APRIL is the coolest month – 2015 National Poetry Month unfurls!

April joy to readers, writers & everyone in between. It is poetry month!

I expect to ring-a-ding the poem gong here & sprinkle morsels of poem
nourishment through some of the days.

Roz Chast poster

Roz Chast Poster

First up, I suggest that you gaze at the National Poetry Month Poster
by our World’s one-and-only Roz Chast, including an interpretation of her clever thoughts in
a most unusual poetry medium over at Jama’s Alphabet Soup,
the tastiest poetry blog I’ve ever munched upon.

This is the National Poetry Month Poster, but not in the unusual medium. Go see Jama’s Alphabet Soup – scroll past this

wonderful poster version to see what I had no eyedeer was a poetry possibility.

© Roz Chast/ 2015 National Poetry Month Poster

And to keep my NPM days straight, I’ll be returning to this flavorful
round up of Poetry Friday writers who expect to measure their month in dayspoons of poetry, this menu also by the same, Jama.

Back at the oak branch

Here in North Florida, I let the teensy wild violet blooms that unfurled under the giant

matriarch live oak tree fade into ground without tasting one. I counted 12 scattered plants at the purplest

of petal times & I wanted to always see their color in the yard so I didn’t nibble. Next year…

The wild violet plants still give us growing, apple green, funneled leaves where the tender blossoms were just a week ago, the two Myer Lemon trees bubbled out with tight buds that are bursting every day into fragrant splayed petal blossoms & I saw a honeybee feeding on them this week, & the anemic purple wisteria inched out some promising mini-grape like clusters. All of this springness adds to the allure of April & the poetry partee.

In Dog Time

Today I’m sharing opening lines from my poetry colleague Christine Poreba’s, fun poem, King of the Dance.

It is published in the UK along with two other of her poems of sweet canine lines, in  Manchester Metropolitan University’s collection, LET IN THE STARS.
from King of the Dance by Christine Poreba
“My dog is King of the Dance –
the whirl, wiggle, leap
the shake and the prance.

First a wag of his tail,
then a wag of his self,
his whole body goes wag,
like a windy-day flag.”
  © Christine Poreba

Christine is an award-winning poet, a magician to those for whom English is a second language, gently helping them through the maze of perfect past tense and subjunctive whatevers & very busy with her young family, who are each of them, quite talented. I am fortunate to have her as a beta commenter on some of my fledgling poetry. Although I am a cat person and she is poetically and in practice, a devoted dog person, we are in pawfect harmony at our poetry get-togethers. I lead you to Christine’s lovely site.

p.s. the lines above are even more fun with Christine’s original formatting, which I can’t wrestle right. Must need a juicy bone!

Magic Time

Now –  the prize of this post is that April 1 is also the release day for my dear pal Adrian Fogelin’s newest novel, SOME KIND OF MAGIC. It is some kind of wonderful & I said so over where there is a contest to win it open all April – so try pleze try your luck!

A last course – a rolling tea cart tally of National Poetry Month pleasures I savor to be added now & again, insitgated by ANGIE KARCHER’s month of reading.

https://angiekarcher.wordpress.com/?s=nikki+grimes

Week 1
W/Picture Book – SWAMP SONG by Helen Ketterman, illustrated by Ponder Goembel

Poems by Christine Poreba, “How to Wake Up in Dog,” “King of the Dance,” & “Itch” published in LET IN THE STARS/ Manchester Metroplitan University/UK

TH/Picture Book – ALL BY HERSELF, by Ann Paul, illustrated by Michael Seirnagle

Poems by Ann Paul, including “Golda Mabovitch”

* F/Picture Book – THE BED BOOK, by Sylvia Plath

Poem by Janet Wong, “Coin Drive,” in POETRY ALOUD HERE! / Sylvia Vardell

SA/ Picture Book – ONE MORE SHEEP by Mij Kelly and Russell Ayto

Poem by Douglas Florian, “A Poem Can Sing,” in POETRY ALOUD HERE!/ Sylvia Vardell

SUN/ Picture Book – TERRIBLE TERESA and OTHER VERY SHORT STORIES by Mittie Cuetara

poem by Jane Yolen, “A Poem Is,” in I AM THE BOOK, poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins

 

…………
Yikes! Adding 2 weeks in today (April 28th & I’ll be back with more, later)

Week 2
M/*Picture Book Reading – MEET DANITRA BROWN, by Nikki Grimes
Poem by Lee Bennett Hopkins, “Poetry Time,” in I AM THE BOOK, poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins
TU/Picture Book Reading – LLAMA LLAMA TIME TO SHARE by Anna Dewdney, author & illustrator
poems by Lois Ehlert including, “Mosquito,” in Oodles of Animals
WED/Picture Book Reading – MY TRUCK IS STUCK by Kevin Lewis and Daniel Kirk
poem by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, “What Was That?” in I AM THE BOOK, poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins
TH/ Picture Book Reading- BUBBLE GUM, BUBBLE GUM by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith
poems by Dinah Johnson, including “Sonia,” in SITTING PRETTY, A Celebration of Black Dolls, illustrated by photographer Myles C. Pinkney.
F/Picture Book Reading – THE BIG GREAT GREEN by Peggy Gifford, illustrated by Lisa Desimini
poem by Naomi Shihab Nye, “Who’s Rich?” in I AM THE BOOK, edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins
SAT/ Picture Book Reading- THE PET PROJECT, by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Zacariah OHora
poem by Karla Kushkin, “Wonder Through the Pages,” in I AM THE BOOK, edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins
SUN/Picture Book Reading- SAY WHAT? by Angela DiTerlizzi, illustrated by Joey Chou
poem by Alice Schertle, “Violet’s Hiking Hat” in BUTTON UP , Wrinkled Rhymes by Alice Schertle, pictures by Petra Mathers
………….

Week 3
M/ Picture Book Reading –DOG GONE! Leeza Hernandez
Poem by X.J. Kennedy “How to Stay Up Late, “ in POETRY SPEAKS TO Children, edirws by Elise Pachen
TU Picture Book Reading –HOT ROD HAMSTER by Lynthia Lord, illustrated by Derek Anderson**
Poem by Nikki Giovanni, “Knoxville, Tennessee” in POETRY SPEAKS TO CHILDREN
WED Picture Book Reading –THE JAZZ FLY by Matthew Gollub, illustrated by Karen Hanke
Poem by Kristine O’Connell George, “Snake” in FOLD ME A POEM**, illustrated by Lauren Stringer
TH/ Picture Book reading TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DAY TODAY, by Mem Fox, illustrated by Lauren Stringer***
Poem by Tony Johnston, “Sunset” in I’M GONNA TELL MAMA I WANT AN IGUANA, illustrated by Lillian Hoban
F / Picture Book Reading – SEADOGS by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Mark Siegel
Poem by Langston Hughes, “Drums” in LANGSTON HUGHES, Poetry for Young People
SAT / Picture Book Reading OODLES of ANIMALS, Lois Ehlert, author & illustrator
Poem by Arnold Adoff, “Spring Saturday Morning” in TOUCH THE POEM, illustrated by Lisa Desimini**

SUN/ DINOSAUR ROAR! by Paul & Henrietta Strickland
Poem by J. Patrick Lewis, untitled kitchen mouse poem in GOOD MOUSEKEEPING, illustrated by
Lisa Desimini
……………………………………..

If you are looking to visit the site this reading & notetaking stems from please visit ANGIE KARCHER

Week 4
Mon – Picture Book reading – THE SNOWFLAKE SISTERS by J. Patrick Lewis, illustrated by Lisa Desimini
poem “On an August Day” by Lee Bennett Hopkins in THE SEA IS CALLING ME, selected by L.B. Hopkins/ illustrated by Walter Gaffney-Kessel.
Tues – P.B. – NOT ALL PRINCESSES DRESS in PINK by Jane Yolen & Heidi E.Y. Stemple
poem “Book Protection” anonymous, in I SAW ESAU, The Schoolchild’s Pocket Book, edited by IonMA., with pictures by Bruce Degen
poem “The Mosquito’s Song” by Peggy B. Leavitt in DIRTY LAUNDRY PILE, selected by Paul B. Janeczko & illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Thurs PETITE ROUGE, A Cajun Red Riding Hood by Mike Artell illustrated by Jim Harris
poem “Jellyfish” by Valerie Worth in ANIMAL POEMS, illustrated by Steve Jenkins
Friday MARSUPIAL SUE by John Lithgow, illusrated by Jack E Davis
poem “The Coyote” by Douglas Florian in MAMMALABILIA poems & paintings by Douglas Florian
Sat MADELEINE by Ludwig Bemelmans
poem “A-Camping We Will Go,” by Kelly DiPucchio in SIPPING SPIDERS THROUGH A STRAW, Campfire Songs for Monsters with pictures by Gris Grimly
Sun BRAVE POTATOES by Toby Speed, illustrated by Barry Root
poem “Ink Drinkers” by Andrea Perry in THE SNACK SMASHER, illustrated by Alan Snow

Week 5
Mon LLAMA LLAMA MISSES MAMMA by Anna Dewdney
poem “One Art” by Elizabeth Bishop (it’s a villanelle) reprinted in an excellent MG/YA collection – POETRY SPEAKS WHO I AM edited by Elise Paschen
TUES
poem “Fossils” by Jack Prelutsky in THE CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS (Camille Saint-Saens’s music) illustrated by Mary GrandPre
WED
poem “Those Crazy Crows” by Margaret Wise Brown in NIBBLE NIBBLE illustrated by Leonard Weisgard