The Progressive Poem is HERE!

           The Annual Progressive Poem idea was created in 2012 by Irene Latham at Live Your Poem. Last year Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche started hosting the round-up and at the same time, Donna Smith at Mainely Write began a fun option to offer two lines to the next person, then that person chooses one of those to add to the poem, then creates two for whoever is next.   

       This year's poem started with a theme of kindness and a sprinkle of play. Now, I've received two awesome lines from Tricia Stohr Hunt, and as I create this intro, I'm thinking . . .  

          Here are the two lines Tricia wrote for me:

We'll be swingers of birches and climbers of trees.

OR

We'll lie on our backs and find shapes in the sky.

          And here is the poem thus far with the line I chose from Tricia. A favorite pastime out walking is cloud/sky watching!

 

I’m a case of kindness – come and catch me if you can!

Easily contagious – sharing smiles is my plan.

I'll spread my joy both far and wide

As a force of nature, I’ll be undenied. 

Words like, "how can I help?" will bloom in the street.

A new girl along on the playground – let’s meet, let’s meet!

We can jump-skip together in a double-dutch round.

Over, under, jump and wonder, touch the ground.

Friends can be found when you open a door.

Side by side, let’s walk through, there’s a world to explore.

We’ll hike through a forest of towering trees.

Find a stream we can follow while we bask in the breeze.

Pull off our shoes socks, dip our toes in the icy spring water

When you’re with friends, there’s no have to or oughter.

What could we make with leaves and litter?

Let's find pine needles, turn into vine knitters.

We'll lie on our backs and find shapes in the sky.

And, finally, drum roll ------------- my two lines for Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link!

There’s a bear and some angels; we move on with a sigh.  

 

or

We giggle together: See the bird! Now we fly!

Happy Writing, Carol!

Here's the list of all the poets:

April 1 Kat Apel at Kat Whiskers 

2 Linda Mitchell at A Word Edgewise
3 Mary Lee at A Year of Reading
4 Donna Smith at Mainly Write
5 Irene Latham at Live your Poem
6 Jan Godown Annino at BookseedStudio
7 Rose Cappelli at Imagine the Possibilities
8 Denise Krebs at Dare to Care
9 Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche
10 Molly Hogan at Nix the Comfort Zone
11 Buffy Silverman 
12 Janet Fagel at Reflections on the Teche
13 Jone Rush MacCulloch 
14 Susan Bruck at Soul Blossom Living
15 Wendy Taleo at Tales in eLearning
16 Heidi Mordhorst at my juicy little universe
17 Tricia Stohr Hunt at The Miss Rumphius Effect
18 Linda Baie at Teacher Dance
19 Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link
20 Robyn Hood Black at Life on the Deckle Edge
21 Leigh Anne Eck at A Day in the Life
22 Ruth Hersey at There is No Such Thing as a God-forsaken Town
23 Janice Scully at Salt City Verse
24 Tabatha Yeatts at The Opposite of Indifference
25 Shari Daniels at Islands of my Soul
26 Tim Gels at Yet There is Method 
27 Rebecca Newman
28 Catherine Flynn at Reading to the Core
29 Christie Wyman at Wondering and Wondering
30 Michelle Kogan at More Art 4 All

Celebrating The Progressive Poem

     

          On April 1st, the beginning of Poetry Month, Amy Ludwig Vanderwater at The Poem Farm began the journey of this year's poem, the idea of which was started last year by Irene Latham at Live Your Poem.  April Halprin Wayland at Teaching Authors completed the poem and its title!  

       Each morning, I opened the post of the next poet contributing, so exciting!  Here is the complete poem, a celebration of sorts, of the feelings of the writing process.  I believe I would use it for older students to see what metaphor they might use when crafting poems about their own work.  It was a marvelous experience, and I thank Irene for the idea, and fellow writers for their expertise!  You can see who wrote each line at the bottom of the page!

photo credit: Patrick Hoesly via photopin cc

P.T. BARNUM'S GREAT TRAVELING MUSEUM, MENAGERIE, CARAVAN, AND HIPPODROME
by Thirty Poets in the Kidlitosphere 

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.

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!

Progressive Poem - Day 24

The Tuesday Slice of Life is hosted by Ruth and Stacey at 

Two Writing Teachers.  

         I've been writing a poem each day in April, about all kinds of topics, and enjoying every word I've written and loving every word I've read, too.  There are so many talented writers.  Just as I saw in the March Slice of Life Challenge, there is much to appreciate in the blogging/kidlit world.  
         If you haven’t heard yet, Irene Latham, at Live Your Poem... has created a Progressive Poem group for the month of April.  You can find the group’s names and links on the right.  Thank you Irene for asking me to participate, for the marvelous idea and for making it work so seamlessly.  It’s been a joy to watch for a line each day to see what’s next.  It’s a poetic cliffhanger bonanza!

       I'm the Day 24 poet!  These final few lines seem filled with danger as to which path to take.  Thank you Miranda (yesterday's poet)  for sending me down the kidlit path perhaps, because  I’ve been connecting all that has been written to a young adult audience.  I am imagining all kinds of things, but won't tell.  I'll have to wait to see what the rest of the month brings.  So, after thinking through yesterday with all the possibilities, here is my line that continues our final week. 

    I pass this on to Greg at Gotta Book.  Looking forward to it, Greg!  Here’s the poem with my line added:

If you are reading this   

you must be hungry  

Kick off your silver slippers  

Come sit with us a spell  

A hanky, here, now dry your tears  

And fill your glass with wine  

Now, pour. The parchment has secrets  

Smells of a Moroccan market spill out.  

You have come to the right place, just breathe in.  

Honey, mint, cinnamon, sorrow.  Now, breathe out  

last week's dreams. Take a wish from the jar.  

Inside, deep inside, is the answer…  

Unfold it, and let us riddle it together,   

...Strains of a waltz. How do frozen fingers play?   

How do fennel, ginger, saffron blend in the tagine?  

Like broken strangers bound by time, they sisterdance…

their veils of sorrow encircle, embrace  

Feed your heart with waltzes and spices.   

Feed your soul with wine and dreams.  

Humble dust of coriander scents your feet, coaxing  

seascapes, crystal sighs and moonshine from your melody.  

Beware of dangers along the path of truth  

And beware, my friend, of too much bewaring–   

strong hands cushion you, sweet scents surround you—now leap

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     Also - There are still lots going on for Poetry Month. Find Jama Rattigan's blog post at Jama's Alphabet Soup  to discover so many Poetry sites in the kidlitosphere doing wonderful things!  Cathy, at Merely Day By Day, is joining Mary Lee, at A Year of Reading in a poem a day this month. Other daily poem writers include Amy at The Poem Farm, Donna at Mainely Write, and Laura at LauraSalas.  Plus Greg Pincus of Gotta Book has just published his first E-book, The Late Bird.  Now he's celebrating by giving one, or more, away.  See the blog that tells all about it  here


photo credit: Camdiluv ♥ via photo pin cc