children’s poetry

welcoming spring with joann early macken!

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#4 in the Poetry Potluck Series, celebrating National Poetry Month 2011.


  Mill Creek MetroParks/flickr


Ah, Sweet Spring!

I’m not sure the daffodils have appeared yet on the shore of Lake Michigan where JoAnn Early Macken lives, but I do know she’s been in the “Spring state of mind” since March 4th, her favorite day of the year.

This is the day she feels is the true beginning of Spring, a day to “take the bull by the horns and take care of business. Blaze a trail and follow it. Harness the horses and plow ahead.” For JoAnn, Spring is more than a season; it’s an attitude. March forth, embrace all the possibilities, and celebrate this time of renewal with promise twinkling over the horizon.

Lovely!

JoAnn: Any day now, we’ll all surrender to one of those glorious afternoons when everyone rejoices in the world and we all leave our jackets on the playground. Troubles seem trivial, problems feel petty, and all we want to do is drop everything, run outdoors, and soak up the sunshine.

I think we should designate JoAnn as our official Spring Ambassador! Before I share her poem, please replace your beret with this:

Lookin’ good! ☺ ☺ ☺

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friday feast: topping it off with our surprise guest, joyce sidman (and a giveaway)!

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#23 in the Poetry Potluck Series, celebrating National Poetry Month 2010.


     Joyce and her Small Munsterlander, Watson.

 

The calendar says, “April 30th,” but I can’t believe it.

It’s the final day of National Poetry Month! *sniff sniff*

Time sure flies when you’re busy juggling biscuits and buns, snarfing down candy, cookies, crisp and cake, investigating paprikash, practicing your French and Spanish, balancing on airplanes. Wasn’t it just yesterday I served up the wine and appetizers?

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charles and debra ghigna stay awhile

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#10 in the Poetry Potluck Series, celebrating National Poetry Month 2010.


 photo by LostMyHeadache – NewBeginnings –

Ooooo! This is the part of the Potluck where we dim the lights and tell scary stories! 

Today we have not one, but two guest poets – Charles Ghigna and his lovely wife, Debra! I’ll admit that when I invited Charles, I didn’t realize Debra was also a poet.  I must say, these two clearly know how to par-tay. Along with their poems and cookie recipe, they also brought their sleeping bags! I love guests who know how to make themselves at home. Now we can stay up all night and have a poetry slam. The attire of choice: silk pajamas, of course! 

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kristy dempsey goes to the dogs

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#9 in the Poetry Potluck Series, celebrating National Poetry Month 2010.

 Kristy Dempsey’s dog, Pepper, in full-on begging mode.


“Awwwwwwwww!!”

Don’t you love her? What a face! Just look at those big, soulful eyes. Who could refuse this dog anything when she looks at you like that? Melt melt melt. Love. ♥

OUTSIDE DOG AT DINNERTIME

Perhaps
if I scrunch my nose
a bit more
against this glass door,

you’ll hear my whimper.

Must I wail?

Maybe a knock with my tail?

No need for a plate.

I’d settle for scraps.

Perhaps?

© 2010 Kristy Dempsey. All rights reserved.

I’m so glad Kristy brought Pepper to the Poetry Party! We had some Fat Cats here last week, so it’s only fair dogs get equal billing. Please come in, Pepper. You don’t have to stay outside. Oh no. Look what Kristy brought — chocolate!

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a tail of tubby tabbies with j. patrick lewis

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 #5 in the Poetry Potluck Series, celebrating National Poetry Month 2010.   


 photo by *k t*.       

Holy Meow!

The king of nonsensical verse is here! Purrrrrrrrrrr.

Yes, I knew that when it comes to exuberant, outlandish, riotously funny poems, J. Patrick Lewis is totally the cat’s pajamas. The man sells underwear, for crying out loud, and even has a wickedly chewy collection called, The Bookworm’s Feast: A Potluck of Poems. Hi-Ho Silver Away!

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