Good morning!
Today's mentor poem is by Jacqualine Woodson's poem "Firefly." Look how she captures summer by focusing on an insect!
It’s almost May
and yesterday
I saw a firefly.
You don’t see
them a lot
in the city.
Sometimes
in the park
in the near dark
one comes out
you’ll hear
a little kid shout
Lightning bug! Firefly!
It’s almost May
and yesterday
I caught a firefly in my hand.
First firefly I
seen in a
long, long time.
Make a wish,
Miss Edna said.
Make a good one.
Firefly wishes always come true.
--------------------
The forecast for Atlantic today is cloudy with a miserable April high of 45 degrees. Together, let's direct our focus to SUMMER and craft imagistic, sensory poems that make us SEE, SMELL, TASTE, HEAR and FEEL.
Think of a specific moment or image that you want to capture. Use crisp words. Pay attention to the sounds of words next to each other. Give us a hot slice of summer pie with a dollop of ice cream on top!
----------------
Berryhill's Poem on the Deck
sparrow has transformed
the grill into her well-appointed
condo
wasp loops by
legs a-dangle,
then rests on my footstool
inches from my ankle
the glass at my elbow
is slippery cold
to my touch
breeze scatters
pistachio shells
across the deck
I turn the page
it is summer
all is well
 |
| Berryhill's summer view from her deck. |
Miss Lipp's poem uses the nonet form, which you already know:
Summertime meant I was stranded on six Iowa acres.
Landlocked between cornfields, I fantasized of town life.
In my youth, I resented being isolated
but now I see its use:
exploration without hesitation — looking for
hidden kittens in hay,
defending stick castles,
naming each
star
Happy writing!
AB
Thanks to Ethical ELA for many of the prompts I'm adapting for my students this month.
Being in summer I was looking forward
ReplyDeleteTo being in the beautiful country
With nothing but cornfields and the woods all around
I would feel the sun and taste the warm air
But now I only see cold harsh winter still
The cold air cuts through the thickest jackets still
But I still hope summer will come with its shining face
And stay there for a long time
I like the idea of TASTING warm air.
Delete"air cuts through the thickest jackets" Nice line.
Summer's shining face (nice personification)
The cloud's warm yet batted breath lightly plays with my hair,
ReplyDeleteAs the sun glances down with its warm gaze.
Bunnies scamper around grass that's fair,
As I fall to the sidewalk and laze.
Like a plant, my body absorbs the heat,
Allowing wind to ward off any notion of burns,
From the tip of my head down to my feet,
A perfect time to ponder and learn.
Then the night creeps up much slower than before,
And with it comes the stars in the form of small bugs.
Who, like the stars, seek out to shine even more.
Embracing the night as though it were a hug.
I reach my hand up, still having not moved.
And one cautiously floats away.
I chuckle to myself and mentally try to soothe,
The creature lingering out of bay.
Giving up on my efforts, I finally rise,
And breathe in the cool gasp of Death's chilled air.
My mind drags me back inside.
As mosquitos come out of their lair.
I'm curious: batted breath or bated breath? I'm mulling your potential meaning. I like the idea of a body=a plant, absorbing heat.
DeleteInteresting how seasons carry an undercurrent of mortality.
Baseball
ReplyDeleteThe smell of fresh cut grass
Fighting the lovely battle
With fresh popped popcorn
The sounds of children's laughter
The sudden sound of aluminum contact
And the kernels pop, pop, popping
The gentle breeze tugging at your shirt
And the warm sun heat your skin
The crisp open air
These sounds comfort
Old and young alike
The diamonds of joy
America's Pastime
The ending of your poem (diamonds of joy) made me GRIN!
DeleteI also really liked how much sensory detail you used: "the sudden sound of aluminum contact" (I HEAR it!) and the smells battling it out! You took me right to the ball field. Thank you.
The cool waves lap at my feet
ReplyDeleteEating them up until my ankles
Then deciding it doesn’t like my flesh
And it spits them back out
This process continues,
As the warm sun falls
Across my face
Illuminating streaks of sunscreen
Children scream, on land and in the water
They scream out of joy, playing tag with one another
They scream with frustration, as the waves eat their sandcastle
They scream with fear, for they just touched a “shark”
Parents sit up along the edge
Talking to one another about adult stuff
Like their latest struggle, or the newest vacuum that came out
I don’t know, I’m not an adult
Snacks in the tote bag make crinkly noises
Rustling from the small breeze
And the drinks in the cooler bubble
Waiting with anticipation to be drunk
Beach day is one of the best things about summer
From the fun to the family
I take in a small breath
And run into the chilly water
What an original way to look at waves lapping at your feet (and spitting them out)!
ReplyDeleteNice use of anaphora in stanza #2.
"Their latest struggle...
or the newest vacuum that came out...
I don't know; I'm not an adult" HAHAHAHA!
Snacks crinkling...drinks bubbling...love the imagery.
Summer is almost here
ReplyDeleteI long for the warmth
It brings to everything
The smells of
Fresh cut grass
Dirty lakes
Chlorine pools
The sounds of
The splashes of
Our friends as they
joyfully leap into any
Body of water
Longing to touch
The water as you
Cannonball right in
Without any hesitation
I long for all
Smells, sounds, and feel
Of summer
Summer at the Pool
ReplyDeleteAbout one month to go,
til summer begins
and we forget everything we know.
Put on your new swimsuit
and dive right in
to the cool blue water below.
It's chilly at first,
it'll cool your skin
from the summer sun ablaze.
Splashing your friends
right in the face,
and eating icy treats during the breaks.
First Hot Summer Day
ReplyDeleteMy eyes being blinded by the light
Shining through my window I get up in excitement
Rush out the door and feel the warm breeze
Through my hair and the hot but not too hot
Pavement under my feet
I look around and notice the miserable burnt grass but
Look! a few little green specks peeking out like
Cherry blossoms blooming
The first scorching day the feeling was amazing
The freedom of my outstretched arm to grasp the ruff and dry basketball
bounced it around shot it few times until my body wept.