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Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Progressive Poem-Still dancing!


Happy April-Poetry Month!

            It’s my turn to add a line to the second kidlitosphere Progressive Poem.  Wonderfully creative Irene Latham of Live Your Poem started the idea last year.  It’s interesting how one line, even one word, will lead writers down a path.  Last year surprised and delighted us, and this year, so far, is just as exciting.  The list of writers is on the right of this page, and we’re a third of the way through the poem.  As you can see, this year’s poem began with Amy Ludwig VanDerwater at The Poem Farm, and tomorrow, Margaret Simon of Reflections on the Teche follows me.

          Yesterday, Carrie Finison at her StoryPatch blog spoke eloquently about the requirements for the middle of a poem, and I agree that I won’t have to find a clever ending, and I don’t have to set the tone or find a theme because we already appear to have found a sure path. 
           However, the path can be rocky in places, or take a sharp turn, and that will be my choice of geography, as Carrie says, “to expand and explore”.  Carrie also told me to give it a twirl.  I love to dance (hence my blog name), so it was fun to do just that!


Here is the poem with my line added:

When you listen to your footsteps
the words become music and
the rhythm that you’re rapping gets your fingers tapping, too.
Your pen starts dancing across the page
a private pirouette, a solitary samba until
smiling, you’re beguiling as your love comes shining through.

Pause a moment in your dreaming, hear the whispers
of the words, one dancer to another, saying
Listen, that’s our cue!  Mind your meter.  Find your rhyme.
Ignore the trepidation while you jitterbug and jive.


                                       Now, sending it down south to Margaret!



Here are links to more Poetry Love:

 I discovered this post shared on Facebook this week, and the blog itself is one to check out.  It's Teach With Picture Books, by Keith Schoch.  This particular post is Ten Ways To Use Poetry.  He writes two other blogs also,How To Teach A Novel and Teaching That Sticks.  You can find the links on his website.
       Mary Lee Hahn, at A Year of Reading, has been writing some gorgeous poetry this past week, using media from the Creative Commons site and teaching about proper attribution at the same time.  It's been a week of beautiful words written by her and a few of her commenters, along with learning and inspiration.  Please visit!
       To the right are the writers for Irene Latham's progressive poem during the month at Live Your Poem. So far, counting today, eight poets have added their lines; it's a path that meanders, with surprises each day!
        If you’d like to see more of the spectacular happenings occurring in April, check out Jama Rattigan’s blog, Jama’s Alphabet Soup.  I think she’ll be adding to the list as she finds out more, so keep checking in.
       And here are a few more wonderful poetry links at Tabatha Yeatts' blog,  The Opposite of Indifference.  

photo credit: Koshyk via photopin cc


28 comments:

  1. Dear Linda - I love thinking of you, me or anyone jitterbugging and jiving! Hard to let go of that trepidation sometimes... thank you so much for your line! xo

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    1. You're welcome, Irene. This is such fun to do! Thank you for keeping it going this year!

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  2. Hi Linda- I'm glad you kept the dancing going! I'm jiving on your line (heehee). Looking forward to Margaret's addition tomorrow...
    -Carrie

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    1. Thanks Carrie, you set up such a rhythm that I really needed to respond!

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  3. It's fun to watch the poem dancing around from one blog to another :-) I wonder what will happen next?

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    1. It will be a new turning, I suspect. Fun to discover, right? Thanks, Tabatha!

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  4. Jitterbug is a popular dance down here in Cajun country, but I'm not too sure about that trepidation coming round? But great rhythm in that word, though.
    Now where will we go? Tune in tomorrow. (Practicing my rhyming:)

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    1. Can't wait to see, Margaret. My trepidation is passed, at least for now.

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  5. I really like your line! Trying to ignore the trepidation...

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    1. Thanks Ruth-fun to put a bit of worry into it.

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  6. Linda,
    I love the whole idea of ignoring that pesky trepidation and getting out there to jitter and jive.....I am such a SLOW writer, I am more like a really old waltzer some days!! I need to get more pep!!! I love your line and how the poem is growing. So different from last year, too. Yet very interesting and FUN. I hope Irene will do this again next year.

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    1. Thanks Janet. It's just as I wrote above, once the path is started, it's difficult to veer off in another direction. Yet, the poem is young, maybe it will change?

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  7. As well as the dancing I love your use of consonants, they really get jazzy. Nice touch!

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    1. Thanks Catherine. I actually looked for a word that meant "worry" with a J too, but no luck.

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  8. It's getting even livelier! I guess trepidation could start you shaking - just turn it into the jitterbug instead of the jitters!

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    1. That "J" word came into my head, but I thought it was too much like Jitterbug. But you've got it right, Donna, trepidation can get one shaking! Thanks!

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  9. Loving the "jitterbug and jive"!!!

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  10. Hi, Linda. It's amazing to ready all of the internal rhymes, wordplay and echoes going on in this poem! I love your call to "ignore the trepidation" and be fearless in poetry.

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    1. Thanks Laura, exciting lines all the way, & lots left to go!

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  11. I love to jitterbug, love the alliteration, and love the energy you're keeping in this poem!

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    1. Thanks Matt! I am excited to see what's going to happen next-very fun!

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  12. How lovely to return from Spring Break to the Progressive Poem and your lively line! Love the way you jazzed up the tempo!

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    1. Hi! Thank you! I hope you had a wonderful break, full of all that you wanted it to be!

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  13. Perfect line, Linda. Got my foot tapping now....

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    1. Thanks Julie-wonderful idea from Irene-exciting to see how all the rest "choreographs"!

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  14. Well done, Linda! Great meter and sound - and I love the idea of jitterbugging instead of sitting around biting our nails. Words to live by! :)

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    1. Thank you Renee. I too like the attitude of 'get on with it'! Exciting to see how it will go!

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