Imagine a Conversation

Sumacs

Photo by Amy LV

Sunset

Photo by Georgia VanDerwater

Students - Today's poem idea popped into my head sometime over the past few days, probably because the sumacs are so stunningly orange and red and because Halloween is on my mind. Somehow the idea of two orange nature friends dressing up as each other just made me smile.

It is playful to invent conversations between people, animals, or objects, and when we do this, we explore new and different writing territories. Consider taking a walk outside. Which two outside beings or objects might you imagine talking with each other? What might they say? Try making a little list and see where it brings you.

Remember, you do not always have to keep your mind on a leash. It is important to let your mind run in the field of ideas or at the idea park...with all of those other ideas.

Below is one of my first published poems, many years ago in LADYBUG magazine, and again several years later in BABYBUG. I will never stop feeling thankful for seeing the many different ways that talented illustrators bring my small words to life.

It was again a joy and an honor to visit Wyckoff, NJ this week, to work with wise and kind teachers and to think about writing together. Thank you, Wyckoff friends, for teaching me as always and for the good laughs. See you in January!

Carol is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup at The Apples in My Orchard with a celebration of bats for this International Bat Week. Each Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community.

Tonight I hope to carve a pumpkin beside a bonfire. I wish cozy to you and yours...

xo,

Amy

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Playing with Rhyme

Imagined Ghost and Pie
by Amy LV

Students - I am having a fine time carving and stamping erasers again, making Halloween cards for family. Last week's poem about Little Vampire Girl is still on my mind, and as Halloween is next Thursday, it's pumpkin carving time around here. So yesterday, a poem about a ghost began to float through my mind.

Our Kitchen Table Right Now

Photo by Amy LV

As I jotted Halloween-y things, found myself wondering if any words rhyme with invisible...and I found one on RhymeZone: divisible. I was so happy that I started to play with these two words until this poem emerged.

Sometimes a poem can spring from wordplay. If you want to try this out yourself, make some lists of rhyming words in your notebook. Choose a couple and just play around with them until you find something surprising. Follow the thread...see where it leads you.

Karen is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup at at Karen Edmisten with a beautiful poem for October by Helen Hunt Jackson. We welcome everybody to join us each Friday as we share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship. Check out my left sidebar to learn where to find this poetry fellowship roundup every week.

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If you are under 13 years old, please comment only with a parent 

or as part of a group with your teacher and class.

Find Inspiration in Illustration

Little Vampire Girl

by MacKenzie Haley

Students - Life is a joyous journey! This Monday I drove a few hours to Clayton, NY to work with the good and generous teachers of the Thousand Islands School District. In my hotel room on Monday evening, I came across MacKenzie Haley's illustration of Little Vampire Girl. I commented on MacKenzie's Twitter post, she wrote back, I wrote back, she wrote back, I wrote back, she wrote back, I wrote a poem, and here we are.

Twitter Comment Thread

When I saw this MacKenzie's illustration, I wanted to talk with Little Vampire Girl, her rainbow-y unicorn, and Moon too.

And you know what?  In writing...I can. I loved imagining Little Vampire Girl talking with Wise Moon.  Had I eaten something different for dinner or slept a different number of hours last night, perhaps I might have written a different poem. One never knows. 

This poem tells a story. Even though a poem often has short lines and may rhyme and use a meter, a poem can tell a story. We can find or create a character or two and make something happen. We can invent conversations and settings and plots. We can build worlds in lines and stanzas, even very pretend ones involving conversations between imaginary and celestial beings.

We need never be stuck for ideas for our world is full of images: in museums, in magazines, on walls of our dentists' offices, in books, on the fabrics we wear and sleep under. We can draw our own images or from our friends' images or from art hanging in the kindergarten hallway at school. The art of others can awaken art inside of us. Each time we open our eyes, we can choose to be inspired.

Thank you, MacKenzie Haley, for your kindness in allowing me to share your Little Vampire Girl here today. I want to hug her! And yes, I AM willing to take a risk with my neck.

Congratulations to Linda Mitchell!  You have won a copy of Marilyn Singer's WILD IN THE STREETS: 20 POEMS OF CITY ANIMALS, illustrated by Gordy Wright and published by Words Pictures/Quarto. Please send me your snail mail address, Linda, and I will get this book right off to you!

Jama is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup at Jama's Alphabet Soup. We welcome everybody to join us each Friday as we share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship. Check out my left sidebar to learn where to find the roundup each Friday.

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If you are under 13 years old, please comment only with a parent 

or as part of a group with your teacher and class.

Pretending and Remembering...

Ghost and Jack

Photo by Amy LV

Students - I often think about the days before and after holidays.  Today found me thinking about the sheet I still use on a bed sometimes, the sheet with eye holes cut into it.  See, four years ago, I was a ghost for Halloween, back when our black cat Fiona was small.  And I haven't had the heart to throw the sheet away.  You can see it in the picture (taken today) above, with Jack and in the picture below, with Fiona.

Amyghost & Fiona, 2014

Photo by Someone LV

I so like pretending to be other things, and today, as I sit beside a lit pumpkin after the holiday, I like thinking about how special days come and go and how our memories remain.  This is not the first time I have done this...perhaps I am a wistful and nostalgic gal.

Not sure what to write? Think about the days before or after a big holiday or event.  Write from your point of view or from the point of view of someone or something else.  Switching perspective helps a writer understand something in a whole new way.

And I have a question for you to think about.  Just when did you realize that the speaker in this poem was a bed sheet, anyway?  I considered using the word sheet in the title...but then, instead, I chose to preserve a bit of mystery until a few lines in.  Remember this: as author, to a certain degree, you control when readers make various realizations.  These decisions are in your hands, my friend, so have some fun with them.

I very much look forward to the Rochester Children's Book Festival tomorrow! It is always a treat and an honor to attend this wonderful event in Rochester, NY.

Jama is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup at Jama's Alphabet Soup with a wise and beautiful call to vote and a poem by Judith Harris. Please know that each Poetry Friday, we gather together to share books, and poetry ideas all at one blog.  Everyone is always welcome to visit, comment, and post.  We invite you!

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Scaring My Mom - What Happened this Week?

Bat in the Morning
by Amy LV

Students - Happy almost Halloween!  Halloween is one of my favorite holidays because I love dressing up, and I love sweets, and I love surprises.  This year, one of my children will be dressed up as a Stormtrooper from STAR WARS, and well, let's just say that this poem came from real life.  I have been surprised many times this past week.  

When you sit to write, remember that the little funny things that happen in your life every day are great writing material.  And if you cannot think of a funny little thing...make one happen!

Today's verse doesn't rhyme regularly or have a special meter or pattern, but if you read closely, you'll find some rhymes and some near rhymes.

Over at my other blog, Sharing Our Notebooks, Sunday is the last day you can leave a comment and be considered to win Jeff Anderson's ZACK DELACRUZ: ME AND MY BIG MOUTH.  Jeff has written many wonderful books for teachers about teaching writing, and his notebooks post is a great one about keeping a project journal.

Jone is hosting today's Poetry Friday party over at Check it Out.  Please visit her cozy corner of the internet and learn about the poetry happenings 'round the Kidlitosphere this week.

Happy Halloween!

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