Happy National Poetry Month!
(For new poetry writing videos, see the COAXING POEMS tab above.)
Hello Poetry Friends! If you visited earlier this month, you may have noticed a change my National Poetry Month project title. For my National Poetry Month Project this year, I had originally planned to study crows and share a new crow poem each day of April with the number lines in each poem corresponding to the date. The plan was to write 1-line poem on April 1...and go all the way up to a 30-line poem on April 30. For a variety of personal and poetic reasons, I have changed the project. The poems have lengthened to 15 lines...and now they decrease from 15 back down to 1. Hence the new name: ONE MORE OR LESS LINE CROW.
To do so, simply:
1. Choose a subject that you would like to stick with for 30 days. You might choose something you know lots about...or like me, you might choose something you will read and learn about throughout April.
3. Write a new poem for each day of April 2024, corresponding the number of lines in your poem to the date. For example, the poem for April 1 will have 1 line. The poem for April 14 will have 14 lines. The poem for April 30 will have 30 lines. OR....invent your own idea! And if you start later in April, just play around however you wish.
4. Teachers and writers, if you wish to share any ONE MORE LINE... subjects or poems, please email them to me or tag me @amylvpoemfarm. I would love to see what your students write and to know that we are growing these lines...and our understandings of different subjects...together.
Below you may read all of this month's poems:
And now for today!
Twenty-Six Crows, Five Lines
Photo by Amy LV
Students - Today's poem is a bit of a continuation of yesterday's poem. It is true that crows save nuts for the future...and true that they are smart enough to drop walnuts on the road to crack them open. This poem is like a little story.
Thank you for joining me for ONE LINE CROW... I have had a beautiful and busy two weeks away from home visiting seven different wonderful schools, and this afternoon I head home to see and hear the crows near our home.
Ruth is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup over at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town with a dream of Haiti, a country she has called home. Each Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community.
To learn about more National Poetry Month projects and all kinds of April goodness, visit Jama Rattigan at Jama's Alphabet Soup where Jama has generously gathered this coming month's happenings. Happy National Poetry Month!
xo,
Amy
ps - If you are interested in learning about any of my previous 13 National Poetry Month projects, you may do so here.
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Amy, I was listening to crows just this week. Saw one being pestered by a smaller bird, and not long ago had two in my yard, feasting. Something left rabbit remains in my yard. Oh yes, the crows were happy. But not I. Crows are certainly a good topic, and I salute your 5-line poem. I could try this... good idea. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe last line is perfection! I'm not a fan of crows (I know, I know...), but I do love this project.
ReplyDeleteLife derailed my goal of "Audience-ing" this NPM, so I've had fun reading back and catching up on all the crow poems I've missed! I love that you connected two poems yesterday and today!
ReplyDeleteThey know just how to live, don't they? I have a few crows visit once in a while. Love their use of height as a tool!
ReplyDeleteI am learning so much about CROWS! I just keep wondering why they are invading an alpine forest! There are no walnuts there!
ReplyDeleteI love Crow's determination in this poem. :)
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