April - Poetry Month - 2024, Day Twenty-Three, Begins with W - Wait

 Happy Poetry Month!

        I'm taking the advice from the poet who has given so much to help us all, including students and teachers, write poetry. I'll be moving from A to Z, obviously needing to combine a few to make it all come out to 30. FYI—Sometimes, Paul Janeczko offers a prompt to write a poem that begins with the specific alphabet letter instead of a poem type. It will be fun to be open to writing in all kinds of ways!

       You can find the path to the Progressive Poem over to the right! Simply click on the graphic!

       It's the perfect time of year for "Wait", don't you all agree?

Waiting, waiting, 

wrapped up tight;

seeds wait

to welcome the sun, 

to savor a shower.

Called faith, 

my belief emerges

as a flower.

 

Linda Baie ©

Celebrating Earth Day and More - It's Monday!

           

Happy Earth Day!

        Visit Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders and Jen at Teach Mentor Texts to see what they and others have been reading! Your TBR lists will grow! 

         It's taken me weeks to read this book, not because it was a chore, but because I've been engrossed in so many other things, including reading other books. This one, unfortunately, ended up at the bottom of my 'to-do' list. I've finally finished the tale with admiration for the underlying warmth imbued in the story by Daniel Nayeri and the beautiful illustrations by Daniel Miyares which expanded our look at the story's unusual setting, along with giving a sense of what the characters looked like.

         The story, and the characters began to feel more real to me as I read chapter by chapter. I became more intrigued with the huckster, Samir's stories, what he really was up to. I began to wonder if Monkey, the young boy who tells the story and was rescued by Samir from being stoned to death by the monks who had previously taken him in, was really telling the truth. The varied, continuing threads, like the utter loving importance of the donkey, Rostam, Monkey's philosophical thoughts, and the importance of deepening interest in other characters made me know why the Newbery Committee chose this as an honor book. Though this isn't necessarily for every middle reader, some will cherish it for a new and intriguing book adventure.

Thanks to Candlewick Press for my copy!

          I know I shared several books last week for Earth Day, and now I have a few more for you to find and love! Love, The Earth by Frances Stickley is a letter in rhyme to a baby as he grows. She includes all the things that Earth will give him during his life. "I am the Earth./ All yours to share./ The mountains and the Arctic air./the trees, the breeze, the polar bear." are some of the examples that 'older' and kind Earth gives to everyone, including this young boy. But it also asks, "and try to lend/a helping hand." As you see below, on numerous pages, among all the other beautiful illustrations, Tim Hopgood shows the Earth's face. The book and the message is worth mighty applause! I adored it! 

April - Poetry Month - 2024, Day Twenty-Two, V is for Van

 Happy Poetry Month!

        I'm taking the advice from the poet who has given so much to help us all, including students and teachers, write poetry. I'll be moving from A to Z, obviously needing to combine a few to make it all come out to 30. FYI—Sometimes, Paul Janeczko offers a prompt to write a poem that begins with the specific alphabet letter instead of a poem type. It will be fun to be open to writing in all kinds of ways!

       You can find the path to the Progressive Poem over to the right! Simply click on the graphic!

       It feels like serendipity that I wanted a word that begins with V for today's poem/post. I've been reading James Crews' anthology, The Path to Kindness, a few poems every evening. Friday evening, a poem appeared that touched me, and I knew, especially because it's near Mother's Day, too, that I wanted to share it instead of writing my own poem. Here is the first part, followed by a link to the entire poem. 

                 My Mother's Van

                                by Faith Shearin

Even now it idles outside the houses

where we failed to get better at piano lessons,

visits the parking lot of the ballet school

 

where my sister and I stood awkwardly

at the back. My mother's van was orange

with a door we slid open to reveal

beheaded plastic dragons and bunches

                                                        find the rest here

 

April - Poetry Month - 2024, Day Twenty-One, U is for Umbrella

 Happy Poetry Month!

        I'm taking the advice from the poet who has given so much to help us all, including students and teachers, write poetry. I'll be moving from A to Z, obviously needing to combine a few to make it all come out to 30. FYI—Sometimes, Paul Janeczko offers a prompt to write a poem that begins with the specific alphabet letter instead of a poem type. It will be fun to be open to writing in all kinds of ways!

       You can find the path to the Progressive Poem over to the right! Simply click on the graphic!

       This is Day Twenty-One - U is for Umbrella

Umbrella Duty

 

Patient

umbrellas

wait for rain,

and people

to hold onto.

 

         Linda Baie ©

Rain Stock photos by Vecteezy

April - Poetry Month - 2024, Day Twenty, Begins with T -

 Happy Poetry Month!

        I'm taking the advice from the poet who has given so much to help us all, including students and teachers, write poetry. I'll be moving from A to Z, obviously needing to combine a few to make it all come out to 30. FYI—Sometimes, Paul Janeczko offers a prompt to write a poem that begins with the specific alphabet letter instead of a poem type. It will be fun to be open to writing in all kinds of ways!

       You can find the path to the Progressive Poem over to the right! Simply click on the graphic!

     This is Day 20, a word that starts with T -  tree

          Did it snow yesterday and continue this morning just for my poem? I don't know but it really is serendipity that it happened!

Overheard on A Snowy Day

 

Hey, we’re growing up.

           We’ll never be as big as that cottonwood.

No, but our branches flourish.”

            Have you noticed more birds visiting?

And we’re still part of the gathering.

They help us underground, don’t you know!

             Yes, I’m grateful for all those older trees around.

             Their chatter when it’s snowing makes a pleasant day.

We caught a lot of snow this time, good for a big drink!

              I’m glad we’re together, too

              in our own cozy corner of the world.

Growing old together makes a good life.

              Yep! 

 

         Linda Baie ©