By Kirsti Call
I’ve always loved poetry. Robert Frost’s STOPPING BY THE WOODS ON A SNOWY EVENING and Emily Dickinson’s I’M NOBODY are permanently seared into my memory from childhood recitations. My first published poem in the elementary school newsletter still makes me smile: “…he howled and yowled all through the town, which made the sheriff frown. And that is why my dog’s in jail and that’s the end of my tale”.
I still memorize poetry with my children. We can recite IF and DO NOT GO GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT and O CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN. I read Jane Yolen’s poems daily. If you sign up here, one of her phenomenal poems will come to your inbox every day. But until recently, I hadn’t written poetry for about 20 years. I just finished taking Renee LaTulip’s Lyrical Language Lab. (Thanks Kidlit411 for the amazing prize!) What a wonderful way to get me writing poetry again! I’d forgotten how much fun it is to puzzle out a meter and rhyme! This month I’m also participating in Angie Karcher’s Rhyming Picture Book Month challenge. Every day I read 2 rhyming picture books and a blog post about writing rhyme well. I love the idea of a full month of focusing on the power of poetry!
Here’s a poem triggered by an assignment from Renee.
Daddy Long Legs
I see your shadow–
Eight angled knees looming over my journal–
An anorexic octopus sans ink.
Delicate as a bird’s wings–
Ravenous for my words,
The things of my heart…
But I wonder about you–
A spider, confider, an object of beauty…
A creature unruly, unchecked by your duty.
I’m grateful for poetry and here’s my challenge for you: Take a moment to read or write a poem this month.
What is your favorite poem? Please share your favorite or share something that you’ve written this month in celebration of poetry!
I’m currently reading a copy of “Death of a Hat” and loving it (so far).
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22747820-the-death-of-the-hat
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I have to check it out!
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LOVE your poem, Kirsti!!
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Thanks Lori! I love your rhyming stories 🙂
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