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 can do it!
Happy National Poetry Month! Thanks for dropping by my Poem Starter Video party.
Today’s poem comes from?A Whiff of Pine, a Hint of Skunk: A Forest of Poems?(Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2009), by Deborah Ruddell.?I love Deborah’s whimsical, nature- based poems! I’m hoping our paths will cross at some conference soon so I can chat about poetry with her. I’m sharing a beautiful, moody poem with a twist, called “Moonlit Raccoon.” This poem reminds me of the time my husband and I heard a ruckus on our 3rd-floor balcony and went out to see a raccoon perched on the railing. Ack!
Moonlit Raccoon
In a watery mirror
the rugged raccoon
admires his face
by the light of the moon:
the mysterious mask,
the whiskers beneath,
the sliver of cricket
still stuck in his teeth.–by Deborah Ruddell, all rights reserved
And here is my Poem Starter Video:
[wpvideo otDeXdDO]
Bare-naked Between Homes (Who Am I?)
Bold and safe
within shell home.
Soft and leggy
once outgrown –
seeking roomier
rent-to-own.
Your poem-starter series is stellar, Laura. I didn’t exactly meet the twist challenge (came out more as a riddle), but this poem popped into mind from your prompt. The answer is hermit crab – so odd-looking without their shells.
This is great, ellie! The challenge is just to get people started, so if you go down a different road altogether, I’m still happy! Great ending–rent-to-own. And “soft and leggy” really shows the vulnerable between-shells creature. Nice!
I really like this! Fun riddle!
Very clever!
Love your riddle poem. Kids will love this, ellie!!
Bare-naked Between Homes (Who Am I?)
Bold and safe
within shell home.
Soft and leggy
once outgrown –
seeking roomier
rent-to-own.
Your poem-starter series is stellar, Laura. I didn’t exactly meet the twist challenge (came out more as a riddle), but this poem popped into mind from your prompt. The answer is hermit crab – so odd-looking without their shells.
This is great, ellie! The challenge is just to get people started, so if you go down a different road altogether, I’m still happy! Great ending–rent-to-own. And “soft and leggy” really shows the vulnerable between-shells creature. Nice!
I really like this! Fun riddle!
Very clever!
Love your riddle poem. Kids will love this, ellie!!
I tried posting this earlier, but it doesn’t seem to have worked. Please forgive me if it double-posts.
Moonlit Raccoon
Its mask menacing
its growl alarming
its claws threatening
its hunger unclouded.
© Diane Mayr
hunger unclouded–fabulous!
Oooh! Spooky but good. I like this!
Really nice! Love “mask menacing”.
I tried posting this earlier, but it doesn’t seem to have worked. Please forgive me if it double-posts.
Moonlit Raccoon
Its mask menacing
its growl alarming
its claws threatening
its hunger unclouded.
© Diane Mayr
hunger unclouded–fabulous!
Oooh! Spooky but good. I like this!
Really nice! Love “mask menacing”.
Love this book!
Me, too–and I can’t find my copy! :>(
Love this book!
Me, too–and I can’t find my copy! :>(
Delicate swirling shell
how many stories to tell?
Majestic snail
leaves slightly slimy green trail
Love that poem! Good challenge, Ms. Salas!
Oh, that is fabulous, Amelia. GREAT job on the lovely beginning and then funny, unexpected ending!
Love this, Amelia. You did a spectacular job!
Wonderful poem this week, Amelia!….Have you ever eaten escargot?? I have, back in my younger days. Not sure I could do it now!!! I never thought of a snail as majestic until now….but I love shells, so I can just see this. You know the chambered nautilus is related to the snail!!
Delicate swirling shell
how many stories to tell?
Majestic snail
leaves slightly slimy green trail
Love that poem! Good challenge, Ms. Salas!
Oh, that is fabulous, Amelia. GREAT job on the lovely beginning and then funny, unexpected ending!
Love this, Amelia. You did a spectacular job!
Wonderful poem this week, Amelia!….Have you ever eaten escargot?? I have, back in my younger days. Not sure I could do it now!!! I never thought of a snail as majestic until now….but I love shells, so I can just see this. You know the chambered nautilus is related to the snail!!
Oh another wonderful book, I’m going to be bankcrupt lol. I love your reading of this poem Laura. I do admire poets who can pull off a surprise ending. And thanks for that big reply yesterday. I really appreciate your wisdom, it helps me decide what to do.
I hear you, Catherine! Speaking of self-publishing, poet David Harrison did a post a while back, I think, where he re-capped his experience self-publishing an e-poetry collection (Goose Lake, which is beautiful). And Sylvia and Janet are very open to giving out info that briefly describes their arrangement with the printed Poetry Friday Anthology publishing experiences and their various e-thologies. so those might be other resources for you!
Oh thanks Laura. Just when I decide one way or another I get another p.o.v. that shoves me the other way. I’ll get researching. I heard David talk about Goose Lake with Julie Hedlund.
oh and bankrupt (naughty me)
Oh another wonderful book, I’m going to be bankcrupt lol. I love your reading of this poem Laura. I do admire poets who can pull off a surprise ending. And thanks for that big reply yesterday. I really appreciate your wisdom, it helps me decide what to do.
I hear you, Catherine! Speaking of self-publishing, poet David Harrison did a post a while back, I think, where he re-capped his experience self-publishing an e-poetry collection (Goose Lake, which is beautiful). And Sylvia and Janet are very open to giving out info that briefly describes their arrangement with the printed Poetry Friday Anthology publishing experiences and their various e-thologies. so those might be other resources for you!
Oh thanks Laura. Just when I decide one way or another I get another p.o.v. that shoves me the other way. I’ll get researching. I heard David talk about Goose Lake with Julie Hedlund.
oh and bankrupt (naughty me)
It’s not 15 words…but this popped into my head and I wrote it in about 5 minutes, so forgive me!
RACCOON RHAPSODY
Moonlit raccoon,
Moonlit raccoon,
Eyes big and wide
As the bright yellow moon,
Playing a somber
Yet delicate tune…
Never knew you could play
the contrabassoon.
? Matt Forrest Esenwine
Ha! What a lovely little song!
Wow, you whipped that up in 5 minutes! I whip up all my blog ones in five minutes, but you can always tell lol. This is awesome!
I really like this rhyme scheme! And I play the bassoon, so this was a good poem to make me laugh, imagining a raccoon playing one… Great job! 🙂
Great, Matt! That’s one talented raccoon!
Lovely!
It’s not 15 words…but this popped into my head and I wrote it in about 5 minutes, so forgive me!
RACCOON RHAPSODY
Moonlit raccoon,
Moonlit raccoon,
Eyes big and wide
As the bright yellow moon,
Playing a somber
Yet delicate tune…
Never knew you could play
the contrabassoon.
? Matt Forrest Esenwine
Ha! What a lovely little song!
Wow, you whipped that up in 5 minutes! I whip up all my blog ones in five minutes, but you can always tell lol. This is awesome!
I really like this rhyme scheme! And I play the bassoon, so this was a good poem to make me laugh, imagining a raccoon playing one… Great job! 🙂
Great, Matt! That’s one talented raccoon!
Lovely!
With stripes and fur and big bright eyes
there is only one of you,
oh skunk err.. lemur err..
Raccoon!
I’ve blown away the 15 too :0)
We all do when there’s that one phrase you just can’t do away with. 🙂 I like how this turned out! Like the ending.
Ha! This makes me think of people who say, “But WHY do you love me? What’s special about me?” And you struggle to think of how to describe exactly what makes them unique and lovable. Poor raccoon:>)
And that suddenly reminds me of Marty the Zebra in Madagascar when he found all those Zebras 🙂
Great job, Catherine! Really fun!
Cute and worth the extra words!
With stripes and fur and big bright eyes
there is only one of you,
oh skunk err.. lemur err..
Raccoon!
I’ve blown away the 15 too :0)
We all do when there’s that one phrase you just can’t do away with. 🙂 I like how this turned out! Like the ending.
Ha! This makes me think of people who say, “But WHY do you love me? What’s special about me?” And you struggle to think of how to describe exactly what makes them unique and lovable. Poor raccoon:>)
And that suddenly reminds me of Marty the Zebra in Madagascar when he found all those Zebras 🙂
Great job, Catherine! Really fun!
Cute and worth the extra words!
Love a challenge and this is tough, Laura! 15 words and a twist? This is a silly:
One cat,
two cats,
three cats, four.
Little Mousie BARKED
and cats out the door!
Very clever!
I really like this! Funny, short, and sweet. 🙂 Great job!
I know, it really is, isn’t it? Love the rhythm of this–like a jump rope chant:>)
Thanks, ladies! It’s based on one of my favorite Nat. American stories I tell, one from the Choctaw people.
Oh, I love silly! And I loved your 15 words!
Love a challenge and this is tough, Laura! 15 words and a twist? This is a silly:
One cat,
two cats,
three cats, four.
Little Mousie BARKED
and cats out the door!
Very clever!
I really like this! Funny, short, and sweet. 🙂 Great job!
I know, it really is, isn’t it? Love the rhythm of this–like a jump rope chant:>)
Thanks, ladies! It’s based on one of my favorite Nat. American stories I tell, one from the Choctaw people.
Oh, I love silly! And I loved your 15 words!
I LOVE this book! It lives on my nightstand. That sliver of cricket slays me every time, but the turkey poem is hysterical.
Moony raccoon
suave, debonair–
Perhaps rethink
the striped underwear?
Loving your PSVIDS!
Brilliant!
Very good- fun rhymes! Cute poem.
Too funny, Renee. Makes me think of a Gordon Lightfoot song (Canadian folksinger), “Wild Strawberries,” or something like that, where he slips in an uncharacteristically funny rather than beautiful lyric. And it’s in the midst of this gorgeous song–this last line in this stanza always gets a laugh in concerts…
People often ask me just the way it must feel
To be standing up here with you down there
Let it now be known that throughout all of these years
I have been wearing polka dot underwear
Thanks for the nice words. I am ambivalent about them.
HA! I like the idea of “wearing polka-dot underwear” as a way of saying “looking on the bright side.”
Ha! So cute, Renee!
too funny!
I LOVE this book! It lives on my nightstand. That sliver of cricket slays me every time, but the turkey poem is hysterical.
Moony raccoon
suave, debonair–
Perhaps rethink
the striped underwear?
Loving your PSVIDS!
Brilliant!
Very good- fun rhymes! Cute poem.
Too funny, Renee. Makes me think of a Gordon Lightfoot song (Canadian folksinger), “Wild Strawberries,” or something like that, where he slips in an uncharacteristically funny rather than beautiful lyric. And it’s in the midst of this gorgeous song–this last line in this stanza always gets a laugh in concerts…
People often ask me just the way it must feel
To be standing up here with you down there
Let it now be known that throughout all of these years
I have been wearing polka dot underwear
Thanks for the nice words. I am ambivalent about them.
HA! I like the idea of “wearing polka-dot underwear” as a way of saying “looking on the bright side.”
Ha! So cute, Renee!
too funny!
Moonlit Raccoon
burns with love for
suitor in stream,
until cloud hides moon,
and love fades to dream.
Awww, that is so beautiful and melancholy. I LOVE the suitor in stream. So clever!
how poignant and sweet.
Moonlit Raccoon
burns with love for
suitor in stream,
until cloud hides moon,
and love fades to dream.
Awww, that is so beautiful and melancholy. I LOVE the suitor in stream. So clever!
how poignant and sweet.
Being the overachiever I strive to be I wrote BOTH poem starter poems.
Best,
Charles
MOONLIT RACCOON
Raccoon, before scarfing down acorn,
Looks toward milky blue moonlight –
Thankful for late night snack.
THE HALLWAY CHRONICALS
I look good.
Silk shirt,
Pressed slacks,
Shined shoes,
Fly hat
‘Til I tripped …
S P L A T !!!
(C) Charles Waters 2013 all rights reserved.
I enjoy the different moods of these, one pensive and the other hilarious, but true!
These are great, Charles. I love that milky blue moonlight–so unexpected. And the fly hat–love it!
Being the overachiever I strive to be I wrote BOTH poem starter poems.
Best,
Charles
MOONLIT RACCOON
Raccoon, before scarfing down acorn,
Looks toward milky blue moonlight –
Thankful for late night snack.
THE HALLWAY CHRONICALS
I look good.
Silk shirt,
Pressed slacks,
Shined shoes,
Fly hat
‘Til I tripped …
S P L A T !!!
(C) Charles Waters 2013 all rights reserved.
I enjoy the different moods of these, one pensive and the other hilarious, but true!
These are great, Charles. I love that milky blue moonlight–so unexpected. And the fly hat–love it!
I love this book, too! You picked one of my favorites (really…I think they’re all my favorites). I started with 15 words…the spelling part, but then I added the extra because I just couldn’t stop! So, in other words, I cheated 🙂 It was fun!
I wasn’t sure how to punctuate to make my spelling come across with the rhythm I was imagining. Any suggestions would be welcome.
Moonlit Raccoon
Join with me a jivin? raccoon
who?d rather rap than croon
by the light of the moon.
R-A-double C, double O-N
Spell it once, then spell it again.
R-A-double C, double O-N
Join with me a jivin? raccoon
who?d rather rap than croon
by the light of the moon
Lively fun!
A rapping raccoon! And for some reason I’m imagining that raccoon would have a Billy Crystal voice. The spelling out part works fine for me. The meter in line two is a touch wonky for me, since on first read, I put the emphasis on RATH. You really want just two accents in that line–rap and croon. But natural language puts three in–rath, rap, and croon. So it’s figuring out how to get that rapping flow so that readers kind of swallow the first few syllables and give rap the first beat. Just my 2 cents:>)
Thanks, Laura! I was so worried about the spelling part that I didn’t pay much attention to the other. I see what you mean! And a Penny always appreciates your 2 cents!
Oh, good, Penny. Meter is SO tricky!
I love this book, too! You picked one of my favorites (really…I think they’re all my favorites). I started with 15 words…the spelling part, but then I added the extra because I just couldn’t stop! So, in other words, I cheated 🙂 It was fun!
I wasn’t sure how to punctuate to make my spelling come across with the rhythm I was imagining. Any suggestions would be welcome.
Moonlit Raccoon
Join with me a jivin? raccoon
who?d rather rap than croon
by the light of the moon.
R-A-double C, double O-N
Spell it once, then spell it again.
R-A-double C, double O-N
Join with me a jivin? raccoon
who?d rather rap than croon
by the light of the moon
Lively fun!
A rapping raccoon! And for some reason I’m imagining that raccoon would have a Billy Crystal voice. The spelling out part works fine for me. The meter in line two is a touch wonky for me, since on first read, I put the emphasis on RATH. You really want just two accents in that line–rap and croon. But natural language puts three in–rath, rap, and croon. So it’s figuring out how to get that rapping flow so that readers kind of swallow the first few syllables and give rap the first beat. Just my 2 cents:>)
Thanks, Laura! I was so worried about the spelling part that I didn’t pay much attention to the other. I see what you mean! And a Penny always appreciates your 2 cents!
Oh, good, Penny. Meter is SO tricky!
Very late to this poetry party, but wanted to send this anyway!! Now to read and comment.
Icicle glistening overhead
sculpted by sun and snow,
deceptively elegant until,
crash-lands on me below.
So lovely and dreamy, and then reality hits (literally) in the final line!
Very late to this poetry party, but wanted to send this anyway!! Now to read and comment.
Icicle glistening overhead
sculpted by sun and snow,
deceptively elegant until,
crash-lands on me below.
So lovely and dreamy, and then reality hits (literally) in the final line!