Velcro Stories Want to Become Poems

One Adored Dog

Photo by a Loved One

Students - This poem is based on a true story.  I only know a little bit of the story, but I filled in the rest, inventing details that felt real and possible to me. Sometimes we see or hear or learn a story and it never ever leaves us. When I heard about this story, I could not let it go.  Or maybe...it could not let me go.

Stories that stick to us like velcro in our hearts are ones that want to be written.  A writer can write any story as a poem, and even if you've written a story out in long form before, you can try rewriting it as a poem.  Story poems are called narrative poems, and as is true with all poems, they need not rhyme at all.

I enjoyed playing with this new meter and as usual tap, tap, tapped as I wrote. Tapping syllables on a table or on my cheek helps me feel the rhythm of a poem in my body.

Visit my notebooks blog, Sharing Our Notebooks, to find out who won the Decomposition Notebook. And stay tuned, as there will be a new notebooks post coming this weekend.

Thank you to Rebecca who is hosting today's Poetry Friday over at Sloth Reads, a post celebrating a day I never knew existed with a poem I never knew existed - double fun! Please know that the Poetry Friday community shares poems and poemlove each week, and everyone is invited to visit, comment, and post.  And if you have a blog, we welcome you to link right in with us.

Please share a comment below if you wish.

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

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

Wallow in Wonder Day 26 - Not Anymore

Welcome to Day 26 of Wallow in Wonder!  For my 2016 National Poetry Month project, I will celebrate learning and writing from learning, writing poems from each daily Wonder at Wonderopolis.  As I did with my Dictionary Hike in 2012, I am looking to surprise myself with new inspiration daily.  This year, such inspiration will show up in my inbox each morning.  I will print it and carry each Wonderopolis Wonder around all day...and in the afternoon or evening, I will write and post the poem for the next day.  

I invite anyone who wishes to take this challenge too.  Just read today's wonder over at Wonderopolis, and write a poem inspired by it for tomorrow.  Share it tomorrow at your own site, and if you wish to link in my comments for others to find (or share your poem there), please feel free to do so tomorrow, the day after the Wonder is published at Wonderopolis.  If you would like to share any ways you have used Wallow in Wonder or your own site (safe for children only please), please feel free to do so in the comments.

My April Poems Thus Far

April 1 - So Suddenly - a poem inspired by Wonder #1659 

April 2 - Thankful Journal - a poem inspired by Wonder #1660

April 3 - The Storm Chaser - a poem inspired by Wonder #779

April 4 - A Jar of Glitter - a poem inspired by Wonder #641

April 5 - To Make Compost - a poem inspired by Wonder #1661

April 6 - Deciding Now - a poem inspired by Wonder #1662

April 7 - Hummingbird's Secret - a poem inspired by Wonder #1663

April 8 - Limits - a poem inspired by Wonder #1664

April 9 - Sundogs - a poem inspired by Wonder #1665

April 10 - Perspective - a poem inspired by Wonder #128

April 11 - At the History Museum - a poem inspired by Wonder #115

April 12 - Seventy-Five Years Ago Today - a poem inspired by Wonder #1666

April 13 - Homer's Poem - a poem inspired by Wonder #1667

April 14 - The Right - a poem inspired by Wonder #1668

April 15 - 5:00 am - a poem inspired by Wonder #1669

April 16 - Writing - a poem inspired by Wonder #1670

April 17 - Sometimes - a poem inspired by Wonder #194

April 18 - Once - a poem inspired by Wonder #192

April 19 - Eat It - a poem inspired by Wonder #1671

April 20 - Chatty Green Tomato - a poem inspired by Wonder #1672

April 21 - This Argument We're Having - a poem inspired by Wonder #1673

April 22 - After a Week in Foster Care - a poem inspired by Wonder #1674

April 23 - Pay Attention - a (recycled) poem inspired by Wonder #1675

April 24 - Please Don't Ask - a poem inspired by Wonder #201

April 25 - Mama Kangaroo's Poem - a poem inspired by Wonder #447

And now for Day 26!

Wonder #1676 - from April 25, 2016

Unexpected Tears

by Amy LV

Students - Today's I offer you a free verse poem.  And it's also a bit of a before and after poem, something I talked about on Day 18 regarding Once.  This is one of my more serious pieces, and I wrote it because I am feeling sad about something right now, sad about something that happened to some people I care about very much.

Poems can help us make sense of hard times, and they can help us understand our own feelings, can help us reflect.  When I read yesterday's Wonder about weather forecasting, I went in many directions at first.  I could not stop thinking about how people can be tough on those who predict weather...and how this feels unfair.  After all, there are so many things that I cannot predict, even when those events, relationships, sicknesses have signs. Sometimes signs are inaccurate...and sometimes we miss signs.  Life is like this, like weather. Perhaps this is what makes it so precious and beautiful.

Each of us pauses to stop and think at times.  And these thoughts can become the seeds for poems.  It is very important to pause to think, poems or not.  Pause. Think. It will help you live better.

Yesterday, I happily introduced teacher Emily Callahan and her students from Kansas City here to The Poem Farm.  They are a magical bunch, and I will be featuring their post all week.  It also holds a giveaway to a commenter.  So please, to learn about Popcorn and Poetry...visit HERE.

I feel very lucky to host teacher and librarian Stefanie Cole and her students from Ontario, Canada at Sharing Our Notebooks this month. This is a fantastic post full of notebook inspiration, a video clip, and a great book giveaway from Stefanie. Please check it out, and leave a comment over there to be entered into the giveaway.

Happy Day 26 of National Poetry Month 2016!

Please share a comment below if you wish.

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

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

Wallow in Wonder 22 - After a Week in Foster Care

Welcome to Day 22 of Wallow in Wonder!  For my 2016 National Poetry Month project, I will celebrate learning and writing from learning, writing poems from each daily Wonder at Wonderopolis.  As I did with my Dictionary Hike in 2012, I am looking to surprise myself with new inspiration daily.  This year, such inspiration will show up in my inbox each morning.  I will print it and carry each Wonderopolis Wonder around all day...and in the afternoon or evening, I will write and post the poem for the next day.  

I invite anyone who wishes to take this challenge too.  Just read today's wonder over at Wonderopolis, and write a poem inspired by it for tomorrow.  Share it tomorrow at your own site, and if you wish to link in my comments for others to find (or share your poem there), please feel free to do so tomorrow, the day after the Wonder is published at Wonderopolis.  If you would like to share any ways you have used Wallow in Wonder or your own site (safe for children only please), please feel free to do so in the comments.

My April Poems Thus Far

April 1 - So Suddenly - a poem inspired by Wonder #1659 

April 2 - Thankful Journal - a poem inspired by Wonder #1660

April 3 - The Storm Chaser - a poem inspired by Wonder #779

April 4 - A Jar of Glitter - a poem inspired by Wonder #641

April 5 - To Make Compost - a poem inspired by Wonder #1661

April 6 - Deciding Now - a poem inspired by Wonder #1662

April 7 - Hummingbird's Secret - a poem inspired by Wonder #1663

April 8 - Limits - a poem inspired by Wonder #1664

April 9 - Sundogs - a poem inspired by Wonder #1665

April 10 - Perspective - a poem inspired by Wonder #128

April 11 - At the History Museum - a poem inspired by Wonder #115

April 12 - Seventy-Five Years Ago Today - a poem inspired by Wonder #1666

April 13 - Homer's Poem - a poem inspired by Wonder #1667

April 14 - The Right - a poem inspired by Wonder #1668

April 15 - 5:00 am - a poem inspired by Wonder #1669

April 16 - Writing - a poem inspired by Wonder #1670

April 17 - Sometimes - a poem inspired by Wonder #194

April 18 - Once - a poem inspired by Wonder #192

April 19 - Eat It - a poem inspired by Wonder #1671

April 20 - Chatty Green Tomato - a poem inspired by Wonder #1672

April 21 - This Argument We're Having - a poem inspired by Wonder #1673

And now for Day 22!

Wonder #1674 - from April 21, 2016

Counting

by Amy LV

Students - You may have picked up on the fact that today's poem ends with missing someone, just as yesterday's poem does.  Why is that?  I am not sure, but again, sometimes a writer has a theme running through his or her mind without even realizing it, a sort of background music, perhaps, that affects what he or she writes.  Maybe I am missing someone...

Thinking about yesterday's wonder, never having been a child in foster care or a parent caring for a child in foster care, I imagined how I might feel if I were a child in this situation.  As you read in the Wonder (if you read it), there are many reasons that children spend time in foster homes.  And while foster homes serve an important role in helping families and children get the space and shelter they need, it must be very difficult for a child to move into a new strange home for a period of time.  I imagined how I might feel, even if my parents were struggling as parents, living in a new place for a little while.

This is a list poem, beginning with a list of all of the things that are good and healthy in the imaginary writer's foster home, yet it ends with a twist.  A twist that reflects upon how although there is much good, there is still deep love for family and loneliness for them.

Making a list and then reflecting at the end of it is an interesting poetic structure.  You might wish to try this out, with a serious topic such as I did...or with a more playful subject.  Explore all kinds of techniques and topics with your poetry.

It is a treat to host teacher and librarian Stefanie Cole and her students from Ontario, Canada at Sharing Our Notebooks this month. This is a fantastic post full of notebook inspiration, a video clip, and a great book giveaway from Stefanie. Please check it out, and leave a comment over there to be entered into the giveaway.

Happy Day 22 of National Poetry Month 2016...Earth Day!  If you did not see my post featuring the wonderful J. Patrick Lewis from earlier today, please catch it HERE.

Jama is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at Jama's Alphabet Soup with a beautiful and delicious celebration of one of my favorite new books.  Enjoy all of the offerings, and please join in as you wish!

Please share a comment below if you wish.

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

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

Day 12 - National Poetry Month 2015 - Sing That Poem!

Happy National Poetry Month!

Welcome to Day 12 of this Year's Poem Farm Project!

Find the Complete April 2015 Poem and Song List Here

First, I would like to welcome all old and new friends to The Poem Farm this April. Spring is a busy time on all farms, and this one is no exception.  Each April, many poets and bloggers take on special poetry projects, and I'm doing so too.  You can learn all about Sing That Poem! and how to play on my April 1st post, where you will also find the list of the whole month's poems and tunes as I write and share them.  If you'd like to print out a matching game page for yourself, you can find one here, and during April 2015, you'll be able to see the song list right over there in the left hand sidebar.

Yesterday's poem was In the Harbor.  Here is the tune that goes along with it, below. Did you figure it out?

And here, below, is today's poem.  Look at the song list in the sidebar or on your matching form to see if you can puzzle out which tune matches this one.

One Pen at a Time

Photo by Amy LV

Students - Yesterday I began trying to write to the tune/beat of a different song, but you know what?  I just wasn't in the mood for that tune, so I switched to this one instead.  It is funny to me that one tune would not somehow appeal on a certain day, but this is exactly what happened.  Now that other meter is all counted out and waiting for the just-right day.

I do adore the idea of octopi and writing and ink.  In fact, I wrote another octopus-writer poem back in 2010, and you can read it here if you wish.  It is interesting to hold onto your writing, students, because if you keep at it, you will notice themes in your own work.  Who knows? Maybe in 50 years, I'll have a complete collection of octopus-writer poems.

Did you know that the preferred plural of 'octopus' is actually 'octopuses' and not 'octopi'?  Here is why.

from Grammarist.com

Well, I certainly AM a "fan of quirky words" - so much so that this seven letter delight landed in my thirty-five word poem not once, but twice!

Which quirky words do you like?  Consider making a list of these and then just choose one to write from. Simply place one of those quirky words atop a fresh page...and go! Writing from one word often yields surprising poemjourneys.

There is a second poem to go with today's song, and it is actually the first one I wrote.  You can read/sing it below.  I am curious as to what you think of the differences between these two and if you prefer one to the other.

Hope and Eli at Camp - Summer 2000

Photo by Amy LV

Please share a comment below if you wish.

On Mother's Day - For a Dad

Love
by Amy LV

Students - I wrote today's poem because I have been thinking about children who do not have moms living with them.  A mom is a special person.  But a dad or a grandma or grandpa or aunt or uncle will often step in and be the mom who - for whatever reason - might not be there.  Thank you to everyone who does the job of a mom each day - dads, grandparents, other relatives, teachers, nurses, those who love us when and how we most need it.  

You will notice that this poem does not go on and on.  It is simple.  The feeling is simple too.  Sometimes too many words are too many words.

Jama is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at her delicious blog, Jama's Alphabet Soup.  Visit Jama's place to enjoy Poetry Friday fun all around the Kidlitosphere this week!

This weekend you will find me at the International Reading Association Conference in New Orleans, LA.  I will be speaking as a part of this panel about THE POETRY FRIDAY ANTHOLOGY FOR SCIENCE, and I will be signing FOREST HAS A SONG at the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Booth (#1951) from 1:00pm - 2:00pm.  Can't wait!

Happy Mother's Day!

Please share a comment below if you wish.

Waving Hands - What is The Weather in Your Heart?

Windy Heart

by Amy LV

Click the arrow to hear me read this poem to you.

Students - Today is the last day of the school year for my children.  For Hope, our eldest, it is the last day she will ever attend her school, the school where she's been a student for five years.  It is a bittersweet time, and I imagine that the wind is blowing in her heart today.  It sure is in mine.  Today's poem is not a new one, but I haven't shared it before today.  It's a "sighing feeling" poem.  

You'll notice just a hint of movement in this one.  Lines 4 indents to give a waving feeling between lines 3 and 4.  It's subtle, but it's there.  

Weather can bring a lot of imagery into a poem, simply and clearly.  If you've never tried adding a bit of rain or wind or a warm morning to your poems, you may wish to give it a try.

Warmly wise Tabatha Yeatts is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup, so you'll want to head on over to The Opposite of Indifference to see who's sharing what goodies today!

Please share a comment below if you wish.

To find a poem by topic, click here. To find a poem by technique, click here.

Like The Poem Farm on Facebook for more poems, articles, and poemquotes!

One - A Sad and Happy Cat Day

Little Wilbur

Photo by Amy LV

Click the arrow to hear me read this poem to you.

Students - Friday was a sad day and a happy day.  The sad part was that kittenWilbur died. He was the runt of Freya's litter, and he lived for six weeks. We'd named him after Wilbur from CHARLOTTE'S WEB, in the hopes that he too would survive.  But it was not to be. We tucked Wilbur's body into a tiny box, and in the rain, Mark buried him in our little graveyard underneath the pear tree.

The saddest picture we've had here at our farm in a long time is the picture of mother Freya licking her little Wilbur, trying bring him back to life.  Writing today's poem helped me to do something with the teary feelings   I held in my heart that night.

The happy news was that Phoebe (Freya's sister), who had two dark gray kittens as of Friday morning, gave birth to two more (sandy and orange) on Friday!  This was a complete surprise as we did not know cats could do that.  The four new babies are doing well, and the three (six week) old kittens are now ready for homes.

Update on May 14, 2013 - Third grade teacher Jennifer Wright and her students read this poem and allowed it to inspire their own heartfelt and honest poems of loss.  Jennifer explains her lesson and shares some very beautiful poems at her wise blog, Teaching Simplicity. 

Phoebe and Her Four Kittens

Photo by Amy LV

Today I bring you two poems by student friends.  The first is by fifth grader Grace McCormick, who some of you remember from Sharing Our Notebooks.  Her class decorated their door to match FOREST HAS A SONG cover, and Grace's poem was written on one of the leaves.  This joyful verse celebrates red boots, something the girl in my book wears on many many pages.

Red Boots

by Grace McCormick

Dakota's poem comes to us from Silver Star School in Vancouver, Washington.  School librarian Ms. Mac from Check It Out always invites anyone who wishes to request a poem postcard in April with a poem written by a student in her school.  I was lucky enough to receive this powerful one.

by Dakota M.

Thank you, young poets, for sharing your poems with all of us!  We are very grateful.

Please share a comment below if you wish.

To find a poem by topic, click here. To find a poem by technique, click here.

Like The Poem Farm on Facebook for more poems, articles, and poemquotes!

Stealing and Sharing - Passing it On

 Our Joke

by Amy LV

Click the arrow to hear me read this poem to you.

Students - Sometimes I plan to end a poem one way, but the poem decides to end itself another way. Writing today's verse, I planned to end with just a lonely waiting nose, no Grandpa.  The poem was going to have a sad ending.  But then the ending changed.  Partly because of difficulty with rhyme and partly because of the circle of families, I decided to bring this Grandpa tradition into the new generation.

If you are wondering whether today's poem is true for my own life, it is not. Both of my grandfathers died before I was two years old, and as my parents are both only children I do not have aunts or uncles or therefore, cousins.  So today's poemfacts are true for me, but the feeling of missing someone and wanting to keep that someone alive is very true.

This is a poem written in quatrains, and it has some near rhymes.  Notice that the second and fourth lines of each stanza end with words that have similarities in sound, but only one of the three pairs is a true rhyme.  Can you find it?

What do you long for?  What will you pass on?  Therein lies poetry.

Please share a comment below if you wish.

To find a poem by topic, click here. To find a poem by technique, click here.

Like The Poem Farm on Facebook for more poems, articles, and poemquotes!

Goodbye, Irwin.

 

Irwin 2001 - 2012

Photo by a VanDerwater Child

Irwin's Milkhouse

Painting by Alix Martin

Irwin's House for Christmas
Photo by Amy LV

Irwin 2001 - 2012

Photo by a VanDerwater Child

Students - Our family lost a friend today. Irwin was our oldest pet, and a very gentle guy. Whenever children would visit our home, they would rush to Irwin's milkhouse and hop in with him. Then Irwin would get all kinds of cuddles and kisses. He loved celery, dandelions, and we like to think...us. Just this spring, he became friends with our cat Pickles who liked to visit him in the milkhouse too. Pickles is scared of most every animal, so her trust of Irwin is another testament to his sweet ways.

Today's poem is just me talking to Irwin. Poems are good like that - they kind of hold you when you need it. We held Irwin for a while last night, and today when we found him still in his hay, we were not surprised. Rest well, little furball.

Mary Lee is hosting today's Poetry Friday round up over at A Year of Reading. Stop on by her place to find out about today's poetry goodies.

Please share a comment below if you wish.

To find a poem by topic, click here. To find a poem by technique, click here.

Like The Poem Farm on Facebook for more poems, articles, and poemquotes!

SPARK Day - Nancy Claeys & Poem #332

Direction

Photo by Nancy Claeys of A Rural Journal

This past week I had the privilege to work with Nancy Claeys, writer, photographer, and blogger at A Rural Journal.  We were paired up through Amy Souza's  SPARK, trading writing and photographs ten days ago as inspiration.  For ten days we each moodled, me with my little pen and Nancy with her big camera, creating works in response to each other's creations.

This powerful eagle weather vane photo I received from Nancy on February 16 could have taken any one of the four cardinal directions as I imagined looking to it for meaning and answers.  Reading through Nancy's blog gave me insight into her life on a farm and as an admirer of old barns and country landscapes.  

I looked up the history of weather vanes at Weathervanes Plus, surprised to learn that "The popularity of weathervanes exploded when a papal edict from the 9th century A.D. helped bring the weathervane to the skies of most of Europe.  Rome declared that every church in Christendom must be adorned by a cockerel, a symbol to remind Christians of Peter's betrayal of Christ: 'I tell thee Peter, the cock shall not crow this day before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.'" (Luke 22: 34)

As I wrote and thought and read Nancy's words, roosters and birds from all weather vanes - past and present - whispered through the sky.  Hence, this.

Ten days ago, I sent Nancy an old poem, a sad poem.  I wondered how she would interpret it with an image.  

Here is her hauntingly beautiful response which made me suck my breath right in.

Button

Photo by Nancy Claeys of A Rural Journal

This opportunity to work with an artist one has never met, to share pictures and words, is a true joy.  Thank you to Nancy for her partnership in this round, and much gratitude to Amy Souza for making this space and time for us all.  

My first experience with SPARK was SPARK 10, exchanging work with artist Amy Souza (photograph & painting) as well as Amanda Brainerd (digital illustration).  Keep your eyes out for SPARK 12, which I promise to announce here.  Just like Poetry Friday, all are welcome to play!

Students and Teachers - consider setting up such a project in your school.  This type of collaboration can work long distance as well as close by.  It would be perfect for homeschoolers, and again, I offer to help set up such an opportunity for any children who might wish to try this.  If you try this as or with children, please let me know as I would love to feature your work and process here.

Are you still wondering how weather vanes work?  If so, check out this diagram at scoutingpages.org.

(Please click on COMMENTS below to share a thought.)

MyPoWriYe #172 - Baby Raccoon

This poem is about something that always makes me sad - animals hit by cars.  Driving to a school on Wednesday morning, I saw a deer that had just been hit, and I guess I haven't been able to get it off my mind.  Somehow it doesn't feel right that creatures who don't even drive are killed by our cars.

Students - I wrote this poem in my head while driving along dark country roads last night.  When my ten-year-old daughter Georgia read it, she asked, "Why does it have to be a baby raccoon?  That just makes the poem sadder."   Sometimes life is sad indeed, and poems can be with us through our sadness.  Writing about injustice or sad topics can sometimes help us make sense of the world.  At the very least, it can help us find a word-home for our feelings.

(Please click on COMMENTS below to share a thought.)