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. I love writing that way, and you can see the strong connection of words to image in these pieces.
This book is full of?fabulous poems by fabulous poets: Lee Bennett Hopkins, J. Patrick Lewis, X.J. Kennedy, Mary Ann Hoberman, and many more. There’s a wide variety here, including a some light-hearted ones. But most of them focus on the eeriness, the mystery, the darkness of ice. And those are the ones I love the best.
Here’s one I love by Jane Yolen herself: “Ice Bridge.”
Ice Bridge
Imagine a billy goat
All a-shiver
Going across
This frozen river.
He uses the ice
For stepping stones
While frost intrudes
Into his bones.
Will he get far
Across the ice?
Or will he have
To pay the price
To some exacting
Winter troll
Who takes his life
To pay the toll?
? Jane Yolen, all rights reserved
And here’s my audio clip of me reading the poem, with a writing suggestion at the end.?
Jama Rattigan has?the Poetry Friday Roundup?at Alphabet Soup–go enjoy some tasty treats!
“Imagine a billy goat all a-shiver.” Jane’s imagination leads us into this wonderful world of ice. Thanks for introducing me to this collection. Also love hearing your voice read.
Thanks, Margaret. It’s a fantastic anthology!
“Imagine a billy goat all a-shiver.” Jane’s imagination leads us into this wonderful world of ice. Thanks for introducing me to this collection. Also love hearing your voice read.
Thanks, Margaret. It’s a fantastic anthology!
Love the poem.’Exacting winter troll’ I’ve not seen this book before, thanks for sharing, Laura.
Thanks, Catherine:>)
Love the poem.’Exacting winter troll’ I’ve not seen this book before, thanks for sharing, Laura.
Thanks, Catherine:>)
Shiver! Wasn’t familiar with this anthology either. Thanks for sharing Jane’s poem. 🙂
It’s a treat, Jama!
Shiver! Wasn’t familiar with this anthology either. Thanks for sharing Jane’s poem. 🙂
It’s a treat, Jama!
Well if I wasn’t “all a-shiver” after that first stanza, “While frost intrudes/Into his bones” would have done me in for sure! I’ll have to see if I can find this anthology– sounds like a good one.
Do it! :>)
Well if I wasn’t “all a-shiver” after that first stanza, “While frost intrudes/Into his bones” would have done me in for sure! I’ll have to see if I can find this anthology– sounds like a good one.
Do it! :>)
You have such a great reading voice. 🙂
Thanks, Tanita–I’m not super fond of it, but it beats the heck out of video!
You have such a great reading voice. 🙂
Thanks, Tanita–I’m not super fond of it, but it beats the heck out of video!
Oooh–too chilly for me! But photopoetry, as I call it, is a wonderful thing and a great workshop for kids.
See you soon!
Oh, I love dark and evil poetry:>)
Oooh–too chilly for me! But photopoetry, as I call it, is a wonderful thing and a great workshop for kids.
See you soon!
Oh, I love dark and evil poetry:>)
I love serendipity! You have this fabulous poem about billy goats and trolls, and then in my inbox was a link to the winner of a tinywords prompt. It, too, referenced trolls. What are the chances of coming across 2 troll poems in one day? Here’s the link: http://tinywords.com/2013/11/15/welcome-to-t-i-n-y-w-o-r-d-s-issue-13-3/
Ha! I would think those odds are not very high–the magic of poetry:>) I love that winning poem. Just subscribed to tinywords–thanks for the heads-up!
I love serendipity! You have this fabulous poem about billy goats and trolls, and then in my inbox was a link to the winner of a tinywords prompt. It, too, referenced trolls. What are the chances of coming across 2 troll poems in one day? Here’s the link: http://tinywords.com/2013/11/15/welcome-to-t-i-n-y-w-o-r-d-s-issue-13-3/
Ha! I would think those odds are not very high–the magic of poetry:>) I love that winning poem. Just subscribed to tinywords–thanks for the heads-up!
I don’t know this anthology so thank you for that, too, Laura. The poem would also be fun to share as an example of using old stories and imagining how it would look in winter time as Jane did. The poem has such an eerie tone, doesn’t it?
Yes! And of course it’s a great companion to GRUMBLES FROM THE FOREST. Poems are great vehicles for looking at alternate universes:>)
I don’t know this anthology so thank you for that, too, Laura. The poem would also be fun to share as an example of using old stories and imagining how it would look in winter time as Jane did. The poem has such an eerie tone, doesn’t it?
Yes! And of course it’s a great companion to GRUMBLES FROM THE FOREST. Poems are great vehicles for looking at alternate universes:>)
I’ve read several of Jane Yolen’s books with my students in the last couple of weeks and I am constantly amazed by how versatile she is. Lovely poem!
I’ve read several of Jane Yolen’s books with my students in the last couple of weeks and I am constantly amazed by how versatile she is. Lovely poem!
This looks like a terrific book to share with kids in warmer climes who don’t see ice much, except in a glass of sweet tea! 😉 Thanks for sharing. Jane Yolen is so prolific I can’t keep up!
Who CAN!?
This looks like a terrific book to share with kids in warmer climes who don’t see ice much, except in a glass of sweet tea! 😉 Thanks for sharing. Jane Yolen is so prolific I can’t keep up!
Who CAN!?
My husband takes beautiful photographs which occasionally inspires me to write something in response to it. I could imagine Jane Yolen writing her poetry in response to her son’s lovely pictures. I shall look for this book – perfect for winter! Yes, I agree with Keri. Jane Yolen is indefatigable. 🙂
It IS perfect for winter–or any time your heart’s in a wintry mood:>)
My husband takes beautiful photographs which occasionally inspires me to write something in response to it. I could imagine Jane Yolen writing her poetry in response to her son’s lovely pictures. I shall look for this book – perfect for winter! Yes, I agree with Keri. Jane Yolen is indefatigable. 🙂
It IS perfect for winter–or any time your heart’s in a wintry mood:>)
I’ve seen this one. It’s a wonderful anthology of winter poems. Love the photographs by her son, too. Thanks for reminding me of it. I’m going to recommend to some teacher friends.
It’s a whole talented family! :>)
I’ve seen this one. It’s a wonderful anthology of winter poems. Love the photographs by her son, too. Thanks for reminding me of it. I’m going to recommend to some teacher friends.
It’s a whole talented family! :>)
THE TROOPER
My baby sister Molly skitters on a frozen oval in our backyard.
Fascinated by its crackle, she bends over in an attempt
To touch their icy veins when she slips on her bottom.
A diaper plus 3 layers of thermal wear cushion her fall.
Bug-eyed in shock her face begins to crinkle into a crying jag
Before transforming to an upward crease in her mouth.
Laughing, she wobbles back up, ready to once again
Conquer this frosted wonderland.
(c) Charles Waters 2013 all rights reserved.
THE TROOPER
My baby sister Molly skitters on a frozen oval in our backyard.
Fascinated by its crackle, she bends over in an attempt
To touch their icy veins when she slips on her bottom.
A diaper plus 3 layers of thermal wear cushion her fall.
Bug-eyed in shock her face begins to crinkle into a crying jag
Before transforming to an upward crease in her mouth.
Laughing, she wobbles back up, ready to once again
Conquer this frosted wonderland.
(c) Charles Waters 2013 all rights reserved.