Greetings, Poetry Lovers!
You've come to the right place for the Roundup. All are welcome - enjoy the posts and please leave your links in the comments. I'll round them up old school throughout the day on Friday. (Note - with privacy changes, I no longer have access to the email addresses of commenters, so do be sure to leave your links!)
Here's another recently published haiku:
Scottish rain
tourists storm
the castle
©Robyn Hood Black
Modern Haiku 50:1, Winter-Spring 2019
Ahhhh, Scotland... I'm still pining for that amazing place and fondly recalling our family explorations last June. One memory leads to another to another....
Like our first full day in Edinburgh, when I'd made arrangments to meet up with my buddy Elizabeth Dulemba and her wonderful husband, Stan. And Elizabeth brought along her buddy, Jane Yolen! We all had a delightful lunch that spanned hours.
Did you know Jane recently surpassed the 365-books mark? Talk about prolific! You can read a different Jane Yolen book every day of the year. Pretty sure she's already got Leap Year covered now, too. (Learn more about Jane here.)
One book which is oh-so-timely right about now was written by Jane with her son, Adam Stemple, and illustrated by Elizabeth. ((Learn more about Elizabeth here.) In CROW NOT CROW, published by the Cornell Lab Publishing Group last fall, a father introduces his daughter to birding using the "crow, not crow" method for identifying birds. I know this is Poetry Friday and the text is not actually poetry, but we have many bird lovers among us, and I wanted to make sure you know about this book!
Were you craning your neck this past weekend? Cornell, along with Audubon and Bird Studies Canada, sponsors the Great Backyard Bird Count every President's Day weekend. I participated several years when we lived in Georgia, and need to get back in the swing here in SC! Amateurs are welcome, and folks submit their tallies from all over the world. In fact, in case you were among those counting but you didn't get all your numbers in, you can submit them until March 1. Learn more here.
The many birds around here in recent days have all been twitterpated - raise your hand if you know which Disney movie that comes from! ;0)
By the way, that adorable bird in the picture? The one my son-in-law Matt and I were smitten with, cameras in hand? It's a coal-tit - they look very much like our chickadees here in North America. This one found lodging at a beautiful little stone cottage in Luss, on the banks of Loch Lomond, where a birdhouse was hung with these painted words: "BED AND BOARD, 5 FLIES P/N (per night)" - and "4 stars" at the top!
Ahhhh, Scotland...
Thanks for following this "flight of ideas" - Read on for the Roundup! [& Catherine Flynn reminds us: "There are just two more weeks until March 8th, International Women's Day. I'll be hosting the Roundup that day and would love it if people help to celebrate the day by sharing poems that honor women. You can read more here". Thanks, Catherine.]
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We all mourn the loss of poetry icon Paul B. Janeczko this week. Almost exactly 10 years ago, I heard him speak at a conference in Georgia, where he said, "Good poetry explodes with possibilities."
***(adding this bit in...)
In the comments below, Jane Yolen has gifted us with some lovely lines for Paul Janeczko. I'm sharing them here, too, so all can more easily see:
Dark
The morning is darker, deeper, a color that tears see.
There is no reason for death except to cleanse life's slate.
We write new wisdoms, forget the old.
Dance when you can, my friends.
Don't always do what you are told.
Jane Yolen ©2019 all rights reserved
(Thank you for sharing, Jane.)***
Our lovely Linda at TeacherDance has a remembrance in Paul Janezcko's honor, and an intriguing follow-up about a 19th-Century poet she discovered, after some digging, by way of an old anthology. Click over to meet Celia Thaxter.
Little Willow checks in from Bildungsroman today with a few lines by Janne Robinson that might burn your tongue.... (Little Willow, I always enjoy your posts though I've never figured out how to comment on them!)
Hungry? As always, Jama has the perfect special on her poetic menu today. Saunter over to her Alphabet Soup for Hannah's Tall Order, an A to Z Sandwich, by Linda Vander Heyden and Kayla Herren. Bring your appetite and a sense of adventure!
Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link treats us to a lovely review of H IS FOR HAIKU by Sydell Rosenberg, the picture book collection lovingly brought to life by Rosenberg's daughter, Amy Losak. You'll also get a peek at the Long Island weather (sending sunshine from here, Carol!) and Carol's poetic and artistic interpretations inspired by the book.
Having grown up as "Robyn Hood," I can relate to Alan J Wright's offering at Poetry Pizzazz. His original "Call the Roll" poem might have you conjuring up your own possibilities for playful classroom rolls, too!
If ever need more color in your world, go see Michelle Kogan. She is breaking in a brand new iPad this week with sketches and haiku. (My favorite is "Remember me…") Enjoy!
At Reading to the Core, Catherine shares "For You" by Karla Kuskin, a perfect poem to honor Paul B. Janeczko. It's also a perfect choice for those of us who miss special kitties in our lives.
At Gathering Books, Fats shares powerful writing by Warsan Shire, an award-winning Kenyan-born Somali poet and writer who is based in London. With jolting and masterful imagery, Shire's work reflects "the harrowing experiences of refugees and immigrants, to tell stories of suffering, displacement, and healing."
Linda is waving from a cozy snow day over at A Word Edgewise to share a book all about the most extravagant adventuring – COUTNDOWN – 2979 Days to the Moon by Suzanne Slade. Our guide explores this scientific book in verse from three perspectives – reader, teacher librarian, and writer. Enjoy the journey!
Join Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference for two original poems as brief but potent explorations of bravery, productivity and peace… you'll have to click over to see for yourself!
If you need a bit of good-vibes inspiration this week (who doesn't?!), tune in to The Drift Record, where Julie is sharing a gorgeous poem by A. E. Stallings and an absolutely infectious positive attitude. Better than vitamins!
Left you wanting more, eh? Here's a link to Books Around the Table, where Julie, no stranger to wide net casting, shares this poem PLUS other links which have been inspiring her lately. (A must-read for Darwin fans, and for origami lovers.)
At There is No Such thing as a Godforsaken Town, Ruth has an inspiring original response poem to a Monet painting, and some thoughts about her oh-so-productive year of meeting her writing goals. And her usual dose of refreshing frankness!
So many talented teachers in our Poetry Friday crew... Mary Lee is sharing two fantastic student poems today at A Year of Reading. You'll enjoy her thoughts behind writing workshop for her fifth graders, too!
The ever-clever Jan at Bookseed Studio has a book giveaway! It's a great one, too – Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Fred Koehler's newest synergistic collaboration, WHAT IF/THEN WE? Jan is sweetening the pot, too, with a generous addition. AND, she's got some very fun words found in the wild, inviting you to share your own rare sightings….
At Friendly Fairy Tales, the focus today is on… focus! Enjoy Brenda's original poem and photo.
From Nix the Comfort Zone, Molly brings us a beautiful original poem, "Invitation" inspired by other Poetry Friday folks and "word collections." She also has an intriguing haiku that missed a deadline, but doesn't miss the boat… (an obscure reference, kind of; I might be getting a little Poetry-Friday-punch-drunk).
Heidi has poured grief into a wonderful book spine poem honoring several of Paul B. Janeczko's most beloved titles over at My Juicy Little Universe. Thank you, Heidi.
At Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme, Matt also shares remembrances of this brilliant lost light, as well as one of his favorite PBJ poems.
Since our Scotland trip was the result of family trees and DNA tests, I particularly love Amy's family history poem today over at The Poem Farm! And a photo there suggests where said Amy might have gotten some of her sass, as well as good looks. ;0) Amy also has beautiful words to remember and honor Paul Janeczko today.
At Live Your Poem, Irene is also mining family memories and inviting us to do the same in a year-long project inspired by Patty Dann's THE BUTTERFLY HOURS. Enjoy her sticky sweet poetic remembrance, "A Taste of Summer." And three cheers for Irene's hand-raise – of COURSE she would know that it's in BAMBI's forest where creatures become twitterpated this time of year…
Christie chimes in with Two Blue Herons (you'll understand when you click over) at Wondering and Wondering. Polyphonic Renaissance music and haiku, too – double-love!
Carol takes us on a snowy tour at The Apples in My Orchard and offers up a poem celebrating the color White. Bring your snowshoes!
Ramona at Pleasures from the Page has a beautiful post honoring Paul B. Janeczko, and a generous give-away offer as well. Some of her favorite titles are probably some of yours, too.
Elaine is also celebrating Paul at Wild Rose Reader. She's chosen to honor him with "Yellow Sonnet" by Paul Zimmer, from Janeczko's book, THE PLACE MY WORDS ARE LOOKING FOR.
Did you see the Super Snow Moon this week? It was too cloudy in my corner of the Universe. But Amy at Mrs. Merrill's Book Break, has us covered with a photoraph and her original poem full of heart, "Full Moon Dreaming."
Speaking of snow, at Check it Out, Jone shares student poems and art inspired by our own Laura Purdie Salas's SNOWMAN-COLD=PUDDLE. SO clever these young creators are!
Jone also remembers Paul B. Janeczko and some of his many books at Deowriter today – thank you, Jone, for helping us all to say thanks.
AliceNine offers a poignant post about loveliness which can grow out of growing old – good to ponder as we grapple with life and the end of life this week.
At Reflections on the Teche, Margaret brings us the end-of-day golden light with some golden shovel poems. Enjoy!
Last but not least, Susan at Soul Blossom Living leaves us smiling with a couple of fun limericks to make you feel cool as a cucumber.
Have a great weekend, All!
