to be a kids’ ... October 9, 2008 Today, I’m sharing poetry books from Candlewick Press that haven’t yet been nominated.
On the Farm
Falling Hard: 100 Love Poems by Teenagers
If you haven’t already nominated a book in the poetry category, please check out some books (these or ... October 7, 2008 As I did last year, I’m going to share some lists of un-nominated books here, in the hopes that someone will nominate them. In my opinion, the more books we have to consider for the CYBILS honors, the better!
Today, I’m sharing books from Wordsong that ... October 3, 2008
Today, I wanted to share a verse from a lovely new picture book of interlinked renga verse by J. Patrick Lewis and Paul B. Janeczko. The book is called Birds on a Wire, and it’s a "portrait of a day in an American village." The ... September 25, 2008
I’ve been thinking about a variation on acrostics this week. They’re called phrase acrostics, and I hadn’t really heard of them until an instructor mentioned them in a poetry class I was taking last year at the Loft Literary Center. When she explained that you ... September 22, 2008
It’s time for Pensieve’s monthly poetry challenge, Poetic License!
The challenge this time? An autumn cinquain. I love cinquain, and I love autumn. This is one I actually wrote to a different image, and this is the closest I could find to share.
Weaving????
Sunlight
threads through stiff ... September 19, 2008
A few weeks ago on Poetry Friday, I shared a poem from Pirates, a fantastic new poetry collection by David L. Harrison, illustrated by Dan Burr (Wordsong, 2008). (Just before that, Kelly Fineman at Writing and Ruminating posted an in-depth review of the book here.) ... September 2, 2008 Today is the first day of school for my 8th and 11th graders, so regardless of what the calendar says, it’s the first day of fall to me. Fall is my favorite season! And while doing my morning pages, I brainstormed some of the things ... August 20, 2008 In Drum Corps International this year, the Blue Devils performed a show called “Constantly Risking Absurdity,” based on this poem by Lawrence Ferlinghetti.
Constantly Risking Absurdity Constantly risking absurdity and death whenever he performs above the heads of his audience the poet like an acrobat ... July 3, 2008 This week’s Poetry Stretch from Miss Rumphius asks us to “write a poem that contains the five words sky, knot, fork, wall, and rose, as well as either trumpet or bullet as the sixth word.” This exercise is based on the book, I Am Writing ... July 2, 2008 Back at Wordy Girls last year, I posted a wretched poem McDonald’s was using on their placemats. Talk about giving poetry a bad name!
Well, a week or so ago, I was at a Taco John’s. Great tacos, terrible marketing. The tabletop seller advertising their “SOOO ... June 19, 2008
Robin at Pensieve has this photo up for her Friday’s 40 exercise this week. And Miss Rumphius has challenged us to write a rictameter, which sounds like a cinquain on steroids. Syllable count of 2-4-6-8-10-8-6-4-2, and the first and last line are the same word(s). ... June 13, 2008 I wrote a summer poem for this week’s Poetry Stretch, and I decided to also post a summer poem today for Poetry Friday.
Fishing on the Susquehanna in July by Billy Collins
I have never been fishing on the Susquehannaor on any river for that matterto ... May 30, 2008
Brian P. Cleary, the author of a series of bestselling, very clever, rhyming grammar series, Words Are CATegorical (which includes titles like Lazily, Crazily, Just a Bit Nasally: More About Adverbs), also has other poetry/wordplay books, which I didn’t realize.
One is Rainbow Soup (Millbrook Press, 2004), which ... May 16, 2008
As I’m teaching my Getting to a Poem workshop this week, I am, as always, doing the assignments along with everyone else. One day we wrote poems based on places, so I browsed through my Scotland photos and decided to try to capture the immensity ... May 2, 2008 It’s fun to be participating from another country. Yesterday, we went to St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, where the architecture and stunning windows were awe-inspiring.
We also got to see the burial spot of James Graham, the first Marquis of Montrose.
We had read about him while learning ... April 17, 2008 It’s National Poetry Month, and today is Poem In Your Pocket day! OK, I’m not in New York, but still…I want to carry a poem!
I wanted to actually carry a poem from J. Patrick Lewis’ Scien-Trickery book of poem riddles, which I talked about here. ... April 10, 2008
I am so proud to be part of the crown sonnet project called Cutting a Swath, which a group of us are publishing on our blogs today! You can read all about the project at Liz in Ink, where Liz Garton Scanlon has the entire crown sonnet ... April 9, 2008 I was so excited to hear from J. Patrick Lewis a few weeks ago. And then I read Elaine Magliaro’s fantastic interview with him last week at Wild Rose Reader. I’ve been behind in my blog reading due to school visits and general life chaos, ... March 28, 2008
Today is Poetry Friday, and I wish I could spend the day reading or writing poetry. But I’m going to the Mall. Yes, I capitalized Mall because it’s THE Mall, the Mall of America.
I do not like malls nor shopping all that much. But today’s ... March 21, 2008 OK, I’ve whined already about my bad week. But at least one good thing happened!
On Wednesday, I found in my inbox an email with a sender of jplewis. I have a sister named J.P., and another sister with the last name of Lewis, and without ... March 13, 2008 Miss Rumphius has a photo-based Poetry Stretch this week, and the image is arresting. I tend not to choose images with people, because I usually prefer a more neutral scene that I can interpret any way I want. So writing a poem to an image that ... March 7, 2008
I recently read Naomi Shihab Nye’s Honeybee, and I really enjoyed it. I admit that parts of it felt too preachy for me, and other parts a bit inaccessible. But so many poems from it really struck my heart. Here are just a few favorites ... February 28, 2008
My older daughter, like any self-respecting 15-year-old, does not want to spend tons of time with me. Unless her friends are all busy and she’s bored. One thing we do enjoy doing together is going to Caribou Coffee and writing poems together. We’ve only done ... February 28, 2008 Driving home from a meeting today, I decided to jump into Miss Rumphius’ Poetry Stretch for the week. I decided to write my poem to a necessity of life: the backup disk.
To My Backup Disk
Small silver circle You are the storage shedin the back yard of ... February 15, 2008
For Valentine’s Day, my husband gave me a CD of Billy Collins Live, a performance from 2005. He did this even though we don’t make a big deal over Valentine’s Day (our anniversary is the week before it) and we had agreed to do nothing ... February 14, 2008 The Cybils have been announced, and This Is Just to Say, by Joyce Sidman, won for poetry. Yea! This is one of my top two favorite poetry books of 2007 (and now both have won major awards, hint, hint). It was fun being on the nominating ... February 7, 2008 Shoot! I just realized I haven’t done this week’s Poetry Stretch from the Miss Rumphius Effect yet! It’s a photopoetry challenge this week–I love that!
When I first glanced at the picture, I thought those were pigs on the ground. I’m relieved to see that they’re really ... February 1, 2008
The challenge from Tricia this week at The Miss Rumphius Effect was to write a roundel. I didn’t have time to do this, but I also didn’t do last week’s macaronic verse challenge. So Wednesday night, while I was at a ski trip meeting with ... January 16, 2008 OK, it’s only one cento, but it feels long! Miss Rumphius challenged us to a modified cento this week, using titles of favorite books. I chose mostly some of my favorite poetry books, from this year and years past. There are a couple I only chose for ... January 11, 2008
Yesterday, I went cross-country skiing for the first time. Although I mainly concentrated on set, push, glide, I did get to admire the gorgeous winter scenery. We’re having a snowy winter in Minnesota this year (although we need a fresh snowfall, please), and I love looking at bare ... November 28, 2007 I’m participating in Miss Rumphius’ poetry stretch this week, and it’s a sonnet. I’m taking part in that same poetry challenge she mentions, and I could also use some sonnet practice. Since I haven’t written one in, you know, decades. What on earth have I gotten ... November 16, 2007
Mary Logue is a award-winning Minnesota writer of adult novels, children’s novels, and poetry. She taught the very first class I took at the Loft Literary Center. Now she and her partner, National Book Award-winning Pete Hautman (how’s that for a powerhouse writing couple…geez!) live and sometimes ... November 12, 2007
I had heard of Mike Wohnoutka and seen several of his enticing, saturated-with-color books.
But I don’t know if I had ever officially met him before a Children’s Literature Network event last year. Arthur Levine came to Minneapolis and sat down for a conversation with 30 or so local ... October 14, 2007 So, I read about the double dactyl form of poetry on Kelly Fineman’s blog on Poetry Friday and decided to try one this weekend. I had never even heard of it!
Yesterday, as my kids were were shopping for inappropriate Halloween costumes (who knew the devil wore ... September 28, 2007
After posting Mary Oliver’s Alligator Poem last week, I decided to try my hand at writing a poem about my biggest fear. Alligators are a phobia of mine, but not something I really worry about here in Minnesota!
I knew my greatest fear was bad news ... September 21, 2007
I grew up in Florida near a lake and I have many memories involving alligators. Not good memories. They terrify me. And before I was old enough to be terrified, I was in rather close proximity a few times. Never attacked or chased, but close ...Student Equation Poems for Poetry Friday #PoetryFriday
Coast Guard Monument [15 Words or Less]
Join Me at Celebrate Science?
Dirty Clothes Do-Si-Do [Poetry Friday]
Frosted Snowflake [15 Words or Less]
In the Middle of the Night Giveaway!
Introducing In the Middle of the Night! #PoetryFriday
Leatherback [15 Words or Less]
Floor Lamp Waits [Poetry Friday]
Metal Tree [15 Words or Less]
Moose Topiary, Sort Of [15 Words or Less]
Olmec Head [15 Words or Less]
10 Nonfiction Picture Books with Interesting Structures or Formats #nf10for10
Write an Equation Poem? [Poetry Friday]
Bird on a Branch [15 Words or Less]
Lunch in a Refugee Reception Centre [Poetry Friday]
Eyeborg [15 Words or Less]
First Visit to the Ocean [Poetry Friday]
Cloth Caught Midair [15 Words or Less]
Introducing Snowman – Cold = Puddle: Spring Equations #PoetryFriday
When Clouds Grow Claws [15 Words or Less]
Winter Poem Swap #PoetryFriday
De-Icing an Airplane [15 Words or Less]
Anatomy of Typography [Poetry Friday]
Storm [15 Words or Less]
Gizmo [15 Words or Less]
Never Say No (to a Philly Cheesesteak) [Poetry Friday]
Shrouded Plants [15 Words or Less]
Pinwheels [15 Words or Less]
Cleaning Out My Locker [Poetry Friday]
Convention Center [15 Words or Less]
Wings Rising [15 Words or Less]
Can I Touch Your Hair? Gets Charlotte Huck Honor! [Poetry Friday]
Give Thanks [15 Words or Less]
Gargoyle [Poetry Friday]
Gold Statue [15 Words or Less]
Infinity [15 Words or Less]
I’m Looking for a Roommate for NCTE 2018–Oh, I’m Speaking, Too!
Water, Water Everywhere [Poetry Friday]
World Tour (After a Lucia Micarelli Concert) [Poetry Friday]
Car with Eyelashes [15 Words or Less]
Revenge (of the Bonneville Salt Flats) [Poetry Friday]
Atlatl [15 Words or Less]
Sacred Land [Poetry Friday]
Dragonfly Captured! [15 Words or Less]
spike roof shadow: Building Short Poems with the Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
Double Vision [15 Words or Less]
Is This Just Fantasy? [15 Words or Less]
Wind Tunnel [15 Words or Less]
Toys Rise Up! [15 Words or Less]
Daydreams Through a Looking Glass – Collage Cento [Poetry Friday]
Jeweled Fish [15 Words or Less]
Paddle Boat [15 Words or Less]
Bikes at a Salt Lake [15 Words or Less]
Foreign Letters [15 Words or Less]
Fountain [15 Words or Less]
Afraid to Wish for Answers [Poetry Friday]
Peacock [15 Words or Less]
On Your Way to School #PoetryFriday
Hay! [15 Words or Less]
Spurious Sayings [Poetry Friday]
Camel [15 Words or Less]
Together. Three. [Poetry Friday]
Mosaic Sky [15 Words or Less]
Things I Will Miss When We Move – an Aphra Behn Poem [Poetry Friday]
Refugee Camp Mural [15 Words or Less]
A Thousand Nicknames for Snow [Poetry Friday]
Tower Bridge [15 Words or Less]
Poems of Empathy – #PoetryFriday
Swan [15 Words or Less]
Right Now [Poetry Friday]
London Eye [15 Words or Less]
What We All Need [Poetry Friday]
Red Light, Green Light! [15 Words or Less]
3 Limericks with the Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
Iron Maiden [15 Words or Less]
Mediterranean Blue, by Naomi Shihab Nye #PoetryFriday
Aphrodite’s Rock [15 Words or Less]
Roundup of My Poetry Month Haiku [Poetry Friday]
Cereal? [15 Words or Less]
Mystical Mandan Villages and Teacher #PoetryFriday
Climbing Out [15 Words or Less]
Cow [15 Words or Less]
Day 29: Haiku: waves roll in and out
Day 28: Haiku: wooden bus stop bench
Forget charts and rules [15 Words or Less]
Day 25: Haiku: a plane of strangers
Day 24: Haiku: patio seats, treats
Day 20: Haiku: egg nog jellybeans
In a Salt Shaker Far, Far Away [15 Words or Less]
Day 18: Haiku: fresh green fiddlehead
Day 17: Haiku: Library beehive
Day 16: Haiku: irritated geese
Day 15: Haiku: Before the news breaks,
Day 14: Haiku: sky yells, “Pillow fight!”
Day 13: Haiku: focus ripped into…
Recipe for a Poetry Book–Happy Birthday, Lee Bennett Hopkins! [Poetry Friday]
Day 12: Haiku: headlights slice darkness
Blur [15 Words or Less]
Day 11: Haiku: steady drip-drop-drip
Haiku: Day 10: Joyce summons spring with
Day 9: Haiku: spin-out’s finished, but
Day 8: Haiku: white-haired man tries to
Day 7: Haiku: It looks like a book
Day 6: Haiku: Headline shouts, “ENOUGH!”
Borrow a Line with the Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
Extreme Swing and Day 5: The pause at the top
Day 4: Haiku: Basketball flies by
Day 3: Haiku: Scarlet in April
Progressive Poem Day 3 Is Here!
Day 2: Haiku: Minnesota spring
Day 1: Haiku: On the calendar
Do You Hear the Wind? [Poetry Friday]
Snowpeople [15 Words or Less]
Mandrake [15 Words or Less]
A Poem with “Parlance”? It’s Madness!
The Putrid Poetic Ponderings of Louis J. Pasternak AKA Dr. Skullstench [Poetry Friday]
Voldetort the Turtle [15 Words or Less]
Security Camera [Poetry Friday]
Eye [15 Words or Less]
Visiting Kirby Larson and Ekphrastic Poetry with Princesses [Poetry Friday]
Throne [15 Words or Less]
Poetry with Margaret Simon’s Students [Poetry Friday]
Penguin [15 Words or Less]
On the Wings of Stories #Poemsketch #Calendarpoem
A Poem for National Pig Day on March 1 [Classroom Connections] [Poetry Friday]
Silica Packet? [15 Words or Less]
ABCs with Traci Bold
10 Nonfiction Picture Books About Families #nf10for10
Dandelion Poem [Poetry Friday]
Tile Trees [15 Words or Less]
More Than Two Sides, a Tanka About Truth [Poetry Friday]
Winter Sky [15 Words or Less]
A Poem for Black History Month and for Dreamers [Classroom Connections] [Poetry Friday]
Avalanche? [15 Words or Less]
8 Things a Kid Believes In [Poetry Friday]
Angel Wings [15 Words or Less]
When Death Moved In [Poetry Friday]
Candle [15 Words or Less]
Mae’s Wall of Warmth [Poetry Friday]
Shredder [15 Words or Less]
My Favorite Poetry Picture Books of 2017 [Poetry Friday]
In Memory of Jack
Gloves in the Snow [15 Words or Less]
What Do the Trees Know? by Joyce Sidman [Poetry Friday]
Sailing Ships [15 Words or Less]
Hopscotch by Bob Raczka [Poetry Friday]
Coral? [15 Words or Less]
Jellyfish Dance [Poetry Friday]
Traffic Cones [15 Words or Less]
December #Poemsketch
Lai-ing About with Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
Bike Rack [15 Words or Less]
Silo Storm #Poemsketch
After #Poemsketch
Seamstresses #Poemsketch
Without [Poetry Friday]
Tree Puzzle [15 Words or Less]
AAAS/Subaru Finalists — Children’s Picture Books [Science]
Bald Head #Poemsketch
Another Breath from Breathe and Be by Kate Coombs [Poetry Friday]
Listening Pod [15 Words or Less]
First Snow – Triolets with the Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
Black Forest Face [15 Words or Less]
Autumn Leaf #Poemsketch
Almost Halloween #Poemsketch
Train Through Fence [15 Words or Less]
And Fall Arrives + Looking for NCTE Roomie
Not Frond of Palms #Poemsketch
Poems Are Teachers by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater [Poetry Friday]
Hydrangeas (I think) [15 Words or Less]
Beach Ball #Poemsketch
Lonely Sky #Poemsketch
Breathe and Be by Kate Coombs [Poetry Friday]
Rescued Owl [15 Words or Less]
Library Day #Poemsketch
Unarmored #Poemsketch
Power Tower Cinderella #Poemsketch
An Old Dog in Autumn with the Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
Making Art [15 Words or Less]
Finding a Flashlight #Poemsketch
Games by Candlelight #Poemsketch
Lamp #Poemsketch
An Open Book, by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater [Poetry Friday Roundup]
Burning Maple [15 Words or Less]
Survival Supplies #Poemsketch
Book Parties!
Snowy Egret #Poemsketch
Bird Footprints #Poemsketch
Shovel Left Behind #Poemsketch
Safety Pin [15 Words or Less]
Peace Sign Safety Pins
Mom’s Nightgown #Poemsketch
It’s State Fair Season! #Poemsketch
What Is a Dot? [Poetry Friday]
Moray Eel [15 Words or Less]
Strawberry-mango Waves #Poemsketch
Step Into a Storybook #Poemsketch
Locust Hurricane #Poemsketch
Trinity College Library [15 Words or Less]
Art in the Shadow of the Sheep Barn #Poemsketch
Stop Wishing for Me! [Poetry Friday with the Poetry Princesses]
Leopard [15 Words or Less]
no home but kindness #Poemsketch
The Shape of a Hug #Poemsketch
Fly #Poemsketch [Poetry Friday]
Beetle [15 Words or Less]
The Moon Visits Picture Book Builders
A Poem for the Solar Eclipse
Statues in the Park, Round 2 [Poetry Friday]
Life Preserver [15 Words or Less]
Michael the Bulldozer [Poetry Friday]
Maze [15 Words or Less]
#pb10for10 – Some Favorite Rhyming Nonfiction Picture Books
Statues in the Park [Poetry Friday]
Sail On! [15 Words or Less]
City Hall [15 Words or Less]
How to Make a Dog Live Forever [Poetry Friday]
Balcony Cat [15 Words or Less]
If You Are a Macaroni Noodle [Poetry Friday]
Globe [15 Words or Less]
She Walks in Glitter (Which Is a Lot Like Beauty) [Poetry Friday]
Egg [15 Words or Less]
Flames of Gratitude [Poetry Friday]
Eyebrows [15 Words or Less]
Book Spine Poems with Kids [Poetry Friday]
Mary Poppins [15 Words or Less]
Keep a Pocket in Your Poem, by J. Patrick Lewis [Poetry Friday]
Bee Cookie [15 Words or Less]
“The Genre Chant” [Poetry Friday]
Freeway Treeway [15 Words or Less]
Teaching Is Easy–You Should Try It, Too!
Leaving Things Behind – a Golden Shovel Poem [Poetry Friday]
Catacombs [15 Words or Less Poems]
Writing Poems with 5th Graders [Poetry Friday]
Sculpture of…? [15 Words or Less]
Summer Biopoem and Things to Do if You Are a Firework [Poetry Friday]
Arc De Triomphe Stairway [15 Words or Less]
Catching Up After Poetry Month [Poetry Friday]
Pink Cow [15 Words or Less]
Things to Do if You Are a Minnesota Summer [Poetry Friday]
Mont Saint Michel [15 Words or Less]
Looking for Native Speakers of Shona, Malay, Setswana, and Spanish
A Black-Eyed Susan Video for Maryland Educators
Drop of Water and Tree [National Poetry Month]
Day 30 of the Kidlitosphere Progressive Poem!
Yellow Umbrella [National Poetry Month] #moreforAKR
Dandelion [Poetry Friday]
Moon and Sunbound
Explorers [National Poetry Month]
Evergreen [National Poetry Month]
Scrabble [National Poetry Month]
Taco [National Poetry Month]
Cattail [National Poetry Month]
Award [Poetry Friday]
3 Poems and an Icelandic Horse [15 Words or Less]
My Scar [National Poetry Month]
A Chair [National Poetry Month]
Kitchen Canisters [National Poetry Month]
Running Water [National Poetry Month]
Clock [National Poetry Month]
Reflections [Poetry Friday]
Icelandic Bicycle [15 Words or Less]
Library [National Poetry Month]
Bud on Tree [National Poetry Month]
Snow [National Poetry Month]
Railroad Tracks [National Poetry Month]
Garden Center [National Poetry Month]
Oh My Darling Clementine [National Poetry Month]
Fire on a Windy Day [National Poetry Month]
Talking Back to Rilke with the Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
A Treat at Dairy Queen [National Poetry Month]
Northern Lights [15 Words or Less]
My Pen [National Poetry Month]
Decorations [National Poetry Month]
A Dog on My Lap [National Poetry Month]
Conker [National Poetry Month]
Single Serving Size [National Poetry Month]
5 Poetry Picture Books I’ve Loved Lately [Poetry Friday]
Tectonic Rift [15 Words or Less]
National Poetry Month Plans: #wonderbreak [Poetry Friday]
Eiffel Tower [15 Words or Less]
Wearing the Moon [Poetry Friday]
Moonglow [15 Words or Less]
Lava Cave [15 Words or Less]
Searching – an Ekphrastic Poem with the Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
The Bumble Ball [15 Words or Less]
Things to Do, by Elaine Magliaro [Poetry Friday]
Last Leaf [15 Words or Less]
Whale Postcard [15 Words or Less]
Game Night with Mostly Bookish Friends
Jone MacCulloch’s #PostcardXchange [Poetry Friday]
Barely the Moon [15 Words or Less]
One Day Too Late–Villanelles from the Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
Party Boar [15 Words or Less]
PostcardXChange Love [Poetry Friday]
Ice Carving [15 Words or Less]
The Best of Today’s Little Ditty [Poetry Friday]
Pawprint [15 Words or Less]
Tower [15 Words or Less]
Long Distance Relationship–Somonka with the Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
Dolphin Lady [15 Words or Less]
Rounding Up the Poetry Princesses
The Nerdies!
Losing Perspective [15 Words or Less Poems]
Airport Gorilla [15 Words or Less]
The Scraps of the Year–Happy Holidays!
Taking Pictures (by me) [Poetry Friday]
Jigsaw [15 Words or Less Poems]
Here and There
What Will the Aide Do? [Poetry Friday]
Cookie Monster! [15 Words or Less Poems]
Sharing the Slides from the 2016 NCTE Notable Poetry List Session
Going Peacock on You with the Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
What Didn’t Make the Cut in One Minute ‘Till Bedtime [Poetry Friday, Part 1]
Grid [15 Words or Less Poems]
First Review of If You Were the Moon
[Crow Balance] 15 Words or Less Poems
Umbrella Chandelier [15 Words or Less Poems]
Finding Wonders, by Jeannine Atkins [Poetry Friday]
Storm [15 Words or Less Poems]
Terza Rimas with the Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday Roundup]
Locks [15 Words or Less Poems]
The Country, by Billy Collins [Poetry Friday]
Viking Ship [15 Words or Less Poems]
Ambush, by Jane Yolen [Poetry Friday]
Window [15 Words or Less Poems]
We’re Bats, from One Minute Till Bedtime [Poetry Friday]
Mushroom [15 Words or Less Poems]
Cover of If You Were the Moon and More 2017 Picture Books
Ekphrastic Poems with the Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
Horse [15 Words or Less Poems]
Before Morning [Poetry Friday]
Tennis [15 Words or Less Poems]
Tower [15 Words or Less Poems]
Happy Birthday, Maddie!
Goodbye to Summer, Hello to Fall [Poetry Friday]
Hello [15 Words or Less Poems]
Subway Map [15 Words or Less Poems]
Clogyrnachs with the Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
Volcano [15 Words or Less Poems]
Quilt [15 Words or Less Poems]
Airport Piano Man [15 Words or Less Poems]
Tyger [15 Words or Less Poems]
Ekphrastic Poems with the Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
Spark [15 Words or Less Poems]
Splash [15 Words or Less Poems]
Fluff [15 Words or Less Poems]
Dragon Dreams [Poetry Friday]
Tractor [15 Words or Less Poems]
House for Sale with the Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
Disappearing [15 Words or Less Poems]
Dog on the Job, a Zeno Poetryaction [Poetry Friday]
Tracks [15 Words or Less Poems]
My Voice, by Laura Shovan [Poetry Friday]
Ducks on a Log [15 Words or Less Poems]
Revenge of the White Dragon [Poetry Friday]
Umbrella, Inside [15 Words or Less Poems]
Harpy Is Just a Word with the Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
Biopoems from Young Authors Conference [Poetry Friday]
Bird [15 Words or Less Poems]
Testing Shame, a Poem About High-Stakes Testing
Jailed [15 Words or Less Poems]
More Poems About Balance
When They Write, a Poem About Student Writing
Seesaw Highs and Lows, a Poem About Balance
An Answer to, “Teachers have it easy–three months off!”
Boxed In [15 Words or Less Poems]
Acceleration Exasperation
“A Mole of My Acquaintance” by J. Patrick Lewis [Poetry Friday]
Open Wide [15 Words or Less Poems]
The Heart of a Teacher Is Here!
Water Can Be… a Black-Eyed Susan Picture Book Nominee!
Back to Life with the Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
Branches [15 Words or Less Poems]
The Progressive Poem–Complete!
Post-Putrid Poetry: Thank You!
Putrid Poetry: Day 29: Poetry Heals: A Get Well Poem for Miss Sweetmallow
Play(ne)ground [15 Words or Less Poems]
Putrid Poetry: Day 28: Family Recipe
Putrid Poetry: Day 27: Bats on the Move
Putrid Poetry: Day 26: Attacking Bubble Gum
Putrid Poetry: Day 25: Talent Share Day
Putrid Poetry: Day 24: Class Is a Gas
Putrid Poetry: Day 23: Value Foods’ Hot Dog-Eating Contest
Putrid Poetry: Day 22: Rules from Mom and Dad [Poetry Friday]
Neon Sky [15 Words or Less Poems]
Putrid Poetry: Day 21: Rabbits Recycle!
Putrid Poetry: Day 20: This Really Happened!
Putrid Poetry: Day 19: One Fine Spine–For Now
Putrid Poetry: Day 18: Lamar Didn’t Listen
Putrid Poetry: Day 17: Bloody Memory
Putrid Poetry: Day 16: Eddie’s Trick and So-Called Stew
Putrid Poetry: Day 15: The Piandroid
Putrid Poetry: Day 14: Grandma’s Snakes
Sunroof [15 Words or Less Poems]
Putrid Poetry: Day 13: Lemons Coming Out of My Pores
Celebrating Librarians
Putrid Poetry: Day 12: Don’t Look at Uncle Gary!
Putrid Poetry: Day 11: My Mom Doesn’t ALWAYS Embarrass Me
Putrid Poetry: Day 10: Guaranteed to Make You Puke
Putrid Poetry: Day 9: The Ballad of My Shameful Mother
Putrid Poetry: Day 8: The Bald Truth [Poetry Friday Roundup!]
Who, Me? [15 Words or Less Poems]
Putrid Poetry: Day 7: Head Cheese
Putrid Poetry: Day 6: If You Accidentally Swallow Ocean Water
Putrid Poetry: Day 5: Shh…It’s a Snake
Putrid Poetry: Day 4: Pimple Popping
Putrid Poetry: Day 3: My Grand Canyon Feet
Putrid Poetry: Day 2: Lovebug Popcorn
The Progressive Poem Begins
Grasshopper Reality TV with the Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
Putrid Poetry: Day 1: It Begins
Eggshell [15 Words or Less Poems]
Writing, Moving, and Spinning in Circles
Rabbits Recycle, from Putrid Poetic Ponderings [Poetry Friday]
Tangled [15 Words or Less Poems]
A Putrid Poetry Class Readaloud for National Poetry Month!
Happy Spring with Every Day Birds
Congrats to Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, Plus a Ken Slesarik First-Grade Poetry Project [Poetry Friday]
Late Snow [15 Words or Less Poems]
Poetryaction for Summer Birds [Poetry Friday]
Landing [15 Words or Less Poems]
Plans for National Poetry Month
A Sap and Sun Sedoka with the Poetry Princesses [Poetry Friday]
Snowplowasaurus [15 Words or Less Poems]
A Poetryaction for If You Plant a Seed [Poetry Friday]
Leaf Necklace [15 Words or Less Poems]
What a School Can Be (Poetry Friday)
Sort of Ceiling [15 Words or Less Poems]
I Don’t Know Art, But I Know What I Don’t Like [Poetry Friday]
Garden Snake? [15 Words or Less Poems]
A Plea from the Invisible–a Diversity Acrostic by Laura Purdie Salas
Things To Do If… Student Poems
“Forgetfulness” by Billy Collins
Froggy? [15 Words or Less Poems]
Poetryaction and Bookalikes for P. Zonka Lays an Egg
Poetryaction for The Secret Life of Squirrels
Poetryaction for The Harvey Milk Story
A Poetryaction for Poetry Friday
Pipe Cleaners [15 Words or Less Poems]
A Skeleton for Poetry Friday
Trunk [15 Words or Less Poems]
Poetryaction and Bookalikes for Marilyn’s Monster
The Periodic Table – a Crown Sonnet by the Poetry Sisters [Poetry Friday]
Antlers [15 Words or Less Poems] & Live Writing Video
Cougar [15 Words or Less Poems]
Merry Poetry Friday Christmas!
A Pear-y Pretty Chandelier [15 Words or Less Poems]
BookSpeak, Old-School!
My Biggest Fan
Poetry Friday Anthology for Science–remix!
Great Gourd! [15 Words or Less Poems]
Welcome to My New Site!
Poetryaction for Blizzard
Ice on Fire [15 Words or Less Poems]
Poetryaction for Please, Mr. Panda
Poetryaction for Ben & Zip
Poetryaction for Bedtime at the Nut House
The Light, a Poem Honoring CLA and Reading Teachers and Researchers
Key Lime…Pie? [15 Words or Less Poems]
Fierce, a Thanksgiving Villanelle
Jungle Tile [15 Words or Less Poems]
Laura’s Poetry Sampler
Inside Music [15 Words or Less Poems]
2 Kinds of Cats, a Poem by Laura Purdie Salas
Brinicle, from National Geographic’s Book of Nature Poetry
X Marks What? [15 Words or Less Poems]
Unwrapped, a Wild Poetry Cheer for Irene Latham
Ekphrastic Poems with the Poetry Sisters [Poetry Friday]
Armor [15 Words or Less Poems]
“In Laughter and Play” by Nancy Bo Flood (and a giveaway)
Airplane Window [15 Words or Less Poems]
Poetryaction and Bookalikes for In Mary’s Garden
Cows [15 Words or Less Poems]
Poetryaction for Toad Weather
Poetryaction and Bookalikes for Emu
Pipes [15 words or less poems]
Poetryaction and Bookalikes for By Mouse & Frog
Poetryaction and Bookalikes for Sweep Up the Sun
Poetryaction and Bookalikes for Whale Trails
Sailing Stone, National Geographic’s Book of Nature Poetry, & the Poetry Friday Roundup!
Reaching Hands [15 words or less poems]
The Sun and the Moon Gripe a Little [Poetry Friday]
Flower Boot [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction for When the Wind Blows
Fossil [15 words or less poems]
Pencil Riddle-ku
Photopoem Summer Splashings Gallery
A Forest Riddle-ku
The Giant Spider [15 words or less poems]
Poetry Contest for 3rd-8th Grade
Pinata [15 words or less poems]
Back to School with Poetry
Found Poems with the Poetry Sisters [Poetry Friday]
The Arch [15 words or less poems]
Bull vs. Bear [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction and bookalikes for Lost and Found
Big Fish [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction for Totally Secret Secret
poetryaction and bookalikes for Popcorn Astronauts
Eros [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction for Wherever You Go
poetryaction and bookalikes for Yard Sale
Classified Haiku [Poetry Friday]
Weebles [15 words or less poems]
Displaying Your Students’ Poems or Other Projects
Pit [15 words or less poems]
My Cat, by Valerie Worth
Umbrellas [15 words or less poems]
Meet Me in St. Louis? And poetryaction for Dolphin Baby!
Theater [15 words or less poems]
Fall is like a last-chance hand (the Poetry 7 are at it again)
Belly of the Beast [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction for Giant Squid
Marie [15 words or less poems]
Random Body Parts, by Leslie Bulion
A Jig and a Poem [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction for See What a Seal Can Do
A Poem for Charleston
poetryactions and bookalikes for Snow School
Iron Man [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction for Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise
poetryaction and bookalikes for Wolfie the Bunny
Dandelion [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction and bookalikes for Santa Clauses
poetryaction for Spiky, Slimy, Smooth
In Praise of Junk Food
Window [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction for The Iridescence of Birds
Statue [15 words or less poems]
When a Poem Is a Blanket
poetryaction for If You Were a Dog [poetry friday]
Concert [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction and bookalikes for Last Stop on Market Street
Poetry Tips for Teachers Roundup
poetryaction for All Aboard [poetry friday]
Seagull [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction and bookalikes for You Are (Not) Small
poetryaction for Imani’s Moon
poetryaction and bookalikes for Scaly Spotted Feathered Frilled
Oh, Did You Need That Homework? [poetry friday]
Straws [15 words or less poems]
Tip #23: Ask Kids Questions [Poetry Tips for Teachers]
2 Poems for Poetry Friday!
Tip #22: Fess Up [and 15 Words or Less Poems]
Tip #21: Focus on Sounds [Poetry Tips for Teachers]
Tip #20: Mix It Up! [Poetry Tips for Teachers]
Tip#19: Let kids chime in! [Plus a guest post for rhyming writers]
Tip #18: Let the Poet Read [Poetry Tips for Teachers]
Tip #17: Give a Line Some Space [and 15 Words or Less Poems]
Tip #16: Add Sound Effects [Poetry Tips for Teachers]
Tip #15: Echo Read [Poetry Tips for Teachers]
Tip #14: Riddle Me This [Poetry Tips for Teachers]
Tip #13: Lights Out! [Poetry Tips for Teachers]
Tip #12: Use a Prop [and 15 Words or Less Poems]
Tip #11: Focus on Transitions [Poetry Tips for Teachers]
Tip #10: Emphasize Important Words [Poetry Tips for Teachers]
Tip #9: Speed It Up! [Poetry Tips for Teachers]
Tip #8: Connect With the Poem & Poetry Friday Roundup!
Tip #7: Walk and Stop [and 15 Words or Less Poems]
Tip #6: Make a Face [Poetry Tips for Teachers]
Tip #5: Make a Face [Poetry Tips for Teachers]
Tip #4: Slow Down [Poetry Tips for Teachers]
Tip #3: Post It [Poetry Tips for Teachers]
Tip #2: Define It [and 15 Words or Less Poems]
Tip #1: Twice Is Nice [Poetry Tips for Teachers]
National Poetry Month and Poetry Tips for Teachers
Thanks for Rocking My Blog and Welcome to National Poetry Month
Perfect [15 words or less poems]
Cow? [15 words or less poems]
Stay! [15 words or less poems]
The Uprising–a Sestina [poetry friday]
Spectacles [15 words or less poems]
Blizzard, by Barbara Juster Esbensen
Yarn [15 words or less poems]
Read Across America with 50 State Poems!
Why Can’t I Feel the Earth Spin? Why-ku by Laura Purdie Salas [Poetry Friday]
Old Tree [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction and bookalikes for One Plastic Bag
Why Don’t We Float Away? [why-ku]
Meet My Collaborator, Mary Lee Hahn
Why Can’t I Fly: Why-ku by Laura Purdie Salas [Poetry Friday]
Onion [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction and bookalikes for Star Stuff
poetryaction and bookalikes for Taking a Bath With the Dog
Just a Rock [poetry friday]
Burr [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction for Junkyard Wonders
poetryaction and bookalikes for Toucan Can!
poetryaction and bookalikes for Yuck!
poetryaction for Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla
Flowers [15 words or less poems]
Everglades–With a Dash of Salt: a 50 State Poems Poem
Alaska: Night Lights: a 50 State Poems Poem
Bell [15 words or less poems]
Washington: Move It! a 50 State Poems Poem
North Carolina: On Her Way to the Graveyard: a 50 State Poems Poem
Swirly Jack [15 words or less poems]
Meet My Collaborator, Catherine Flynn
Broken Yolk [poetry friday]
Pineapple [15 words or less poems]
Rowing to the Future [poetry friday]
Moss [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction for Ben Franklin’s Big Splash
poetryaction for Caminar
poetryaction to Sometimes You Barf
Tights [15 words or less poems] and Merry Christmas!
poetryaction for Circle, Square, Moose
poetryaction and bookalikes for Big Bug
Happy Holidays and poetryaction to Camp Rex
poetryactions for Moonlight and It Is Night
Charmed [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction for The Baby Tree
Lionesses: Girrrrrrrrl Power! A Need to Feed Poem
Hickory Dickory Dance: A Need to Feed Poem
Wolf: Death Dance [Poetry Friday]
Crabby [15 words or less poems]
Brotherly Love: A Need to Feed Poem
poetryaction for Flight School
The View [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction for Monday, Wednesday, and Every Other Weekend
poetryaction for Silly Doggy!
poetryaction to Pierre in Love
Silk [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction for Trains Go
poetryaction for What There Is Before There Is Anything There
poetryaction for When the Wolves Returned
Misbehaving Magic Wand, by Laura Purdie Salas
Bow-Wow Pirate [15 words or less poems]
Out of Time, by Laura Purdie Salas
Meet My Collaborator, Colby Sharp
Cinderella poem, by Laura Purdie Salas
The World’s Last Magic Bean, by Laura Purdie Salas
Enclosure [15 words or less poems]
Solid Gold Sounds, by Laura Purdie Salas
Fee-Fie-Foe-Fairian: Surprise! I’m Vegetarian!, by Laura Purdie Salas
Jack and the Beanstalk poem, by Laura Purdie Salas
poetryaction to Winter Bees
Leaping Hare [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction to Number One Sam
poetryaction to Peggy: A Brave Chicken on a Big Adventure
poetryaction to Dinosaur vs. School, by Bob Shea
“Snowflake Wakes” by Joyce Sidman [Poetry Friday]
Scary Hands [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction to The Flat Rabbit, by Bardur Oskarsson
poetryaction to Chengdu Could Not, Would Not Fall Asleep
Empty Liner [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction to Super Sniffers, by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
poetryaction to Take Away the A, by Michael Escoffier
My Little Free Library! and a poetryaction to Fall Leaves, by Loretta Holland
poetryaction to The Tree House That Jack Built, by Bonnie Verburg
Dino [15 words or less poems]
poetryaction to The Promise, by Nicola Davies
This Merry-Go-Round [by Laura Purdie Salas]
Hidden [15 words or less poems]
A riddle-ku revision
Meet My Collaborator, Marcie Flinchum Atkins
My Next Book: Riddle-ku: Haiku for Very Close Reading
Scroll [15 words or less poems]
A Taste of Voices from the March on Washington
“Lioness, After the Hunt” [by Irene Latham]
What’s Inside? and Poetry Friday Roundup!
Scarecookies [15 words or less]
Meet My Collaborator, Ed Spicer!
Ninth-Inning Win (a What’s Inside poem)
What’s Inside This Baseball?
Poetry Friday – A Daughter Can Be…
Beads [15 words or less]
Flowerful Flood (a What’s Inside poem)
What’s Inside This Bud?
Poetry Friday – What’s Inside This Egg? by Laura Purdie Salas
Niagara Falls [15 words or less]
Changing to Moth (a What’s Inside poem)
What’s Inside This Paper Balloon?
Poetry Friday – Until I Saw the Sea, by Lilian Moore
Big Wheels [15 words or less]
Weeds [15 words or less]
Poetry Friday – “Good-bye, Hello!” by Laura Purdie Salas (a back-to-school poem)
Lamp [15 words or less]
Poetry Friday – “What a Day,” by J. Patrick Lewis
Statue [15 words or less]
Poetry Friday – “The Mollusk That Made You,” by Joyce Sidman
Shooting Star [15 words or less]
Hands [15 words or less]
Poetry Friday – “Last Impression,” by J. Patrick Lewis
Fungus [15 words or less]
Go Fly a Kite, by Laura Purdie Salas [Poetry Friday]
Metal Woman [15 words or less]
What Rhino Knows, by Irene Latham [Poetry Friday]
Hoofing It [15 words or less]
Fireworks, by Rebecca Kai Dotlich [Poetry Friday]
Hallway Beacon [15 words or less]
Lem Tremolo, by Kurt Cyrus [Poetry Friday]
Tree Eyes [15 words or less]
Lichen [15 words or less]
Turtle [15 words or less]
Curly-leaf Pondweed, by Joanne Linden [Poetry Friday]
Grassy [15 words or less]
“Geese,” by Valerie Worth [Poetry Friday]
Prickly [15 words or less]
New Ways to Perform Poetry
T Is for Tide, by Richard Michelson [Poetry Friday]
Can Top [15 words or less]
Bathtub Car, by J. Patrick Lewis [Poetry Friday]
Tree [15 words or less]
Riddle-ku Roundup!
November Night, by Adelaide Crapsey [Poetry Friday]
Globes [15 words or less]
Rain Forest, by Marilyn Singer, pt. 2
Courage [15 words or less]
Riddle-Ku! [squeeze]
Riddle-Ku! [tail whisks]
Riddle-Ku! [smarter]
Riddle-Ku! [dive into milk]
Riddle-Ku! [mountain’s crumb]
Riddle-Ku! [big drum]
Riddle-Ku! [don’t shoot]
Riddle-Ku! [watch me]
Riddle-Ku! [water slide]
Riddle-Ku! [light rules]
Riddle-Ku! [hold cold]
Riddle-Ku! [simple twist]
Riddle-Ku! [no faces]
Riddle-Ku! [slurp-burp]
Riddle-Ku! [yellow explodes]
Riddle-Ku! [darkness]
Riddle-Ku! [vast jungle]
Riddle-Ku! [hand to dog]
Riddle-Ku! [sleep launchpad]
Riddle-Ku! [halves]
Riddle-Ku! [drift down]
Riddle-Ku! [chase dirt]
Riddle-Ku! [over your head]
Riddle-Ku! [secret wand]
Riddle-Ku! [sky-sea]
Riddle-Ku! [wave like a flag]
Riddle-Ku! [wrapped-up sun]
Riddle-Ku! [merry-go-round]
Riddle-Ku! [pencil crop]
Riddle-Ku! [metal snake]
Winter Rain, by Christina Rossetti [Poetry Friday]
Ribs [15 words or less]
Slow Jets [15 words or less]
“What Can You Make from Carbon?” by Laura Purdie Salas [Poetry Friday]
Behind the Glass [15 words or less]
Natl. Poetry Month Sneak Peek: Riddle-Ku!
“Pure Imagination,” by Roald Dahl [Poetry Friday]
Cock-a-Doodle-Doo [15 words or less]
“Ocean Tales,” by Laura Purdie Salas [Poetry Friday]
Ghostly [15 words or less]
“Dusk,” by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, pt. 2
“Dusk ,” by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater [Poetry Friday]
Lobster [15 words or less]
“Snowflake,” by Nikki Grimes, pt. 2
“Snowflake,” by Nikki Grimes [Poetry Friday]
Snow Cloud [15 words or less]
A Meal of the Stars, by Dana Jensen, pt. 2
A Meal of the Stars (by Dana Jensen) [poetry friday]
Mirror [15 words or less]
Blush (by Laura Purdie Salas) [poetry friday]
Tracks [15 words or less]
Look Up! [15 words or less]
Rope [15 words or less]
Bridge [15 words or less]
Song of the Ice Storm [poetry friday]
The View [15 words or less]
Tree Neighbor [15 words or less]
Dancin’ (Snow)man (by Laura Purdie Salas) [poetry friday]
Starlight [15 words or less]
Schoolhouse (by Cynthia Grady) [poetry friday]
No bull! [15 words or less]
Song of Bravery (by Joyce Sidman) [poetry friday]
Man or Machine? [15 words or less]
Thanksgiving [15 words or less]
[15 words or less] Elmo in Trouble
[just wondering…] If Books Were Kids…
[poetry friday] Ice Bridge (by Jane Yolen)
[15 words or less] Shadeless
[poetry friday] Sleep Charm (by Joyce Sidman)
[15 words or less] Submerged
[happy news] Whee! The Journal of Children’s Literature!
[15 words or less] Giselle
[poetry friday] Mice on Skates (by me)
[15 words or less] Bacteria?
[poetry friday] Winter’s Otter Song (by me)
[15 words or less] Funnel
“Buckled Bricks” and Poetry Friday Roundup!
[15 words or less] Mermaid
[poetry friday] Mortimer Minute Blog Hop
[15 words or less] Towel Dog
[poetry friday] “Nothing New” [Nikki Grimes]
[15 words or less] Scissors
[poetry friday] “Bathtub Families” (by Billy Collins)
[15 words or less] Book Plate and PoetryMinute.org
[poetry friday] Voyager 1
[15 words or less] Face
[15 words or less] Stubble
[15 words or less poems] Lifeboats
[15 words or less poems] To the Sky Light
[15 words or less poems] Foamy
[15 words or less poems] Wispy
[15 words or less poems] Spidey?
[poetry friday] “Fire” (by Laura Purdie Salas)
[15 words or less poems] Blue Mood
[15 words or less poems] Swan
[poetry friday] “Woolly Rider” (by Nancy Bo Flood) & Giveaway!
[15 words or less poems] Hay there!
[Poetry Friday] “On the Death of Blue Whales” (by J. Patrick Lewis)
[15 words or less poems] Eeek!
[15 words or less poems] Hard-Headed
[poem starter audio] You’d Better Be Scared (by me)
[15 words or less poems] Juliet?
[poetry friday] “Robby” (by Judith Viorst)
[15 words or less poems] Who Knows?
[Poetry Friday] “Hand Shadows”
[15 words or less poems] Is That a #2 Pencil?
[psvid] “The First” (J. Patrick Lewis)
[psvid] “Werewolf Warning” (Bobbi Katz)
The Progressive Poem Is Here: Poetry Month Day 28
[psvid] “A Fishy Spell” (Tamera Will Wissinger)
[psvid] “Blustering Buster” (Linda Ashman)
[psvid] “Book Plate” (Laura Purdie Salas)
[psvid] “Adaptation” (Tracie Vaughn Zimmer)
[psvid] “Bluejay Sings Two Different Songs” (Mary Lee Hahn)
[psvid] “The Guy in the Closet” (Heidi Bee Roemer)
[psvid] “Song of the Boat” (Kate Coombs)
[psvid] “Guinea Pig” (Lisa Wheeler)
[psvid] “Mistake” (Lorraine Marwood)
[psvid] “Jump!” (Marilyn Singer)
[psvid] “A Place to Share” (Kelly Fineman)
[psvid] “Bats” (J. Patrick Lewis)
[psvid] “Sack Lunch” (Charles Waters)
[psvid] “The Do Kind” (Janet Wong)
[psvid] “School Supplies” (Kenn Nesbitt)
[psvid] A Winter Haiku (Bob Raczka)
[psvid] “Sing a Song of Cities” (Lee Bennett Hopkins)
[psvid] “Kisses” (Robert Weinstock)
[psvid] “Signing on a Crew” (David L. Harrison)
[psvid] “Oak” (Douglas Florian)
[psvid] “The Chambered Nautilus” (David Elliott)
[psvid] “Coward Crocodile” (Renee LaTulippe)
[psvid] “Dark Emperor” (Joyce Sidman)
[psvid] “Riddle” (Nikki Grimes)
[psvid] “Moonlit Raccoon” (Deborah Ruddell)
[psvid] “Giant’s Wife Confides in Jack” (Rebecca Kai Dotlich)
[psvid] “Hooray for the Sea and the ROV” (Leslie Bulion)
[psvid] “Invitation” (Amy Ludwig VanDerwater)
[poetry friday] “Shades of Red” – a Poem Starter
[15 words or less poems] The Mystery of the Sphinx
[poetry friday] “I Am Fog” — a Poem Starter
[15 words or less poems] Gnarled
[poetry friday] “Blow It Up, Pufferfish” — My March Madness Poetry Poem
[15 words or less poems] Where Would You Like This Camel Delivered?
[poetry friday] “Ordinary” — a Poem Starter
[15 words or less poems] Giant Snowman
[poetry friday] “Say Yes” — a Poem Starter
[15 words or less poems] Petal
[Poetry Friday] “A Coincidence of Greatness” (by J. Patrick Lewis)
[15 words or less poems] Tickets!
[Poetry Friday] Cybils!
[15 Words or Less Poems] Sparkle & Cybils!
[Poetry Friday] “The Slugger”
[15 Words or Less Poems] Seedhead
[Poetry Friday] “The Elf”
[15 Words or Less Poems] Glass Ceiling
[Good News] “Winter Window”
[Poetry Friday] The Shark (by David Elliott)
[15 Words or Less Poems] Roots
[Poetry Friday] Seagulls (by Kate Coombs)
[15 Words or Less Poems] Glasses
[My Writing Life] I’m In the Journal of Children’s Literature!
[15 Words or Less Poems] Sea Serpent
[Poetry Play] A Careerhyme Challenge
[Poetry Friday] CYBILS Finalists!
[15 Words or Less Poems] Lion
[Poetry Friday] Icicles, Cold and Waiting (by Laura Purdie Salas)
[Poetry Friday] Driving West in 1970
[Poetry Friday] Think Big! by Liz Garton Scanlon
Gathering Books Shows BookSpeak Some Book Love
[Poetry Friday] Beacons of the Earth and Sky
[Poetry Friday] Last Laughs: Animal Epitaphs
[Nonfiction Monday] Eureka!
[Poetry Friday] Book of Animal Poetry, Take 2 (with Classroom Guide!)
[15 Words or Less Poems] Webs
Poetry Friday is Here! The Watch That Ends the Night
[Poetry Friday] National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry
[Be on the Lookout] Gone Fishing: A Novel in Verse
[Poetry Friday] Charm Bracelet and the Poetry Friday Anthology
[Poetry Friday] Last Laughs: Animal Epitaphs
[Poetry Friday] Sea Change (Another Rachel Carson poem)
[Poetry Friday] Rachel Carson: Reborn at Sea
Poetry Friday: The Dragon (by Madeleine L’Engle)
Poetry Friday: Day of the Pigweed (by Doug Cushman)
Poetry Friday: More Than a Number (lyrics by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater)
Poetry Friday: World (lyrics by John Ondrasik)
Hear Poet David Harrison on Goose Lake
Poetry Friday: What’s Looking at You, Kid? (by J. Patrick Lewis)
Poetry Friday: To One Dead (by Francis Ledwidge)
Poetry Friday: John Ciardi’s Shark Dentist (by J. Patrick Lewis)
Daisy Chain Haiku by the Poetry Sisters
BookSpeak Is at the Dance!
Poem-a-Day: #30
Poem-a-Day: #29
Poem-a-Day: #28
Poetry Friday and Poem-a-Day: #27
Poem-a-Day: #25
Poem-a-Day: #24
Poem-a-Day: #23 and the Hate-Mongering Tart
Poem-a-Day: #22
Poem-a-Day: #21
Poetry Friday and Poem-a-Day: #20
15 Words or Less and Poem-a-Day: #19
Poem-a-Day: #18 (Plus Poem in Your Pocket and a BookSpeak Giveaway)
Poem-a-Day: #17
Poem-a-Day: #1 6 and Nonfiction Monday: What We Wear (Maya Ajmera)
Poem-a-Day: #15
Poem-a-Day: #14 and a BookSpeak! Award
Poetry Friday and Poem-a-Day: #13
Poem-a-Day: #11 and Bank Street’s Best Books of 2012
Poem-a-Day: #10
Poem-a-Day: #9 and (Gulp) a Poem Video
Poem-a-Day: #8
Poem-a-Day: #7
Down on the [Poem] Farm with BookSpeak!
Poetry Friday and Poem-a-Day: #6
15 Words or Less and Poem-a-Day: #5
Poem-a-Day: #4
Poem-a-Day: #3
Poem-a-Day: #2
Poem-a-Day: #1
Poetry Friday: March Madness, Poetry-Style
Poetry Friday: The Bells (Edgar Allan Poe)
Poetry Friday: On a Night of Snow (Elizabeth Coatsworth)
And the Cybils Go To…
Poetry Friday is Here at Goose Lake!
wholly to be a fool for Randy
Poetry Friday: Best of a Bad Spell (Steven Withrow)
Poetry Friday: Juvenile Court (Sara Henderson Hay)
Cybils Finalists Announced!
Poetry Friday: Requiem (Paul B. Janeczko)
BookSpeak! A Proud Poetry Nerdie
David Harrison’s New Poetry e-Book
Poetry Friday: Ring Out, Wild Bells (by Alfred, Lord Tennyson)
Poetry Friday: Tree (Janet Wong)
Poetry Friday: Lost Poems (Ralph Fletcher)
Poetry Friday Roundup: Starry Beach
Poetry Friday: Chocolate-Covered Ants (by J. Patrick Lewis)
Happy Birthday, BookSpeak!
Poetry Friday: Dogku (Andrew Clements)
Poetry Friday: Desert Moon (by Marilyn Singer)
Poetry Friday: p*tag, a poetry e-thology for teens
Poetry Friday: Two Twosomes from Marilyn Singer
Happy Birthday, Maddie!
The Loudest Quiet
A Dazzling Display of Dogs, by Betsy Franco
Poetry Friday: Spider (Alice Schertle)
Circling Around
Poetry Friday: Constellation (by Bob Raczka)
Poetry Friday: Sylvia Vardell’s Clips from the ALA Poetry Blast, Part 3
One Book I Love: I Am the Book
Poetry Friday: Sylvia Vardell’s Clips from the ALA Poetry Blast, Part 2
Poetry Friday: Sylvia Vardell’s Clips from the ALA Poetry Blast
Poetry Friday: Golden Possibilities (by me)
Poetry Friday: Get Smart With the Periodic Table (by me)
Poetry Friday: Summer (Barney Saltzberg)
Poetry Friday: The Summer I Was Sixteen
Poetry Friday: Poetry (Don Paterson)
Poetry Friday: Jellyfishing, by Leslie Bulion
Acting Out “After the Storm”: Teacher Tips
Poetry Friday: After the Storm (by me)
“How to Talk to a Girl” at GottaBook!
Poetry Friday: The Year of Goodbyes (Debbie Levy)
PoetryTagTime, E-Poems for You
Poetry Friday: Memory (Tracie Vaughn Zimmer)
Poetry Friday: Calling All Readers (by me)
Poetry Friday: The Secret of the Machines
Poetry Friday: Let Me Die a Young Man’s Death (J. Patrick Lewis)
CYBILS!
Poetry Friday: Happy Anniversary, Randy
Poetry Friday: Wintry Warmth (by me)
Poetry Friday: The Ghoul at the Gate (Jessica Swaim)
Poetry Friday Roundup: Snail at Moonrise (by Joyce Sidman)
Newbery Honor for Joyce Sidman!
Poetry Friday: Winter Home (by Rebecca Kai Dotlich) from Sharing the Seasons
It’s Like Billy Collins Read My Mind!
Cybils Finalists!
Poetry Friday: My End of Year Haiku to You
Poetry Friday: December (by Aileen Fisher)
Poetry Friday: The Swan (by Jack Prelutsky)
Poetry Friday: Guyku, by Bob Raczka
Poetry Friday: Frame, Mask and Mirror and The Heart (JonArno Lawson)
Poetry Friday: The Wolf (by David Elliott)
Poetry Friday: The Witch’s Garden (Lilian Moore) and Kidlit Con
Poetry Friday: Recycled
Poetry Friday: A Note (by Wislawa Szymborska)
Poetry Friday: The Insult (by me)
Poetry Friday: I’m Sort of Sorry About What Happened… (by me)
Poetry Friday: How to Talk to a Girl (by Me)
Poetry Friday: Dark Emperor (Joyce Sidman)
Poetry Friday: Housekeeping (Jeannine Atkins)
Poetry Friday: suggestion (Mackenzie Connellee)
Poetry Friday: Stars (Rebecca Kai Dotlich)
Poetry Friday: “Do You Have Any Advice For Those of Us Just Starting Out?”
Poetry Friday: Bell Rocket Belt (by J. Patrick Lewis)
Poetry Friday: Spread the Good News
Poetry Friday: Jane Kenyon Went to My Pool?
Poetry Friday Right Here!
The 4:00 Book Hook Gives Stampede a Shout-Out
Poem of the Day: No Images (by Waring Cuney)
Poem of the Day: The Mollusk That Made You (Joyce Sidman)
David Beckham: Soccer Celebrity, Poetic Hero
Poetry Friday: Fortune (by Dobby Gibson)
Poetry Friday: I Sailed a Poem to the Grocery Store (original poem)
The Beehive Is Back in Style
Poetry Friday: A Round of Rondeau Redouble
Poetry Friday: Nest, Nook & Cranny (Susan Blackaby)
The Cybils Winners Have Been Announced!
Poetry Friday: Downy Woodpecker (Sallie Wolf)
Swallowed Whole (Original Poem)
One Book I Love: The Cuckoo’s Haiku
Poetry Friday: R You Sure? I’m Not (Poetry Stretch Poem)
Poetry Friday: The Swan (Mary Oliver)
Poetry Friday: Reply to the Question “How Can You Become a Poet?” (Eve Merriam)
Lyrics as Poetry: You’re My Home (Billy Joel)
Poetry Friday: Old Tongue (Jackie Kay)
One Book I Love: Voices of Christmas
Poetry Friday: Wounded (an original villanelle)
Poetry Friday: The Villanelle People
A Poem for Lee Bennett Hopkins
Poetry Friday: Shoal of Sharks (Richard O’Connell) and Bear Attack (me)
Poetry Friday: The House (J. Patrick Lewis)
One Book I Love: Button Up! Wrinkled Rhymes (by Alice Schertle)
Poetry Friday: Zombie Haiku
One Book I Love: Food Hates You, Too
Shrinking Days on Tour
Poetry Friday Right Here!
My Blog Meander for Stampede
Poetry Friday: Picnic, Lightning (Billy Collins)
Poetry Friday: Spot the Plot (J. Patrick Lewis)
Poetry Friday: Without (an original poem)
Poetry Friday: Without Rancor (an original poem)
Poetry Friday: School Supplies
A Couple More School-Themed Poetry Books…By Me
One Book I Love: Lunch Money and Other Poems About School
One Book I Love: Countdown to Summer
Countdown to School: Poem #4 (I Don’t Know Why)
Last Week of Summer: Poem 3 (#2 Wand)
Is It Time for School Yet? Poem #2
Poetry Friday: The Poems We Wear (original poems)
One Book I Love: The Monsterologist
What’s Cold and What’s New?
Cooking Up Recipe Poems (2 Original Poems)
Poetry Friday: Dry Sea Skin and The Best Place to Be… (2 original poems)
Poetry Stretch: Obsession, by Prince Charming
Falling Down the Page
Plagiarism Made My Day
Poetry Friday: Red Sings from Treetops
Poetry Friday: Laura’s at 7 Impossible Things Before Breakfast
Poetry Friday: Tracie Vaughn Zimmer and Steady Hands
Poetry Favorite: A Few of My Favorite (B) Things! (Original Poem)
Poetry Friday: no justice n o p e a c e (by Arnold Adoff)
Poetry Friday: The Rules of History (J. Patrick Lewis)
Poetry Friday: Evasive Maneuvers (by Billy Collins)
Poetry Friday: A couple of sijo
Diamond Willow Wins Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award
Poetry Friday: Jaguar (Francisco X. Alarcon)
Poetry Friday: Bling (The Killers)
My First Copy of Stampede!
Poetry Stretch: Terza Rima
Poetry Friday: Acrostics
Poetry Stretch: Climbing Rhyme
Poetry Friday: Michigan Sahara (by Lisa Westberg Peters)
Pick Me! More Un-nominated CYBILS Possibilities
Please Adopt Us for the CYBILS
Poetry Friday: Renga verse from Birds on a Wire
Poetry Friday: Written in the Stars (original poem)
Weaving: an autumn cinquain
Poetry Friday: An Interview with a Couple of Pirate Rapscallions
Back to School
Constantly Risking Absurdity: The Blue Devils and You
My Chapel: Original Poem
Stop Using Rhyme as a Weapon!
Double-Jointed Poetry Stretch
Poetry Friday: A Billy Collins Poem
Poetry Friday: Rainbow Soup, by Brian P. Cleary
Poetry Friday: A Highland Cow poem
Poetry Friday: James Graham (Poem written before execution)
Poem In Your Pocket Day
Poetry Friday: A Crown Sonnet
A New Poem from J. Patrick Lewis
Poetry Friday: We Old Dudes
Poetry Friday: Two Epitaphs from J. Patrick Lewis
Miss Rumphius’ poetry stretch
Poetry Friday: Honeybee
Poetry Friday: Two Diamantes
Apostrophe Poem: To My Backup Disk
Poetry Friday: A Billy Collins Poem
This Is Just to Say, the Cybils Have Been Announced!
Miss Rumphius’ poetry stretch
Poetry Friday: A roundel
My Two Centos’ Worth
Poetry Friday: A William Carlos Williams Poem
Ack–A Sonnet?
Poetry Friday: Chrysalis
Robert’s Snow: Mike Wohnoutka
Double Dactyl: What’s All the Fuss About?
Poetry Friday: My Biggest Fear
Poetry Friday: A Mary Oliver Poem