Poetry Fridays - Flowers Blooming

               "It's May, It's May, the lusty month of May" and Brenda Harsham at Friendly Fairy Tales is hosting, and with additional spring flowers. Thanks,  Brenda. 

         If one chooses to write about green and growing things in May, it's a challenge to know what to write. Should it be about the dainty white coral bells? (And I must be sure to remind my daughter that they are blooming; they are her favorites.) Perhaps I should mention the lilacs that cover the large green shrubs next to the fence? They are favorites of a grandmother with their perfume that takes me to her home every year. And maybe I will include at least one mention of the bleeding hearts, unique in their bloom arrangement, sad to imagine their demise. May begins, soon giving over to summer!

#NPM18 - 30/30 It's A Wrap!

April is #NPM18 - National Poetry Month.

"Wanted: a needle swift enough to sew this poem into a blanket."

 ~Charles Simic

           

         Be sure to see the page on the bar above for the Progressive Poem's schedule of poets, hosted by Irene Latham at Live Your Poem.  

        And, see what many are doing for Poetry Month, by looking HERE at Jama Rattigan's post at Jama's Alphabet Soup.
          

              My goal for Poetry Month: A haiku diary that may include other forms related to haiku, like haibun, haiga. monoku or renga. My first poem speaks of why I am handwriting the poems.

April’s garden,

growing poems 

on lined pages

                    Linda Baie

         What can I do, but celebrate this past month? I have written my haiku diary, posted thirty poems, but actually written others, rejecting some, but perhaps they'll be re-worked a bit more, and become worth sharing. I've written 20 poems for Renee La Tulippe's wonderful Community Collection, wishing I could have done more, but there was not enough time. I've written a few other poems here and there, and have contributed my line to Irene Latham's growing child, the Progressive Poem.  And I've read, poems and poems, and more poems by others - collected a few, cried over some, laughed at others. I believe my "garden" grown in April is done!
        Thanks to everyone who visited and enjoyed the small adventures of my days.       
  

links:

       Poem One
       Poem two

       Poem three 

       Poem Four

       Poem Five
       Poem Six  

       Poem Seven

       Poem Eight 

       Poem Nine 

       Poem Ten
      Poem Eleven
      Poem Twelve
      Poem Thirteen
      Poem Fourteen
      Poem Fifteen
      Poem Sixteen 
      Poem Seventeen
      Poem Eighteen
      Poem Nineteen
      Poem Twenty
      Poem Twenty-One
      Poem Twenty-Two
      Poem Twenty-Three
      Poem Twenty-Four
      Poem Twenty-Five
      Poem Twenty-Six
      Poem Twenty-Seven
      Poem Twenty-Eight
      Poem Twenty-Nine

                 Here is poem 30, written a few years ago as my definition of poetry.

#IMWAYR - Book Sharing!

          Visit Jen at Teach MentorTexts and Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders to see what they've been reading, along with everyone else who link up.  

       David Almond's "Skellig" hooked me, and it continues to be a treat to read any story written by this wonderful author. His books are always stories that show beautiful "what ifs" and always a little something extra to ponder. This "Tale of Angelino Brown" begins with Bert the city bus driver who finds a tiny angel in his pocket, Yes! an angel. His wife Betty, the school cook, is thrilled, does not seem surprised at all, but very pleased to have a new child to care for. It appears that there was another, dear Paul, now only a picture and a memory. There is also Nancy and Jack and Alice from Class 5K at their school which is now in the state of being inspected, so Acting Head Teacher Mrs Mole is not so sure about this tiny angel, now named Angelino by Betty. Professor Smellie is also skeptical. Also, there's the mysterious bloke in black who claims to be a School Inspector. Then there’s Basher Malone – big, lumbering Basher Malone. He REALLY doesn’t like Angelino. And it looks like he’s out to get him... It's a dangerous situation that changes self-perceptions, perhaps of readers, too? The whimsical illustrations by Alex Smith delight the imagination. David Almond makes it possible to believe that an angel might just appear in one's pocket, especially when he's needed. Thanks to Candlewick Press for the advanced copy!

         And thanks to Candlewick Press for the following picture book, just out this past week!

            On the subway home with his abuela, sweet Julian notices three very dressed up, classy ladies. He loves them, wants to "be" them, and creates a way at home for his own outfit: a periwinkle curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. What will Abuela think of the grab of the curtain and parts of the plant? Tension mounts as there is another question: What will she think when she sees "how" Julian wants to "be". It's a short and sweet exactly-right celebration of respect for individual choices written and illustrated by Jessica Love. Along with the words, her illustrations are bright and happy.

#NPM18 - 29/30 - Warmest Day

April is #NPM18 - National Poetry Month.

"Wanted: a needle swift enough to sew this poem into a blanket."

 ~Charles Simic

           

         Be sure to see the page on the bar above for the Progressive Poem's schedule of poets, hosted by Irene Latham at Live Your Poem.  

        And, see what many are doing for Poetry Month, by looking HERE at Jama Rattigan's post at Jama's Alphabet Soup.
          

              My goal for Poetry Month: A haiku diary that may include other forms related to haiku, like haibun, haiga. monoku or renga. My first poem speaks of why I am handwriting the poems.

April’s garden,

growing poems 

on lined pages

                    Linda Baie

links:

       Poem one

       Poem two

       Poem three 

       Poem Four

       Poem Five
       Poem Six  

       Poem Seven

       Poem Eight 

       Poem Nine 

       Poem Ten
      Poem Eleven
      Poem Twelve
      Poem Thirteen
      Poem Fourteen
      Poem Fifteen
      Poem Sixteen 
      Poem Seventeen
      Poem Eighteen
      Poem Nineteen
      Poem Twenty
      Poem Twenty-One
      Poem Twenty-Two
      Poem Twenty-Three
      Poem Twenty-Four
      Poem Twenty-Five
      Poem Twenty-Six
      Poem Twenty-Seven     
      Poem Twenty-Eight

Here is Poem Twenty-Nine:

#NPM18 - 28/30 - Outside

April is #NPM18 - National Poetry Month.

"Wanted: a needle swift enough to sew this poem into a blanket."

 ~Charles Simic

           

         Be sure to see the page on the bar above for the Progressive Poem's schedule of poets, hosted by Irene Latham at Live Your Poem.  

        And, see what many are doing for Poetry Month, by looking HERE at Jama Rattigan's post at Jama's Alphabet Soup.
          

              My goal for Poetry Month: A haiku diary that may include other forms related to haiku, like haibun, haiga. monoku or renga. My first poem speaks of why I am handwriting the poems.

April’s garden,

growing poems 

on lined pages

                    Linda Baie

links:

       Poem one

       Poem two

       Poem three 

       Poem Four

       Poem Five
       Poem Six  

       Poem Seven

       Poem Eight 

       Poem Nine 

       Poem Ten
      Poem Eleven
      Poem Twelve
      Poem Thirteen
      Poem Fourteen
      Poem Fifteen
      Poem Sixteen 
      Poem Seventeen
      Poem Eighteen
      Poem Nineteen
      Poem Twenty
      Poem Twenty-One
      Poem Twenty-Two
      Poem Twenty-Three
      Poem Twenty-Four
      Poem Twenty-Five
      Poem Twenty-Six
      Poem Twenty-Seven

Here is Poem Twenty-Eight, a haibun. Discover more about them here! 

             My nine-year-old granddaughter Ingrid and I spent some hours at a nearby park that has a stream, a pond and a marsh. We sat and sketched, observed, saw many geese and ducks, heard the wondrous redwings call, observed a pair of egrets tapping at the bank for food, and had the surprising pleasure of watching an otter play for a while. Nature is a wondrous thing, and we were glad to have the time there and together. And while not in this picture, yes, the ducks did waddle out and sat near us while we sketched in another area.