Greetings, Poetry Lovers!
Can't believe April - and Poetry Month - are heading into the last lap for this year. There's been so much poetic goodness across the Kidlitopshere, it'll take me the rest of the year to catch up. Remember to check in with Jama's Roundup of National Poetry Month activities in the Kidlitosphere, and the Progressive Poem, as you savor the poetic celebrations.
One highlight of the month has been the launch of IMPERFECT – poems about mistakes; an anthology for middle schoolers, brought to life by Tabatha Yeatts. (Click here for Tabatha's blog, and here for the Team Imperfect blog.)
This book contains 70 poems by 50 poets – with several familiar to Poetry Friday regulars.
"In this anthology, you will find poems about all kinds of mistakes," Tabatha writes in the introduction. And she's right – there are humorous poems about little slip-ups and tissue-worthy poems about wounded relationships. Poetry helps us find our way. I wish I'd had this book when I was in middle school!
ONCE UPON A TIME
Once upon a time
there was a girl
who never made a mistake.
Which is why
this is
a fairy tale.
©April Halprin Wayland. All rights reserved. Used with permission. (Click here for more about April.)
Succinct and to the heart of the matter – I LOVE April's poem, which she wrote specifically for this collection. (She has a funny poem in there, too.)
I have one poem. It's a lighthearted look at my learning to sew. Or, not learning, re-learning, learning by no other way than by starting over…. My mother made me many wonderful outfits growing up, and her mother sewed. Despite the fact that I could never muster the patience to learn from my mother when I was a teenager (though I did let my grandmother show me how to make a knot in thread), I decided when I had my own children that, by bobbin, sew for them I would! At least as long as they needed Halloween costumes. I haven't sewn in years, but my little machine is in the back of a closet, waiting for the next generation of pitter-patter-ers.
HIDDEN IN THE SEAMS
Measure.
Cut.
Pin paper pattern. Pin paper pattern.
Thread machine.
Chikita, chikita, chikita, chikita
chikita, chikita, chikita, chikita
chikita ckiki-chkkktghkCLNK
(Ugh!)
Untangle thread.
Press pieces.
Hold up.
(Argh!)
Seam ripper:
Rip rip rip rip
rip rip rip rip
Pin pin pin pin
Chikita, chikita, chikita, chikita
chikita, chikita, chikita, chikita
Zipper-time
Zippity stitchity
zip zip zip ziGGRRRP
(Ugh!)
Untangle thread.
Zippity stitchity
Zip zip zip zip
Backstitch – stitch – back – backstitch
Snip.
Press.
"You made that?"
"Yes!"
©Robyn Hood Black. All rights reserved.
And it's pretty much the same process for every creative undertaking I've ever undertook! ;0)
This last Poetry Friday of Poetry Month is being hosted by the terrifically talented and also just generally terrific Irene at Live Your Poem. Enjoy!
