Saturday, April 7, 2018

Progressive Poem - Day Seven



It's Day 7 of the 2018 Kidlitosphere Progressive Poem! 




Happy April, Happy Poetry Month, and Happy, Happy Progressive Poem Time


         This is my seventh year of writing with these wonderful poets, writing our own collaborative poem for this annual challenge from poet and novelist Irene Latham. The idea of surprise is often something seen in poetry, but this added layer when one poet, day by day, adds her or his own words, heightens the suspense. I read the new line each morning, and often say to myself, "Oh my, there it goes down that rabbit hole! And, waiting before my own turn, "Oh wow, where in the world should I take us now?" It's a poetry explosion of a poem! And nervously, I'm reminded of those signs that read "good", "better", and "best". Which path will I believe I have followed?


          This year an innovative change has been made, coming from a post you can read HERE from Heidi Mordhorst with Irene Latham and Elizabeth Steinglass. Liz wrote the first line! This post gives more history of the Progressive Poem with this change: We writers are to describe our thoughts about this first line, hide it away, then return to it when it's our turn. Now it's time to share my early thoughts: It’s going to begin with growth in a garden, but meander into all kinds of growth. And how have my thoughts evolved as the poem itself has grown? Here are the lines so far:



1 - Nestled in her cozy bed, a seed stretched.
2 - Oh, what wonderful dreams she had had!
3 - Blooming in midnight moonlight, dancing with
4 - the pulse of a thousand stars, sweet Jasmine
5 - invented a game.
6 - “Moon?” she called across warm, honeyed air. 


          We are moving away from the 'growth' I had imagined, into a magical night of dreamy dancing, then "a game". After Michelle's line four, I began to think of a young girl, ready to grow up, inspired by the spring night, moonlit and full of stars, wondering about her own choices, when she would really feel like a person apart from family. Is she a star-wisher as Michelle wondered? But wait, perhaps she is Liz' tiny seed, and the poets thus far have managed a grand feat of personification and hope? Is the "game" from Jan more nature-driven? Does that seed at rest play with moonlight after a long day of exertion in the sun? Hmm. And with all those thoughts, I need to remember we're writing for children, thus here is where I took sweet Jasmine:

line 7 - “I’m sad you’re alone; come join Owl and me.”



Carry on, Janet Fagal at Live Your Poem

Thursday, April 5, 2018

#PoetryFriday #NPM18 - 6/30 Making Poems Plus A Giveaway!




April is  #NPM18 - National Poetry Month.
       "Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash."
                                                                                                                      ~Leonard Cohen

           It's Poetry Friday today, hosted by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater at her Poem Farm! Thanks, Amy! 
        As you might see in the comments, Amy and Clarion HMH have offered to send a copy of Amy's new book, With My Hands to a lucky commenter of this post! Hurrah for making things! Thanks for this, too, Amy!

         Of interest:  See the page on the bar above for the Progressive Poem's schedule of poets, hosted by Irene Latham at Live Your Poem.  It's Irene's day this poetry Friday, and mine after. Yikes! 

        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. I have enjoyed studying about and writing in these forms in past Aprils and alongside other's who've given a challenge in this form. And, I look forward to seeing what parts of this month I will choose to collect in a diary. 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

Here is Poem Six 

       

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

#NPM18 - 5/30 Growing Poems



April is  #NPM18 - National Poetry Month.
       "Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash."
                                                                                                                      ~Leonard Cohen

         Of interest:  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. I have enjoyed studying about and writing in these forms in past Aprils and alongside other's who've given a challenge in this form. And, I look forward to seeing what parts of this month I will choose to collect in a diary. I will also be connecting with others, writing for their challenges, too, along with other kinds of blog posts. 

links:
       Poem one
       Poem two
       Poem three 
       Poem Four
       
more about the tanka here

#MustReadIn2018 Update

MUSTREAD - FIRST CHECK-IN
2018


Thanks to Carrie Gelson of There's A Book for That for hosting a #MustRead group at the beginning of the year for those who continue to create a list of lonely books on shelves or lists that we are excited about when bought or listed, then ignore, or find others that call more loudly.  See the above link to Carrie's blog to find her newest update and others, too.
 

Here are the books from my #MustReadIn2018, and those read so far. I may not get them all finished, but believe I've done better thus far than this time last year. I've completed FIVE of the thirty-four, and am headed for number six! Each one is one I'm sorry to have missed earlier, all wonderful books!

If you have any books you are convinced I need to read SOON, tell me in the comments!

Thirty-Four Books -  

Books read are changed to blue as I read them!

Middle-YA
Me And Marvin Gardens - Amy Sarig King

Greetings from Witness Protection - Jake Burt
Posted - John Anderson

Tumble & Blue - Cassie Beasley 

Beyond The Bright Sea - Lauren Wolk

See You In The Cosmos - Jack Cheng

Amina’s Voice - Hena Khan

Hello Universe - Erin Kelly, Isabel Roxas

Flying Lessons & Other Stories - Ellen Oh

American Street - Ibi Zoboi

Scythe - Neal Shusterman

The Smell of Other People’s Houses - Bonnie Sue Hitchcock

Long Way Down - Jason Reynolds 10
Patina

The Hate U Give -  Angie Thomas

Turtles All The Way Down - John Green

All The Crooked Saints - Maggie Stiefvater

Scar Island - Dan Gemeinhart

Playing By Heart - Carmela A. Martino

Solo - Kwame Alexander
The Playbook

Lucky Broken Girl - Ruth Behar

Titanic, Voices from the Disaster - Deborah Hopkinson 20

The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage - Philip Pullman

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter - Erika L. Sanchez

Dear Martin - Nic Stone


#NPM18 - 4/30 Growing Poems



April is  #NPM18 - National Poetry Month.
       "Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash."
                                                                                                                      ~Leonard Cohen

         Of interest:  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. I have enjoyed studying about and writing in these forms in past Aprils and alongside other's who've given a challenge in this form. And, I look forward to seeing what parts of this month I will choose to collect in a diary. I will also be connecting with others, writing for their challenges, too, along with other kinds of blog posts. 

links:
       Poem one
       Poem two
       Poem three