Freaking Out on Friday!

Ever since discovering the wide world of poetry and other writing blogs, I have so enjoyed “meeting” so many fabulous writers. They are amazingly generous; spreading their words out there like Miss Rumphius sprinkled her flowers to help make the world a beautiful place. (What a great name for one of my favorite blogs: http://missrumphiuseffect.blogspot.com/index.html.)

Most nights you can find me hunkered down with my laptop perusing my favorites and bookmarking more. The words I read stop me in my tracks, stay with me, make me think, and inspire me to want to write more. And as much as I try I still get stuck. This part of the experience has been an eye-opener for me; so many ah-ha moments. This is the feeling our students frequently experience. Now I get it. I am walking in their shoes, but thankfully I also have my teacher shoes that take me on adventures that will help me to help them. In the meantime, I will kept trekking the blogging trail and pulling out my tried and true writing resources. But most of all I need to write.

Tonight I took the advice I have read and often shared with my students – look around, write about the little things that catch your eye, the slices of your life, the things you wonder about, the things that make you laugh.

This is a common complaint towards the end of the week when there is nothing to eat in the house. This is when you have to look a little harder and be a little less choosy. Or maybe make the list and go shopping yourself. Hmm…wouldn’t that be a nice surprise? So I wrote a poem tonight dedicated to my hungry son who is staring in the refrigerator hoping something delicious appears on his plate.

"Freaking Out on Friday"
Bare spots in the cupboard
When are you going shopping?
Finish the cereal crumbs,
There’s nothing to eat!
The last bowl of salad,
When are you going shopping?
Dressing bottle stands on its head
There’s nothing to eat!
Get the last drop.
When are you going shopping?
Perhaps peanut butter toast
There’s nothing to eat!
Or scramble up
When are you going shopping?
The last few eggs,
There’s nothing to eat!
With the last drop of milk.
Add it to the list.
Grab the coupons
Time to go shopping.
There’s nothing to eat.

NaPoWriMo Day 28

Last week I spent a couple of days visiting my sister, Lisa's family. My nieces and nephew are quite active. We went to each one of their soccer games. I captured some moments on film and am posting a list poem that needs something to bring it to life, but for now this is it.


Soccer
Play your position
Defender
Sweeper
Winger – left and right
Spread out
Focus
Get the ball
Nice try
Great block
Striker steals the show
Shot on goal
Goalie leaps, but misses
Score!
~Mrs. Annello

To or Not to Plan ~ NaPoWriMo Day 27

Today we wondered-
Do writers always need to plan?
We pondered…hmm…
Some say sometimes-
Like essays on THE TEST.
It’s good to plan out what you want to write,
But sometimes I get carried away
And overdo it with the planning,
I should be writing.
Some say no, never
I just like to start writing
I don’t need a plan
If I have an idea,
When I start
One thing leads to another.
My story comes to life.
Turn to your notebook if you get stuck
A treasure chest
Collections ~
Favorite lines,
Favorite words,
Favorite memories.
So, can't we just write?


We had the greatest conversation today about the planning part of the writing process. Children are so insightful...why don't we ask for their feedback and reflections more often?

Spring Sampler

Yesterday I spent some time in one of my favorite outdoor spots. Since is always a good spot to hunker down with a book, I thought I might be inspired to write. I had every intention of sticking with the Poetry Month challenge...one thing led to another and I fell behind. The sights and sounds of this scrumptious spring afternoon got the creative juices flowing. Here is a sampler platter of poems to make up for some of my absences - most definitely works in progress...


Tap, tap, tap
A gentle hammering
A child’s toy
A creaky door
Branches in a breeze
Hmmm
Tracking the tap
That sounds like cereal crackling in milk,
There it is
That red headed suet snacker.

********************

Bully bird
in your bright blue uniform
please go away.
For if you stay,
others won’t.
Your noisy caw and flapping jaw
dominate and
shout out a blockade
to smaller troops
that flock to safer stations.

*****************************

Fire engine show-off,
Crimson chatterer,
Crisp chirps call out
Look at me
In my new ruby red dress.

*****************************

Fuzzy buzzy,
Ball of fur,
Stopping at azaleas for a sip or two.
Bumble bee
Happy hour.

******************************

Daffodils
Lovely ladies
In yellow bonnets.
Some side by side like a receiving line at a wedding.
Others mingle in crowds,
Spring’s welcoming committee
So happy to see you are back.

******************************

Chickadee-dee-dee
You chatter, bounce, and flitter
Snatch a seed and go.

Spring Evening

Lace up your sneaks,
Before the sun sinks down
And the temperature dips.
Let’s go this way.

Switch it up,
No more mundane Monday.
Kids gather and play.
Shout out a friendly greeting.

On this fine evening
You and me
Keeping pace,
It’s not a race.

Robins twitter and chirp,
Reminding us that
Spring is here.
Give a cheer!


I should be inspired to compose something tropical tonight. Writing to the music of a Kenny Chesney concert. Beautiful music! I often wonder what musical artists like him were like as students. Were they good writers? Did they like to write poems?

NaPoWriMo Poem 10

Early this evening, I perused the outdoors to capture some of spring's beauty on film and with words.

Sky painted clear blue
Birds chortle songs of delight
Trees dressed in green lace

NaPoWriMo Poem 9

What a fabulously beautiful spring day! Actually the whole weekend was a winner. Blue sky days that you want to do over and over again. I love the laid back feeling of Sunday mornings. Lingering over a bottomless mug of coffee.
Perusing the newspaper. Working on report cards. Anything is more bearable in your pajamas when have your hands wrapped around a steaming mug of coffee.

I have a few days to catch up on, but here goes a Sunday selection.
Sunny day
Peeking through the curtain gap
Everything is fine
Fresh brewed java
Seeping up the staircase
Luring me
From the cozy covers
Wake up
Sleepy head
No worries
No rush
Grab a mug
And the news
Time to greet the morning
Sunday