Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
This coming Tuesday, April 25, I’ve helped organize a virtual launch party for 8 book creators! Since my in-person launch party was hampered by a blizzard, I’m hoping this one will get a larger crowd! Mark your calendars for the virtual event on April 25! Meet 8 creators, 9 books, and have a chance to win a free book (8 chances to win!)! Click the graphic for more info. Would love to see some Poetry Friday friends there. I’ll be celebrating a rhyming nonfiction book and a free verse nonfiction book, and there are several lyrical nonfiction books in the lineup. Learn about books you can use in (or donate to) your classroom or library. Celebrate Earth Day! Support book creators and indie bookshops! So many good reasons to attend :>)
Okay, now on to Poetry Friday and Poetry Month. Curious about what I’m doing? Want to play along? Read more here.
[Heads-up: If you’re visiting regularly, please know that the bold, blue text is what I’m writing fresh each day. The black text is the same each day:>) ]
It’s a milestone! Two-thirds of the way through the month–so far, so good. It’s been much too busy of a month for me to reflect on what I’m learning through this process. That’ll come later. But I’m happy to still be here, chugging along. Thank you for joining in. I’m loving seeing our connections and our utterly unique approaches!
In yesterday’s tiles, the “blue sky” and “up” (even though I didn’t end up using “up”) made me think of weather. And West gave me a clear picture of desert landscapes. Southern California and Arizona are two places I’ve been to visit friends–and we had great fun in both places. But I can’t live in a place with so little green and so much heat. Desert environments–not for me!
What words will we be digging through today?
And here’s the card that we might pull our topic from:
So some possible topics are:
- buttons
- pumpkin
- step-sister
- Charmin
- Cinderella
Will you join in? Would love to see what you come up with!
And fabulous, witty Karen Edmisten has the Poetry Friday Roundup this week! With my sister visiting, I didn’t get around to read last weekend’s posts. She goes home today (the goodbyes are hard!), and I’ll swing by this weekend to say hi to y’all!
- Intro to what I’m doing this National Poetry Month
- ALL the Digging for Poems drafts I’ve written this month
- If you’d like to see each daily poem as I post it, you can:
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- What is National Poetry Month?
- My previous National Poetry Month projects:
23 Responses
Oh, Laura, I’m familiar with life in the West, and you have captured a bit of summer here in this beauty! “crushed hot” is so good.
When I saw arm, ed, fear–I knew I had to write about gun violence. I too wrote about the West, as in the western hemisphere, but really I mean America because: only in America. These words also inspired my #Verselove poem for yesterday.
https://mrsdkrebs.edublogs.org/2023/04/19/april-19-verselove-holding-hands-with-poems/
Don’t Go West
frantic
mind crush
armed up
for delirious fear
Oh, Laura, I’m familiar with life in the West, and you have captured a bit of summer here in this beauty! “crushed hot” is so good.
When I saw arm, ed, fear–I knew I had to write about gun violence. I too wrote about the West, as in the western hemisphere, but really I mean America because: only in America. These words also inspired my #Verselove poem for yesterday.
https://mrsdkrebs.edublogs.org/2023/04/19/april-19-verselove-holding-hands-with-poems/
Don’t Go West
frantic
mind crush
armed up
for delirious fear
Thank you for this poem, Denise. So many kids/people around the world idolizing the U.S. (along with those hating us, of course). I just think, No. Don’t turn your country into such a consumerist, celebrity-driven society like ours. There’s so much I love about our country, but so much I’m really sad about and ready to leave behind…
I chose ‘west’, too, but mostly because we had a cold front in last night with a snow/rain mix, not much but dropped about 50 degrees! I’m ready for spring to stop messing with us!
bare blue sky
please make it hot
don’t monkey up my play ing
Linda, you get so much of that in Denver, don’t you? “Bare blue sky” is beautiful, and I love the plea to the sky to make it hot. Very clever!
Yeah, the weather’s been kinda yanking our chain in Minnesota, too. While my sister was visiting, we had several mid-80s days. And then we got snow. She was so very excited! Love the way you used monkey!
Missed some days… but I have a good reason! I was at Poetry for Kids: A World if Publishing Possibilities at HIGHLIGHTS FOUNDATION!! It was great! If you have been to Highlights, you know! If you haven’t… put it on your wish list!
Anyway, I flew (1st flight since pandemic… very crowded airports and planes) but many drive long hours to get there, and I was thinking of that when I wrote. Of travel and independent women…
North, South, East, West
A woman goes away
Drives like she pleases
Living a blue sky life
“Drives like she pleases.” Yes! Congrats, Diane, on your independent adventure! And your poem. Thanks for sharing. :>)
Diane, what a beautiful description of these women “living a blue sky life” That is gorgeous! I’m so glad you got to go, and I have officially put it on my wish list.
I’ve enjoyed following along on IG! You can make magic with such sparse ingredients!!
Thanks, Mary Lee. I’m really loving your cheritas, as well!
Sister time is super important! I’m so glad you had some. Hooray for new LPS books! I’m delighted to know you are launching new boos right now.
Thank you so much, Linda! <3
“crushed hot” is perfect! I’m enjoying following along when I can.
Thanks, Rose :>)
It’s so interesting to see the different takes from those following your daily prompts, Laura.
I love “crushed hot” here and huzzah for the upcoming Bookpalooza you’re hosting! 😀
Thanks, Karen. Yes! My favorite part of this is seeing what folks find that I never would’ve spotted in 100 years. Hope you can make it to the event tonight!
I know just the sky you are talking about. Like you, I love my seasons, but I also love a little visit the “crushed hot” places. You make me want to get in my car and chase that sky.
I feel so lucky to be able to live somewhere I want to! But also to be able to chase (briefly) other places and weathers. I love that line about chasing sky, Cathy. You’ve got the beginning of a poem there in that last sentence!
There’s a big, knowing smile on my face as I re-read your desert ditty. Somehow, I have fallen deeply in love with the desert — this, from a northern CA-mountain-grown girl. The desert is harsh, yet incredibly beautiful — and green — for short periods. And in between, life hangs on; hangs on tight! I’m writing a PB about it!
The desert is definitely amazing! Some of them are awe-inspiring, and the extremes of harshness and beauty. I once had a picture book ms in progress about the desert. But for all that it is amazing, I just don’t…like it. Isn’t it fabulous that, as in most things, there’s an environment that fits each person. I’m lucky I could move away from Florida’s heat, which I despise, to Minnesota. Thank you for loving the desert!
This is so much fun, Laura. I’m stuck on “sweat puppet smell” — ugh. Not the most pleasant image, but I’ll play around with it!
Hahahahaha. It’s the worst when a certain word combo catches my eye that I don’t *want* to write about or explore more, but somehow I can’t let it go!