Day 3: Things to Do if You Are Spring and Add Your Own Line #PoetryFriday

Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)

I’m so pleased to have a Things to Do poem on the last page of the Spring 2020 edition of Children & Libraries, the ALSC journal. Here’s the first half of it. You can read the full text here: https://journals.ala.org/index.php/cal/article/view/7312/10021

Boy, spring looks a lot different now than it did when I first wrote this poem. In fact, I was supposed to be at Hope College in Michigan talking with pre-service teachers right now:>(  If you feel so inclined, add your own line to this poem in the comments. Your line could reflect traditional spring things, or it could be more up-to-the-minute, reflecting our current upheaval! Just start your line with a verb and tell spring what its job is. Hey, perhaps next Friday, I’ll compile them all into our community poem: Things to Do if You Are Spring (Pandemic Edition). I like that idea!

And for lots of wonderful poetry, don’t miss the Poetry Friday Roundup with poet-teacher Heidi Mordhorst!Save

30 Responses

  1. I’ll add a line that goes with my photo poem prompt today.
    Curl up like a caterpillar waiting for wings.

  2. Wow! Congratulations! I love kissing snow families good bye until next year. I would add.…

    Pin daffodil pom poms to your green cardigan

  3. Yep, spring’s a bit different here right now. It’s snowing! Back to warmer next week! It’s a love poem to spring, Laura! Here’s a line: “Blow dandelion parachutes”

  4. Given our current state of the world, here’s my line to your poem:
    scrub your hands wrist to nails whilst reciting “Praying” by Mary Oliver (for 20 seconds).
    Thanks for the chance to contribute! 🙂

  5. Love your poem, especially “Throw a big tantrum. Make it stormy and loud!” We just had a big spring storm here last week. Comparing a storm to a tantrum is perfect! Take care and stay well.

  6. Congratulations on your poem! Here’s my line with one of my favorite signs of spring (and quite loud these days):

    Conduct a chorus of spring peepers

  7. I would like to tell the earth to just skip over 2020 and get right to 2021, but we would probably in the same boat. Here’s my contribution towards directions for spring. Here in parts of of Canada, (and maybe in the USA) even the weather says stay at home!
    Let loose wild winds and heavy snow so people stay at home.

  8. Thanks for this delightful poem, and post Laura! Sometimes we need to escape from all that’s happening, sooo here’s my escaping line…

    Mush around and make mud cakes in the ooshy gushy mud…

  9. Glad to see
    Your last word, Lara,as I stand in line at Costco typing with my latex gloves on.

    “Slip your twiggy fingers
    Into green gloves. Perform
    soul surgery on every tiny
    patch of us. “

  10. Lovely poem, Laura! So nice to have it appear in the ALSC Journal. If I were spring, I think I might throw pollen confetti on cars and sidewalks.

    1. Thank you, Michelle! Yes, I love being able to reach librarians. Thanks for your line!

  11. Welcome back the birds from the south. Ruth, in the south, sorry to see the birds go! thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com

  12. Not sure if I added my thoughts to your post, Laura, since I don’t see it here. Things to do If I Was Spring addition: Ride the waves with glee. Splash through life with hope.

    1. I don’t think so, Carol. Love this! I’m excited to put this community poem together:>) Stay well!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 2,499 other subscribers

Are You Looking For?

Poetry Friday posts

Classroom Connections posts

All my poetryactions

Go to my Poetry page for:

  • National Poetry Month projects through the years
  • Small Reads Roundups (poems grouped by topic)
  • Introductions to several favorite poetry forms
Tags
#waterpoemproject15 Words or Less Poems20for2030 Painless Classroom Poems50 State Poemsacrosticsactivity pagesactivity sheetALAA Leaf Can Be...Amy Ludwig VanDerwaterA Need to FeedanthologiesanthologyA Rock Can Be...art projectsaudiopoemsawardsbad newsBarbara Juster EsbensenBilly Collinsbiopoemsblog tourbookalikesbook festivalsBookSpeak!book spine poemsbook trailersbop poembyr a thoddaidcafepresscalendar poemsCamp Read-a-LotCan Be... bookscan be... poemsCapstoneCarol Varsalonacascade poemsCatherine FlynnCCRA.W.3CCRA.W.4CCRA.W.5centoschapter bookschoral compositionschristina rossetticinquainsCLAclassified ad poemsclassroom connectionclassroom connectionsClover Kittyconferences and conventionscrown sonnetscybilsdansaDare to DreamDavid Elliottdeeper wisdom poemdefinitosdiamantesdiversitydizaindodoitsuDot DayDouglas Floriandownloadablesdrum corpse.e. cummingsekphrastic poemsepistolary poemsequation poemsessentialethereeseventsexquisite corpseFairy Tale Garage Salefamilyfibonaccifiction picture booksfinding familyfirefightersforeign editionsfound poemsfree author zoomsfree versefrom studentsgeesegeorgia heardghazalGift Taggiveawaygolden shovelgoldilocksgratitudehaikuheart of aheart of a teacherHeidi MordhorstHelen FrostHighlightshow-to poemshow to make a rainbowI Am FromI Am poemsidiomsif you want to knit some mittensIf You Were the MoonILAimagepoemsinterviewin the middle of the nightIRAIrelandIrene LathamJ. Patrick LewisJanet WongJoyce SidmanKendraKerlanKidlit Comboslailaura's board booksLaura's booksLaura's poemsLaura's readingsLaura ShovanLee Bennett HopkinsLilian MoorelimericksLinda Booth SweeneyLion of the Skylist poemslittle free librarylive writingLullaby and Kisses Sweetlyricsmadness poetrymargaret simonMarilyn Singermary lee hahnmask poemsMeet My FamilyMelissa StewartMentors for Rentmentor textsmetaphorMichelle Myers LacknerMillbrookMinnesota Book Awardsmoonmy reading lifemy writing processN+7naaninarrative poemsNational Poetry Month 2012 (haiku a day)National Poetry Month 2014 (riddle-ku)National Poetry Month 2015National Poetry Month 2016National Poetry Month 2017 (#wonderbreak)national poetry month 2018 (haiku a day)National Poetry Month 2020National Poetry Month 2021 (#EquationPoem)national poetry month 2022 (sticky-note poems)National Poetry Month 2023 (Digging for Poems)ncteNerdy Book Clubnifty newsnifty stuffNikki Grimesnonfictionnonfiction booksNonfiction Writers Dig Deepnovelsnovels in verseodesOne Minute Till BedtimeoppositifyOskar's VoyagepadletpantoumsparodiesPatreonpeacepersonalpet poemsphotopoetryphrase acrosticspicture booksplagiarismpoempicspoemspoems for two voicespoemsketchpoetic pursuitsPoetry 7poetryactionspoetry activitiesPoetry Blastpoetry booksPoetry FridayPoetry Friday AnthologiesPoetry Princessespoetry promptspoetry sistersPoetry Tips for Teachersprogressive poempublishing processpuddle songPutridquotationsraccontinosRandy Salasread-aloudreadaloudreading poetry in the classroomRebecca Kai Dotlichrecipe poemsrefugeesresearchreviewsrevisionrhyming booksrhyming nonfictionrhyming picture booksRhyming Picture Books the Write Wayrhyming poemsRiddle-kuriddle poemsRock Can Be...Rock the Blogrondeau redoublesRudyard Kiplingsalas snippetsSCBWIschool visitsScotlandseasonssecrets of the loonSELsestinasshrinking daysskinnyskypeslice of lifesmall readssnack snooze skedaddlesnowman-coldsonnetsStampede!storm poemstorytimestorywalkstudent poemsstudent workSylvia VardellTanita Davistankatautogramteachableteacher resourcesteen/adult poemsterza rimasthankfulthank yous and referencesthe business sidethings to do iftracy nelson maurertrioletstunie munson-bensonvideosVikram MadanvillanellevillanellesWater Can Be...wealthy elementaryWe BelongWhat's InsideWhy-kuwinterwonderwonderbreakword of the yearwordplaywordsmithswork for hirewritingwriting bookswriting processwriting promptswriting the life poeticyoung authors conferencesYouTubeZap Clap Boomzenozentangle
Show More Show Less

Join Laura's monthly newsletter for eductators

Get three of Laura's favorite poetry activities when you subscribe to "Small Reads."