Friday, May 7, 2010

Poetry Friday & 10% Through MyPoWriYe


Today marks 10% of my year to write and post a daily children's poem.  It is fascinating how anything can become a habit (flossing, cleaning the sink, writing daily poems....)  

Poem number 37 was partially inspired by Lewis Carrol's "The Walrus and the Carpenter", in which my daughter Hope recently played an oyster.  It was also partially inspired by Lisa Westberg Peters' poem "Obituary for a Clam" from her marvelous book, Earthshake: Poems from the Ground Up.

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Last Friday was Poem in Your Pocket Day at Country Parkway Elementary in Williamsville, NY. 

Poems in Pockets at Country Parkway Elementary
Photo by Bobbi Hopkins

Bobbi Hopkins, third grade teacher, recounts the festivities:

It was a phenomenal day at our school on Poem in Your Pocket Day!  It was pockets, pockets everywhere in the halls of the school.  Every student displayed a decorated pocket and enclosed within it a treasured poem.  Classes made sure to roam the halls to reach into pockets and take out a poem to read and enjoy.  Throughout the day, there were random blasts of poetry over the PA - students reading poems of their own creation or favorite poems of choice.  A talented group of staff members did some "roaming poem-ing" by stopping in each classroom to recite and perform some poems.  Older students paired with younger students to read and compose poetry.  This was an event we will be sure to hold again next year!

I felt honored to attend Country Parkway's first Poem in Your Pocket celebration, especially when I was met at the door by third-grader Skyllar C., who wrote this poem.  Hopefully Skyllar's dance teacher will be lucky enough to read her words too.

Dancing Queen

I'm now a dancing queen,
So I can't wait to make a dancing scene.

I love being a dancing queen -
It is my biggest dream.

When I dance with my feet,
I can feel the powerful beat.

I dance everywhere I go,
Even in the ice cold snow.

I love to dance -
     and also prance,
I love to dance...no matter what.

Skyllar C., grade 3

May we, like Skyllar, see poetry as a way to celebrate great love...

Happy Poetry Friday!  Head on over to Random Noodling with Diane to learn about all sorts of poetry happenings in the blogosphere today.

(Please click COMMENTS below to share a thought.)

5 comments:

  1. "Full of joy for a moist day" - I'm going to remember that line while suffering through a very wet Spring in Seattle! Nice poem, Amy (and I took a look at that dandelion syrup recipe, too - yumm!)

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  2. I hate it that my "day job" (which becomes a "way too much job" in May, as you know) has prevented me from coming over every day to comment. (Good thing April is April and not May or I couldn't have done it all last month!!) I'm SOOO impressed and in awe that you are going to continue a poem a day for a YEAR! My favorite this week is Dandelion Dot-to-Dot. LOVE the concept! And Dandelion Fritters! Who knew?!? But, then, anything fried is yummy...

    In No Choister, I read the last line with an accent so that Joyce was a poil of a goil !! :-)

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  3. What a lovely assortment! I'm feeling so sorry for Joyce the oyster, though... Kind of a morality tale against playing in the rain! :-)

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  4. I love Skylar's poem. Makes me want to dance.~ It looks like a really fun day.

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  5. Thank you, everyone, for your words on this post. It was wonderful to be at CP for their special day. No oyster eating over here, but the dandelion syrup - I cannot recommend it enough. It's the best for dipping your sweet potato fries! Happy Mother's Day.
    A.

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