Sock Heart
Photo by Amy LV
This poem
is trying
to be
in a book.
xo, Amy
Students - Happy almost Valentine's Day! We call our little home Heart Rock Farm because we love finding rocks shaped like hearts in our creek. Many people like to find hearts in the world: in petals, in clouds, in patterns on our pets' fur. We can find hearts and we can make them ourselves. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Don't you think it would be fun to leave little secret hearts around your home for the ones you love? (Warning: the sock heart is tricky. It took me a while!)
Today's poem is a list poem. Each line is simply one more way to bring hearts into our lives. Then, as with most list poems, you hear that change, that twist, that surprise at the end. If I had simply ended the poem with another way to make a heart, the reader might not realize that the poem was finished. However, by breaking the pattern at the end of the poem, I make this clear.
Here are two more Valentine poems from The Poem Farm archives: "February 14" from 2011 and "February 13" from 2012.
In honor of Valentine's Day and love, today I would like to offer a recommendation and a giveaway of LEND A HAND: POEMS ABOUT GIVING written by John Frank and illustrated by London Ladd. This is a book that reminds me of the many ways people are kind, and of the many ways I can be kind too. You can read the Kirkus review of this wonderful book here. I will draw one name from the commenters on today's post next Thursday, February 19 to be announced next Poetry Friday. This person will win a copy of LEND A HAND.
Teachers and Other Adults - If you enjoy poetry and poetry books and poetry quotes and news, please know that I keep a Poem Farm Facebook Page as well. Over there, I share news about books and awards and poetry goodness that comes my way during the week.
This month over at my other online home, Sharing Our Notebooks, I could not more pleased to host Olga McLaren and her Grandmother Journals. Please visit and comment on Olga's post to be entered into a book giveaway.
Cathy is hosting today's sweet Poetry Friday party over at Merely Day By Day. Pack up your heart, and head on over to join the roundup.
I wish you many surprise hearts today, tomorrow, all week long!
Please share a comment below if you wish.
Poems come from the heart and make wonderful gifts for loved ones. What a treasure of a book to remind us how kindness lives in the human heart.
ReplyDeleteAmy,
ReplyDeleteI love your sock photo and the list poem is a great one to use with children.
Here's my couple from the desert.
You can make hearts in the sand.
You can draw hearts on your hand.
Hope you have a great Valentine's Day and Happy Friday the 13th.
Amy,
ReplyDeleteI <3 this rhythmic gem. Thank you for sharing it --- and the links to other poetry.
I'm looking forward to checking out your recommendation of Lend a Hand.
Cathy
You know, once I even found a potato shaped like a heart!
ReplyDeleteAmy, I love the idea that hearts are hiding everywhere! Your sock heart reminds me of a hand-knit heart garland I saw on Facebook last week. Did you see it? You've inspired me to give it a try. Happy Valentine's Day!
ReplyDeleteAs an icon, as a graphic motif, for me hearts are second only to spirals (one open, one closed), so I love this exhortation to create and strow hearts in one's path all day.
ReplyDeleteAmy, you are the master of keeping it simple and deeping it wise at the same time. Going off to honor that by copying it now...
We found a penguin picture on National Geographic with their fins shaped like hearts. You must read Jacod's poem. He is a first grader who is becoming a writer. http://kidblog.org/class/SliceofLifeChallenge/posts/7zqjy349muvsr973kgstim27i
ReplyDeleteAmy,
ReplyDeleteLoved the sock heart and looking for hearts all throughout the day.
Margaret, this student sings a song of poetry. Thanks for sharing with all of us.
Hi Amy!
ReplyDeleteLove all of the ways to make a heart! Here's one:
You can trace a heart in frosting across the top of chocolate cake.
Such fun to try with my students!
xo Kim
Now I'll be seeing hearts wherever I look! (a celebration, not a problem!)
ReplyDeleteOh, I love it! And you're right -- you can find hearts just about anywhere, if you look hard enough.
ReplyDeleteGreat poem, Amy and LEND A HAND was a book I thought, captured the good deeds that we can do for each other. Nice!
ReplyDeleteLove your list poem (and photo)! And I just read LEND A HAND. What a great book! I feared it would be way too sappy for me, but it wasn't. I mean, it was clearly heartfelt and thoughtful, but not syrupy, for the most part.
ReplyDeleteI'm in love with this love poem!!! "shape on out of socks"...awesome!
ReplyDelete