Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)
Tree House
You are planks and nails, walls and floor
Nothing more, some say
I say no way
You are my tree house
My waiting for me house
My crow’s nest over the Baltic Sea house
You are whatever I need you to be, house
My nobody knows where I am—I’m free house
My “Let’s have a tea party, just you and me” house
My “OK, squeeze in, but just us three” house
You are my come in, no need for a key house
My rocket-fueled racecar to win the Grand Prix house
My prairie as far as my eyes can see house
My drowsy laze to the buzz of a bee house
You are planks and nails,
walls and floor,
but so much
more,
my house that is me
house
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
And for today’s Poetry Friday Roundup, visit with teacher Leigh Anne at A Day in the Life, where she’s sharing a wonderful Naomi Shihab Nye poem in a thoughtful post.
18 Responses
This book looks so incredible. I cannot WAIT to get my hands on it. And, I will use it as a teacher…but also as a writer. Thanks so much for sharing your poem. “Waiting for me” “Don’t need a key.” Oh, I wish I could give so many kids the experience of this. What a poem to dream on.
Love the way your rhythm builds with the repetition of ‘house’ — and that first stanza really says it all. Nicely done! Congratulations, Laura.
What an amazing book! And truly, it’s not because I have a poem in it. It’s such a cool way to get kids going on writing poetry! Also, great poem. I love the series of cool, surprising ways you rhyme the lines. A touch of Ogden Nash there!
Such a beautiful rhythm and rhyme to this, Laura, that firmly, ‘funly’ states the importance and versatility of the tree house.
What a wonderful poem, and what a wonderful-sounding book. Can’t wait to get my hands on a copy!
“You are my come in, no need for a key house”
zings directly into my heartstrings, Laura.
And I love how the last lines circle back.
Appreciations.
What an inviting poem, Laura! Love the rhythm and all the takes on tree house that would appeal to so many different kids.
Perfect for all the things a child imagines what a treehouse can become. Amazon says my copy of POEMS ARE TEACHERS will arrive tomorrow. I can’t wait!
I am so excited to be able to see so many glimpses into this book today as poets share their contributions. I’m no longer teaching, but I do think I still want a copy for me to learn from. It looks amazing–such a rich resource.
Your poem is lovely, Laura. It would be terrific to see what students, or children in general, share after they hear/read your poem. I think there will be lots of sharing, maybe lots of dreaming!
I always wanted a tree house…for all the reasons you list in your poem!
I love your tree house! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
A treehouse is such the catalyst for the imagination. We had more of a tree “platform” than a house — no walls! But it still became so much more, just as you have written here. And I can’t wait to get Amy’s new book, especially after reading so much about it this weekend.
Ours was totally a platform! Up high above our trampoline and enclosed only by tree branches :>)
Laura the book looks amazing, and your poem makes me want to run right out and build myself a tree house! Just wonderful.
This book is such a wonderful resource as well as a labor of pure poetry love. I feel such a connection because I know so many of the poets, like you, and have student poems included. I walk by a tree house every day and have been wanting to write a poem about it. Your poem captures the feeling of childhood so well.
Amy’s book is a treasure, as is your poem, Laura. I never had a tree house, but loved climbing trees. Even without the “planks and nails, walls and floor” I had a special tree that was “my nobody knows where I am—I’m free house.”
I love all the alliteration in your poem laura along with the refraining house closing each line, they both move us rhythmically through your poem, lovely “Tree House” thanks!