Underdog, a Poetryaction to Spin a Circle!

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Happy Poetry Friday, and welcome! Whether you’re a longtime participant or someone who just wandered in this week, I’m glad you’re here. (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)

Friends, I realized last Monday that I didn’t comment on anyone’s posts. I didn’t put it on my weekend to-do list, and next thing I knew, it was Monday. I’m sorry about that! Your comments always mean a lot, and I try to make the rounds :>)

Recently I read Spin a Circle!, by Raven Howell and Ann Pilicer. This charming, dyslexic-inclusive, short verse collection focuses on movement and play. It brought back memories of pushing our girls on the swings when they were little–heck, I still like to hop on the swings occasionally!

I was inspired to write a first draft of a poetryaction. (You can see all my poetryactions here.)

And for lots of wonderful poetry, don’t miss the Poetry Friday Roundup with Linda Baie at Teacher Dance! Linda’s so thoughtful and always has goodies to share. Can’t wait to see what she has for us this week.

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19 Responses

  1. “I meet it/repeat it”, yes, that is the way! I used to think I could go high enough to go up and over, Laura. My favorite on the playground was always the merry-go-rounds, though now they evidently have been deemed too dangerous and are gone. This is great fun!

  2. My comment disappeared! I’ll check back to see if it turns up! I still love swinging, too!

  3. wheeeeee! That feeling of flying–kids are experts! I remember loving the playground in 2nd grade so much. What a great prompt.

  4. If I were still teaching I would definitely use this poem with my young students. Easily relatable, fun to say out loud, perfect rhythm and rhyme for practicing phonemic awareness! Thank you, Laura.

  5. Laura. What a fun poem for back-to-school September. Swings are a popular type of merriment. As an adult I still love feeling the movement as I try to go as high as I can. I love the merriment in your poetryaction and the title is unique.

  6. Laura, I could feel my stomach do a kick turn at the top of the arc while reading your poem. How fun! The swing is definitely my favorite … although, the seesaw has its merits!

    1. Ah, see saws. Haven’t been on one of those in so many years! My sisters and I used to try to bounce each other off :>D

  7. I do love how a swing feels like you’re flying. I see students every day become fascinated by the insects hiding on the playground. I wrote an elfchen:

    Discover
    insects, spiders
    hiding in spaces
    waiting to scare me
    Gotcha!

    1. Ooh, and now you’ve scared me off playgrounds :>D Randy and I were walking on the path yesterday, and the grasshoppers were jumping out unexpectedly. I love nature in the abstract, and in many specifics, but insects are not one of the specifics I love. Thanks for sharing your elfchen!

    1. Tetherball! It was years before I could send the ball up high, and I spent all those years just watching it sail overhead :>D

  8. I have a burgeoning collection of park poems –I’m reliving so many park memories with my toddler grandson. I love belly-flying on a swing!

    1. Oh, I bet, Patricia. Fun! I don’t think I ever did much belly-flying. Only when I was reading ;>)

  9. I love to swing too! I wish I had your poem when Iwas recently in UT with two of the grand girls who loved to swing. They never tired of it. It would have been fun to teach them your poem. I’m putting in my phone so I’ll have it the next time we swing and swing and swing!

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