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 ©