Thursday, February 7, 2019

Poetry Friday Love In Many Guises

Laura Purdie Salas hosts today at Writing the World for Kids. Congratulations, Laura for your new book, Snowman - Cold = Puddle, out just this past week! Thanks for hosting! 

And she's created a padlet with an invitation to write your own equation poem! 


       Happy Valentine's Day, a bit early, but it is time for a lotta love leading up to it, too!

I used to have students write love poems before Valentine's Day. They had fun in a variety of ways, writing those poems to people and things, often to their backpacks! Here's one book I used to inspire them, and it's now fun to read to the granddaughters. The older one in fourth grade just told me this week that some classmates giggle as they ask others "Will you be my Valentine?" The love (or 'like') train has started with nine and ten-year-olds!

Here's a favorite love poem:
       One that I often gave students, one that was popular with everyone, because the students were always surprised how modern it seemed, even though written so very long ago.

           This is a small part of Trollius and Cressida, by Geoffrey Chaucer

How To Write A Love Letter 

 Don't write too neat, and use a little guile--
 Let tear stains blot your words once in a while
 But if you find a word you think is clever
 Use it but once, don't harp on it forever!
          
                           Find the rest here!


This is from clever Marilyn Singer who first asks the question, "Do animals celebrate Valentine's Day?" And she offers proof in her funny, punny rhymes, from fifteen animals like bats and worms, sharks and pigeons! Lee Wildish shares the stage with Marilyn through cute illustrations like the one on this cover.   

some examples


Dogs

"Nice to meetcha! You smell delish!
Wanna share my water dish?

Cats

A sunny day. It's perfect weather
to go outside--and nap together.

Elephants

I like your tusks, I like your trunk.
I like your size--you're quite a hunk.


Perhaps you'd like to try one. If so, share in the comments! Here's mine.

Sloths


Hello up there, I bring love and flowers.
How sweet you’re patient, might take a few hours.
            Linda Baie ©

57 comments:

  1. I love the sloth poem--sweet fun! Twosomes is new to me. I'll have to look for it. Happy Valentine's Day!

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    1. Thanks, JoAnn, it is (was) a favorite poetry book especially with students.

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  2. Adorable sloth poem, Linda! And I agree about the Chaucer. Great picks!

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  3. OH, my goodness... the animal love poems are perfect. You make me want to write some.

    Birds
    You preen so nice
    you tweet so pretty
    let's go for a fly above the city

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    1. Oh, wonderful, Linda. Thanks for sharing yours! Yes, animals love, too!

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    2. Squeal!
      Heart-ing the last line double meaning, Linda M!

      Look what you goodness & fun you wrought ,Linda B!

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    3. We could create another post with the new ones! Thanks, Jan!

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  4. LInda, it is always a good time for love poems, methinks. :) These couplets are fun, aren't they? I'm digging today's poetry friday theme of short poems during this, our shortest month... Your sloth is worth waiting on. Thank you! xo

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    1. You're welcome, Irene, it is always time for a poem about love, agreed!

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  5. Such a delightful post, Linda! Thanks for sharing Marilyn's poems (haven't seen that book), and I love your sloth poem (it made me think of the Durrells in Corfu (they had a sloth in their house). Happy early Valentine's Day!

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    1. Thanks, and a sweet Valentine's Day back to you, Jama. A sloth in the house, wow. I am not familiar with that show, only know it's on PBS.

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  6. While Chaucer's poem was a lovely treat, those animal love poems just made me giggle. I enjoyed all the images, especially the first one since i have 3 dogs. Thanks for such wonderful love poems. :)

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  7. So glad to know about Marilyn Singer & Lee Wildish (each, with such atmospheric, poetic last names!) book of animal valentines! Trying one or two, now -

    Alligator

    I am lazy, you are two
    Let's sunbake, before finding turtle stew.
    - Jan Godown Annino

    Flamingo

    We love hot pink and all the trimmings
    Let's fly away where shrimp are swimming
    - Jan Godown Annino


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  8. And . . . You. Great. Teacher!
    Linda, I didn't know about Chaucer's How To . . . , which will thrill everyone I share it with.

    Many many of your favorite kind of valentines to dear You.

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    1. Thank you, Jan, for loving the Chaucer & writing more darling rhymes!

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  9. Marilyn's book sounds charming, Linda - and your sloth poem made me smile, as anything in conjunction with sloths is wont to do :).

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    1. Yes, we are sloth lovers here in Denver, too! Thanks, Tara.

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  10. Delightful animal couplets, Linda. I didn't know about Chaucer's letter writing advice. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. You're welcome, Alice, so glad you enjoyed them.

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  11. Without typos:

    What a fun post, Linda. I bet the grandgirls will get a kick out of all the animal valentines and maybe even make a few.
    Here's quick rhyming poem from my winter bee to me.
    I'd love to buzz
    And bee your friend.
    Come dance with me
    My Valentine I'll send.
    I think I shall read a few out loud to my little Sierra when I see her on Sunday.

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    1. Love that you wrote about your winter bee, Carol, & I imagine Sierra will love the rhythm & rhyme of these. Enjoy your visit!

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  12. This book is new to me. I'll have to see if I can find a copy. I especially love the cat and elephant poems. Thank you for a great post!

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    1. You're welcome, Linda. I'm happy you liked the poems. I do love that elephant one, too.

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  13. Love is in the air Linda. Thank you for sharing these different perspectives. I am prompted to share this short offering from 'I Quite Like My Wife' by John Turnbull.
    I bring my love some flowers
    She's pleased, or so I think.
    But after a couple of hours
    They're still sitting in the sink.

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    1. Ha! It is a pleasure to find a 'love poem' that has a bit of spice, Alan. Thanks for sharing!

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  14. Perfectly delightful, and I love your sloth poem, Linda!

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    1. Thanks, Karen, the idea is fun to imagine the 'what' & the 'how"!

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  15. Such a fun post Linda, from Chaucer, to Marilyn Singer's poems to your lovely "Sloth" poem. Here's a poem for our brave cardinals.

    Cardinals
    I would fly by your side
    in all kinds of weather,
    But forget this darn cold
    let's seek some sweet heather.

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  16. These are so fun! I will try one this week!

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  17. Oh my. Singer's animal valentine sentiments are hilarious! I think my animal-loving Kindergarten poets would adore these. Thank you! -- Christie @ https://wonderingandwondering.wordpress.com/

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  18. Linda, what fun! Here's mine.

    Bats

    Hey, baby, let's hang around
    then groove to the echolocation sound!

    okay, pretty weak, but that's what I've got on a Saturday morning after a late night playing games last night:)

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    1. It's perfect, Laura! Love reading about bats!

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  19. These animal valentines are such fun! I'm already considering how my 4th graders might right these with their 7th grade buddies at our Valentine's celebration. Love your sloth poem--here's mine:
    Blue Jays

    If you would only share my feeder
    I would try to eat much neater!

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    1. Ha! Thanks, Molly. They are messy, a wonderful addition!

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    2. Can we change right to write, please! Ugh!! lol

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    3. I can't edit the comments, Molly, but you can delete & re-write/edit. it's okay; happens to us all!

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  20. What a fun post! I love your sloth poem and all the ones shared in the comments. Marilyn sparks a trend once again.

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    1. Thanks, Margaret, yes, I love all her books.

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  21. Your sloth poem gives me such an images of that slow beast climbing up a tree slowly - carrying a bunch of flowers in one paw...it makes me laugh!

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    1. Thanks, there's a lot of sloth going on with the granddaughters, had to write about them!

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  22. Oh, and:
    I’m a squirmy worm with five beating hearts
    Each heart adoring your segmented parts;

    Let’s go out on a date, suck in some dirt
    And see if our gizzards dissolve some dessert.

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    1. Oh my, so funny, especially that 'dissolve some dessert'! This has been a delight to read everyone's 'love poems'!

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  23. What a fun invitation to offer to students! These poems are adorable! I'm going to have to check this book out as well. Thanks, Linda!

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    1. You're welcome, Kiesha, hope you have fun playing with the idea!

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  24. Linda, you are wonder! Thanks for the introduction to "Twosomes" and for your sloth poem. Patience pays off! I'm going give one of these a try...I'll report back. =)

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    1. Oh, thanks, Bridget. Hope you do write & share!

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  25. I read half of the Night Diary and got distracted. It is at the top of my stack to reread this month. I am embarrassed I got distracted because it was so good!!! So sorry I forgot to post here yesterday. I opened the window for your blog, and my big kid distracted me!

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