POETRY FRIDAY

Since it is Poetry Friday and tomorrow is our family reunion, I decided to use a poem written by my cousin about when he spent the summers with our grandmother.

Grandma's Place

I remember the first visit there,
Excited as a child could be.
Fresh cut clover was in the air,
And now adventures and places to see.
Each morning I would awake,
Hearing the sound of birds as they sing.
And smell the fresh air like a spring fed lake.
Everything was so crisp and each sound like a bell would ring.
The days moved quickly, each and everyone,
Savoring each and every moment,
Remembering the good times and all the fun.
Those days I spent each summer, the days so warm,
Will be remembered for a life time, and then some.
Oh, how I looked forward to the time on the farm,
For it was grandma's place that all this was done.
What memories I have of the days gone by,
Of all those summers I spent there under the sun.

POETRY FRIDAY: MOUNTAINS

Alone Looking at The Mountain

All the birds have flown up and gone;
A lonely cloud floats leisurely by,
We never tire of looking at each other-
Only the mountains and I.

---Li Po

POETRY FRIDAY--It's Not Fair!

This poem is taken from a book by Sara Holbrook called Practical Poetry. Since many second grade teachers, as well as other grade levels are doing poetry now, I thought this would be appropriate. I will give directions from Sara as to how to do this type of poetry after the poem. This is a poem for two voices.

It's not fair, my boy could die.
I need your son to go to war.
I don't know when he's going to be safe.
But he has to go for his country.
He may never come home to me again.
But he will die with honor.
Honor or no honor. I don't want him to go.
He will have to go anyway.
Think twice before sending people to die with "honor".
by Letycya and Curina, Grade 8

Type of poetry: It's Not Fair!

• Pass out cards and have students complete the sentence, It's not fair that___________
• Post cards around the room.
• Have kids in pairs "shop" for a topic of interest to both of them.
• After they have picked a topic, have each pair rip a single sheet of paper in half lengthwise, each taking half.
• Ask each member of the team to choose a point of view.
• Have them work independently and make a list of arguments defending their point of view.
• Have the two students read poems for two voices aloud to the class.
• Discuss the poem.
• Ask the student pairs to go back to their lists, to put the paper they divided back together. Ask them to compare and contrast the lists.
• Ask kids to put their poems together then to create a poem for two voices.
• Present the poems fr two voices to the rest of the class.

This comes from Sara' book: Practical Poetry and chapter 5---Social Studies and Poetry. Give you any ideas!

POETRY FRIDAY

The poem I am posting today is from the book: His Voice by Gene Michael. Gene is my oldest cousin and loves to write poetry mostly for the family, but has also done things for special occasions. This poem is written about him visiting the farm where our grandparents lived. I was too young to remember this time, because they had moved into town by the time I was born. I still love to read the poem and visualize what it must have been like!

Grandma's Place

by G.E.Michael

I remember the first visit there,

Excited as a child could be.

Fresh cut clover was in the air,

And new adventures and places to see.

Each morning I would awake,

Hearing the sounds of birds as they sing,

And smell the fresh air like a spring-fed lake.

Everything was so crisp and each sound like a bell would ring.

The days moved quickly, each and everyone,

Savoring each and every moment,

Remembering the good times and all the fun.

Those days I spent each summer, the days so warm,

Will be remembered for a lifetime, and then some.

Oh, how I looked forward to the time on the farm,

For it was grandma's place that all this was done.

What memories I have of the days gone by,

Of all those summers I spent there under the sun.

POETRY FRIDAY

Today is Poetry Friday. My first poem is inspired by the book Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran. This was one of the Top Ten Books featured at the Summer Institute. My second poem is taken from the morning walk Murphy and I went on this morning. ENJOY!

My Roxaboxen

by Kathy Douglas

Did you have a Roxaboxen?

A place that was magical?

Mine was in a dirt driveway

Filled with stones, pebbles and dirt.

I'd lay out my house

The rooms,

The doorways,

The closets.

My Roxaboxen.

Do you have a Roxaboxen?

A place that is magical?

Mine is a pond hidden away.

The dirt approach is perfect

Plenty of stones,

Plenty of pebbles,

Plenty imagination.

Here's the front door,

The window overlooking the pond,

The patio stepping into the woods.

My Roxaboxen.

IDENTIFICATION

by Kathy Douglas

Large brown placemarkers in rows

Each sitting by a driveway

All facing the same direction.

No fancy calligraphy of names

In silver, blue or gold.

But, with x-ray eyes

You can see identification.

The trash inside tells

Who lives here...

What's important here...

Why do they live this way?

POETRY FRIDAY

My friend, Ruth, told me about Poetry Friday. I like the idea of once a week being forced into thinking in that genre. It doesn't matter if it is one you created or one you love...just so it is poetry. I have been wanting to get back to writing some poetry, so this seemed like the perfect excuse. I am not as good as my friend, Sarah, but I am willing to give it a try.

An Ode To Ingrid
Upon your leaving our midst
For loftier goals that you aspire
I find myself reflecting on our time together.

Ingrid: just the name alone
Causes one to visualize
A tall, striking, blond girl.
One full of life,
Purpose,
And beauty.
Upon meeting you,
One finds all those things to be true.

Your rich vocabulary,
Your knowledge of many languages
All bring forth a depth
Unlike any other.

Always searching for more knowledge,
For the latest research,
For new wisdom,
What inspiration to those around you.

Ah, yes, you now leave us
To seek higher aspirations,
But your spirit,
Your laugh,
Your memories,
Will linger long after you have parted.

Farewell, for only a short time,
For we will be following you with
Our Best Wishes!


By Students:

Weather
Today is a weird weather day
It's cold,
but warm.
Today is a weird weather day.
It will be
Rainy,
Sunny, and
Snowy.
Today is a weird weather day.
The sky is
Dark and bright.
Today is definitely a weird weather day.
Today I'm as mixed up
As the weather.

Fishing
It was Saturday morning.
The pond smelled like morning fog.
My dad said we were going home
In five minutes.
It was my last cast.

The fog was so thick
You could cut it with a knife.
I wouldn't be able to see
What I caught.

I cast out.
I couldn't tell if
I cast 3 feet or 3 yards.
Something tugged on my pole
Like there was no tomorrow.

I reeled in.
Took out the flashlight.
It was a
Big,
Clump
Of seaweed!

HAPPY POETRY FRIDAY!!!!