Sunday, April 30, 2017

#NPM17 - Poem 30 of 30 - Nature's Joke



          There is not a particle of life which does not bear poetry within it. ― Gustave Flaubert

   See all the poetic events this month in the sidebar.  
   It is exciting to see the Progressive Poem come to a close. It's been an adventure every day! See the final line from Laura Purdie Salas HERE!

My goal for Poetry Month: TINY THINGS.  

Here's a wordcloud of the thirty topics I responded to in poetry for this April. Some I had thought of early; some surprised. Because I also post with other different memes during the month, I tried to connect to the theme of those memes in my poems. For example, when I posted book reviews on one day, my poem was The Letter 'A'. I tried different forms, but really chose the form that seemed to fit the topic. It was a good month of writing.  

       Special thanks to all who commented and often shared a connection to the topics. I appreciate receiving the responses. 

       I created a haiga for this final post. You can find more about that as it connects to haiku here.



             I hope that you can see the difference in the picture, but the haiku, to me, shares that these two "things" are not the same. One is very good to eat; one was shaped by nature's forces like wind and water. 

Saturday, April 29, 2017

#NPM17 - poem 29 of 30 - Celebrating Friendship



Tweet @ #CelebrateLu

         Celebrating with Ruth Ayres and others at Discover Play Build. And it's the next to last day of April-- poetry month. 



         Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman. ― Virginia Woolf

           See all the poetic events this month in the sidebar.  My goal for Poetry Month: 
TINY THINGS.  

       Friendship is NOT a tiny thing, but being a friend is made of tiny things. You take time even when feeling the plate is mighty full. You send a card, make a phone call, do something kind. And you listen more than talk. This poem captures a long ago memory. As a child, I really did meet friends under huge lilac bushes. There was a hollow place under which we could meet to talk, and we did create endless clubs, with rules and promises. I celebrate the friendships I had then, through the years, and now. I do think women have a special bond, and endless fun, too. 


  Friendship
Summer afternoons, shimmering sunshine -
playmates scurry
under cool lilac shade.

We were giggling girls in cotton dresses,
creating secret plans.
One holds a Big Chief tablet and a pencil,
reporter-in-charge.

Each whispers a rule.
and each promises a bond,
the first of many
among little girls.

Linda Baie © All Rights Reserved

Thursday, April 27, 2017

#PoetryFriday - #NPM17- poem 28 of 30 - Tree


         Thanks to JoAnn Early Macken at 
Teaching Authors who is hosting this final April Poetry Friday. JoAnn has a terrific "drip-drop" poem in response to all the rain happening in her part of the world. See all the poetic events in the sidebar.



          "
Writers don’t write from experience, although many are hesitant to admit that they don’t. If you wrote from experience, you’d get maybe one book, maybe three poems. Writers write from empathy." — Nikki Giovanni

 See all the poetic events this month in the sidebar.  

My goal for Poetry Month: 
                                               TINY THINGS.  
But this time I have a "BIG THING", although it began as a tiny thing, a seed. I was driving through a nearby neighborhood, and saw what you'll see in the following pictures. I had to stop, as did others, to see why this beautiful tree was being cut down. I was told it was showing signs of rot inside, and the city said it was too dangerous to stay. The owner, the man you see standing, told me he thought it could have stayed a few more years, but it was an "order" from the city. He was sad. About that same time, Michelle had given her April challenge from Today's Little Ditty, to write from one of the previous challenges. I thought of Joyce Kilmer's Trees, and knew that was the poem I would use for a parody/tribute, Tamera Will Wissinger's challenge, found here
Click the photos to enlarge.

#NPM17 - poem 27 of 30 - Spring Lion

It's Poem In Your Pocket Day! Find out more HERE!

          
Poetry is the journal of a sea animal living on land, wanting to fly in the air". – Carl Sandburg

 See all the poetic events this month in the sidebar.  

My goal for Poetry Month: 
                                               TINY THINGS.  


Spring Lion


In April when this lion roars,
we know it’s time to open doors.
The yellow dazzles the cold away.
Children can go out to play.
No matter that we call it weed
we love to blow and blow its seed.
                  Linda Baie © all rights reserved










So Far-Tiny Things

April 1 - Two Plates - Thanksgiving
April 2 - In Each Mind's Eye - baby elephant
April 3 - Discovered April First - miniature book
April 4 - A Promise - peach seed 
April 5 -  haiku - one music note
April 6 - My Tiny List - must-do list
April 7 - Tiny Lights - window lights at dusk
April 8 - Cherita - pencil stub
April 9 - Apple Blooms - blooms/apple tree
April 10 - Walk to The Sea - salt crystals
April 11 - Sonnet Show & Tell - tiny key
April 12 - The Letter 'I
April 13 - A Tiny Change - thermometer
April 14 - Birthday Candles
April 15 - Defined - dandelion
April 16 - One Minute 
April 17 - The Letter "A"
April 18 - Tiny Treasure - rock
April 19 - haiku - tiny actions
April 20 - rabbit
April 21 - lilac 
April 22 - chickadee
April 23 - tiny shoes
April 24 - bits of time - book love
April 25 - pussytoes 
April 26 - FACTS

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Non-Fiction Heroes Again + #NPM17 - poem 26/30



Visit Alyson Beecher on Wednesdays for Non-Fiction Picture books at Kidlit Frenzy.  From Alyson and others, you will discover wonderful non-fiction books!

#NPM17 - Poem 26/30 - National Poetry Month.

          "
Poetry is like a bird, it ignores all frontiers." – Yevgeny Yevtushenko


      See all the poetic events this month in the sidebar.  

My goal for Poetry Month: 
                                               TINY THINGS.  

Tiny, Yet Critical



F iddle dee dee!
A ll is terrific.
C an’t you hear
T hose words, “Believe Me?”
S moke and mirrors.

Linda Baie © All Rights

       Considering all that is in the news about women in the workplace, the changes being made to roll back some of the supports that have been created for women, these two books and others published seem important. They are testaments to the women who have fought odds against those who say women "can't". I am appreciative of authors who are writing their stories.

       I had never heard of Sophie Blanchard until reading this book. Considering both she and her husband lost their lives from flying the balloons, I am in awe of their courage. Matthew Clark Smith shares in his author's note that he imagined Sophie's childhood dreams because of the lack of information until her fame as a pilot. However, the introductory part of the story pulls the reader into what I imagine too was Sophie's fascination with the sky and flying high with the birds. Matt Tavares shares in his note that he used the sky for inspiration, took many pictures, was often noticing the changes, and his illustrations change with the mood of the pages. Sometimes it's light and happiness is evident, but there are also dark skies during dark times. 
       In 1783, two aeronauts climbed into a balloon that had been filled with hot air from a straw fire below, and set off, the first flight! These balloons soon became the show to see and even hats were fashioned like balloons this daring new occupation was so popular. Jean-Pierre Blanchard was one of the daredevils, with John Jeffries made the first channel crossing in a balloon! (There are the two that nearly crashed into the channel, but lightened the load by throwing everything overboard, including their trousers! Remember A Voyage in The Clouds by Matthew Olshan and Sophie Blackall?) Sophie met Jean-Pierre at one of his shows, and they fell in love and married. Sophie had her very first flight with Jean-Pierre, and not long after she began flying herself. People said that women were not strong enough; there was strong disapproval, but Sophie conquered her fears, gained the courage, and was enthralled. She called it the "incomparable sensation." 

Monday, April 24, 2017

#SOL17 - #npm17 - poem 25 of 30 - Back to Nature

       Join us on Tuesdays with the Two Writing Teachers and others who post. 
"I think that we're beginning to remember that the first poets didn’t come out of a classroom, that poetry began when somebody walked off of a savanna or out of a cave and looked up at the sky with wonder and said, “Ahhh.” That was the first poem."
– Lucille Clifton

       
 See all the poetic events this month in the sidebar.  

My goal for Poetry Month: 
                                               TINY THINGS.  


 Antennaria microphylla - pussytoes


          I found my topic for the poem and post today by returning to nature and the past. I've written more than once about the primitive cabin in the mountains which we owned for years. I wrote for the first time here, nearly six years ago. The cabin became an important part of raising our children, allowing them to learn to love exploring and just "being" out of doors as much as we did. Then, last month I wrote one post that shared about selling the cabin. I have the fondest memories of our time there, the beauty I enjoyed and discovered. And aside from great times with family and friends, I renewed my love of nature, the living things along with the natural objects we often ignore like the brightly colored rocks in the stream, and the huge ones that were "living" in our meadow. These pussytoes were favorites to find, tucked within the wild spaces, spring greetings.

Pussytoes  

When touching the tips
of these pinkish blooms,
one only needs to know
the down-deep softness of feline feet
to understand why the name’s complete.

 Linda Baie © All Rights


Sunday, April 23, 2017

Monday Reading + #NPM17 - Poem 24 of 30

              Visit Jen at Teach MentorTexts and Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders to discover books you'll love!        tweet #IMWAYR

         "Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood." – T.S. Eliot

     My goal for Poetry Month: TINY THINGS.  

     Forgive me for the long post today. My poem is long and I read many picture books last week, hoping that you will find a few you will want to find! 

      Yesterday was World Book Day and I got so excited thinking of readers all over the world learning to read, or reading great books no matter the age.

A Tiny Bit of Time Means A Life’s Journey

A book is a rectangle (most of the time) of pages,
carries a measure of messages, created by author heroes
for any age you choose. As babies,
let them grab and chew Boynton, or gaze at “Five Little Monkeys”
while hugging a stuffy. Toddlers love holding
“Goodnight Moon” as they nod, and quiet, and sleep.
A preschooler grabs a stack and yells, ‘read this, and this,”
sometimes leaves “Tikki Tikki Tembo”, “Madeline,” and “Curious George”
along the path, while crossing the room with E & P's "We Are In A Book."
Young readers yearn to read aloud, practicing this new talent 
for anyone who will listen., enjoying hearing their voices 
slipping off the tongue about “Little Bear,”
laughing with the silly stories of “Mr. Putter and Tabby.”
When your house holds middle graders whose challenge is to sit still,
give them “I Capture The Castle” or “The Fourteenth Goldfish,”
or “Red.” Books satisfy, amuse, devastate, and gratify,
but teens need empowerment. Find these almost adults. Take them to
“All The Bright Places.” Introduce them to “My Antonia” or
“Aristotle and Dante”. Be sure they know “The Fifth Wave,”
“All American Boys” and “The Hate U give.”
Growing up with books, can’t stop reading, lists grow
and change with wants and needs. Your favorites sit waiting.
Read on!
Linda Baie © All Rights
          PS: I suspect any of you reading can substitute your own titles! 

Still reading: The Pearl Thief by Elizabeth Wein. Next up, an arc from Candlewick that looks great: A Single Stone by Meg McKinlay.


For young readers ready for chapter books with a bit more complex content, this is a fun story. It follows Cody through a couple of weeks in her life, thinking and experiencing rules that are questioned, rules that she learns might be good ones to follow. She has an older brother and a couple of best friends who help navigate the challenges and with Cody also celebrate the rewards. It feels very appropriate for 8 years to maybe 10, holds some happiness and some thoughtful worries. I enjoyed what seemed real in the interactions among the friends and the families, all unique to the personalities. And learning about Cody as she revealed herself was great. Early in the book, we learned she was the first one up. “She loved the early morning when the whole day was waiting. Waiting for someone to push the START button.” Thanks to Candlewick Press for the advanced copy.  This third book in the series came out this month.

A Song About Myself, a poem by John Keats  
          There are many books by Chris Raschka that I love. I recently found a copy of his “Endearments Around The World” that is a gathering of sweet words people use for their children, like “cupcake” and “honey bun”; and a continuing favorite is the “Hello, Goodbye Window.” Now a new book that is a tribute to a poem and story about John Keats who wrote so many wonderful poems, including this sweet adventure in a letter to his sister. Raschka’s illustrations wander just as the words do, illuminating this boy’s adventure with Keats’ words.











#NPM17 - Poem 23 of 30 - Tiny Shoes


         "Poetry is frosted fire." – J. Patrick Lewis

      See all the poetic events this month in the sidebar.  My goal for Poetry Month: 
                                               TINY THINGS.  







   
           Tiny Shoes

I have a pair of baby shoes
worn by Grandpa long ago.
His mother kept them tucked away
in the years she watched him grow,
remembering his baby steps
toddling first around a room,
then walking out, no, running
to life’s dreams about to bloom.
Now I keep her treasure safe,
remember bygone hours.
To me, he wore much bigger shoes
when we walked among the flowers.
Linda Baie © All Rights







So Far-Tiny Things

April 1 - Two Plates - Thanksgiving
April 2 - In Each Mind's Eye - baby elephant
April 3 - Discovered April First - miniature book
April 4 - A Promise - peach seed 
April 5 -  haiku - one music note
April 6 - My Tiny List - must-do list
April 7 - Tiny Lights - window lights at dusk
April 8 - Cherita - pencil stub
April 9 - Apple Blooms - blooms/apple tree
April 10 - Walk to The Sea - salt crystals
April 11 - Sonnet Show & Tell - tiny key
April 12 - The Letter 'I
April 13 - A Tiny Change - thermometer
April 14 - Birthday Candles
April 15 - Defined - dandelion
April 16 - One Minute 
April 17 - The Letter "A"
April 18 - Tiny Treasure - rock
April 19 - haiku - tiny actions
April 20 - rabbit
April 21 - lilac 
April 22 - chickadee