Thursday, July 17, 2014

Poetry Friday - Old Acquaintances

             Poetry Friday is hosted today by the always entertaining Tabatha Yeatts at The Opposite of Indifference. This time it seems that a strange admirer of Emily Dickinson is also visiting. Go over to see what's going on.

          I've had a long-time link with the poet John Ciardi because I used his poetry book How Does A Poem Mean in a poetry class long long ago in college, and have read it since then, although not for a while. At the time, I thought it wasn't terrible interesting, but I loved more the teacher I had, a former poet laureate of Missouri, John Neihardt.  I thought he told better stories about poetry than the book did. 
       Yet since then, I've come to enjoy different texts about poetry, and all kinds of poetry. I had the good luck to go antiquing when I visited my son and family in Texas. I don't buy many things any more, have too much already, but this time I had the extreme pleasure of finding what appears to be a first edition of  Doodle Soup, a book of Ciardi's children's poems. It seems untouched, although now it is!  I've discovered some of the poems are akin to Shel Silverstein and I will try them out with young students this year to see if I'm right. Yet the humor is sometimes a bit strange, too. More than one of the poems talk about disappearing, somehow making a mistake and "poof", one is gone. They can be wry in humor, yet still others offer a big laugh at the "new" look he imagines.


 

Here's one about a turtle, discussing its home:

"I Am Home," Said the Turtle

"I am home," said the turtle, as it pulled in its head
And its feet, and its tail. "I am home, and in bed.

"No matter what inches and inches I roam,
When the long day is done, I am always at home."

        Although the poem is in the book, Doodle Soup, I also found it here, in another anthology, A Zooful of Animals by William Cole, accompanied by some cute illustrations. You'll need to click on the link in the table of contents.

        One of my favorites is "In Pete's Shoes" and unfortunately I couldn't find a link to it. I hope you can find it. I think you'll get the fun point if I share the first two couplets:

        "I tried to tell my small son Pete
        He had his shoes on the wrong feet.

         That's when he explained to his silly Dad
         Those were the only feet he had--- "

       And a final one, sorry, many of the poems are just not available online. Again, I think you will understand how clever he was, and this one seems most akin to Silverstein, a little Bennett Cerf. 

        "Frizzing"

It snew all night. By the next noon
Eleven feet of sney had snoon.
I jumped up out of bed and snooze.
The snuz stopped in midair and froze.
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          I hope you'll be able to find the book (unless you already have) and and that you love it! It's terrific to discover old acquaintances.

        As you can read in the comments, Robyn Hood Black, Life On The Deckle Edge,  reminded me of Renee LaTulippe's wonderful post about John Ciardi, with many more titles of his books and poems shared too. Check it out at No Water River!  Thanks to Robyn for the reminder and Renee for much more about John Ciardi!

              

20 comments:

  1. I don't know this title at all. I'll see about ILL-ing it! (How's that for a public library plug?)

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    1. I hope you enjoy it, Diane-much fun to enjoy Ciardi's humor.

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  2. Will be on the hunt now for Doddle Soup. I remember listening to John Ciardi's voice
    on National Public Radio years back &unfortunately, hadn't thought often of his work in ages, especially for children.
    All these snippets are fun. I especially like the turtle & the idea of disappearing - kids are so pulled into that....

    Sounds like a mighty fine Texas trip.

    Jan
    Bookseedstudio

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    1. Thanks Jan. It is in our library, so hope you can find it, too. Yes, kids will love most of his poems, I think.

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  3. I'm not familiar with this book. I, too, will be on the look out for it. Thanks for sharing it here. : )

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  4. Love these offerings today, Linda! Thanks. (That turtle poem always makes me smile.)

    Did you catch Renee's interview with Lee Bennett Hopkins in the NCTE winner spotlight series about John Ciardi? http://www.nowaterriver.com/spotlight-on-ncte-poets-john-ciardi-with-lee-bennett-hopkins/

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    1. Yes, though I have forgotten about it, Robyn. I looked back, & will add the link to my post. Renee told so much about Ciardi in it. Thanks for reminding me.

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  5. "Frizzing" looks like one that kids would have a lot of fun reading aloud. I have liked sharing Ciardi's "About the Teeth of Sharks" with students. It has that little element of danger... (and is very Shel Silverstein-y).

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    1. Thanks, Tabatha for more! The poems are delightful!

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  6. Great antique store find, Linda! "No matter what inches and inches I roam..." Love that.

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  7. Doodle Soup was on display -- on the classroom bookshelf -- during one of my third grade residencies this year. There are some real gems ("In Pete's Shoes" -- ha!) The poems are filled with playful language.

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    1. Oh, happy you know it. The poems will be treasures to share this year, I know. Thanks Laura!

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    1. Yes, glad to discover it, Mary Lee. Thanks.

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  9. What a great find! I'd bet there isn't a funny bone out there that wouldn't be tickled by this one. Hope you've been having fun gallivanting about. :)

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    1. It has been a very busy summer, I agree. And most has been very good. Thanks, Michelle.

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  10. Antique shops can turn up such treasures! Congrats on scoring a copy in such fine condition. Thanks for sharing!

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  11. This sounds like a rare and unexpected find indeed, Linda. This is why I so love book hunting. You don't know what treasures are quietly finding their way to you. Thank you for sharing so many snippets here.

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