Happy Saturday from the Lowcountry, where jasmine is in bloom all over town! Welcome to today's edition of the 2018 KidLit Progressive Poem.
Heidi posted a "Pre-Progressive Poem Post" this year with some background and visiting with Progressive Poem creator Irene. Liz dropped by, too! They challenged each contributor to jot down responses to Liz's first line, put them away, and then bring them back out to see how close or far the poem had meandered from initial impressions.
I was way off! ;0)
Here is Liz's first line:
Nestled in her cozy bed, a seed stretched.
Here were my notes:
--Perhaps she does not know what she'll become? Kind of Ugly-ducklingish. There will be growing pains – and sun, rain, wind, insects and spiders and the padding of feet, each new day a bit longer than the one before. She might be acres inside of an untouched wood, or perhaps she is being tended by someone. Perhaps she will be loved like the Little Prince loved the rose. She is fragile now, but curious. She will find her way.
Turns out our main character Jasmine actually likes night life best!
Here's the poem with my line added. Linda Kulp Trout left me with a lovely line, which I ended with a comma to help modify its first part in my addition.
Nestled in her cozy bed, a seed stretched.
Oh, what wonderful dreams she had!
Blooming in midnight moonlight, dancing with
the pulse of a thousand stars, sweet Jasmine
invented a game.
"Moon?" she called across warm honeyed air.
"I'm sad you're alone; come join Owl and me.
We're feasting on stardrops, we'll share them with you."
"Come find me," Moon called, hiding behind a cloud.
Secure in gentle talons' embrace, Jasmine rose
and set. She split, twining up Owl's toes, pale
moonbeams sliding in between, Whoosh, Jasmine goes.
Owl flew Jasmine between clouds and moon to Lee's party!
Moon, that wily bright balloon, was NOT alone.
Jas grinned,
stretched,
reached,
wrapped
a new,
around tender
rootlet
a trellis Sky held out to her, made of braided wind and song.
Her green melody line twisted and clung.
Because she was twining poet's jasmine, she
wiggled a wink back at Moon, and began her poem.
Her whispered words floated on a puff of wind,
filled with light and starsong. "Revelers, lean in –
With the poem about two-thirds of the way finished, I wanted to offer a little push-glide on its way toward the end of the month. I had printed out the poem and took with me to my studio Friday. My Muse works best if I'm not trying to stare her down, but if I make myself available in the periphery. I had also heard that the Lyrid Meteor Shower would be at its peak on April 22-23, and this image wanted to come play in my line. Of course, there was really no room for it, except that I imagined Jasmine's words, after floating in Linda's line, showering down in some sparkly display.
And now it's Tabatha's turn – if you didn't get a chance to join the IMPERFECT release celebration yesterday when she hosted Poetry Friday, I'm sure there's still some lopsided cake left!
Here is the poem's complete path:
April
1 Liz at Elizabeth Steinglass
2 Jane at Raincity Librarian
3 Laura at Writing the World for Kids
4 Michelle at Today's Little Ditty
5 Jan at bookseedstudio
6 Irene at Live Your Poem
7 Linda at TeacherDance
8 Janet F. at Live Your Poem
9 Ramona at Pleasures from the Page
10 Matt at Radio, Rhythm and Rhyme
11 Brenda at Friendly Fairy Tales
12 Carol at Beyond LiteracyLink
13 Linda A Word Edgewise
14 Heidi at my juicy little universe
15 Donna at Mainely Write
16 Sarah at Sarah Grace Tuttle
17 Ruth at There is no such thing as a Godforsaken town
18 Christie at Wondering and Wandering
19 Michelle at Michelle Kogan
20 Linda at Write Time
21 Robyn at Life on the Deckle Edge
22 Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference
25 Kiesha at Whispers from the Ridge
27 Buffy's Blog
29 April atTeaching Authors
30 Doraine at Dori Reads
Thanks for visiting!